Today we took a tour of Westminster Abbey, and it was beautiful. All of the different tombs and sculptures as well as the stained glass and design of the ceiling gave the entire place the reverence that it’s more than well known for. In one section, there were a ton of plaques and statues in place in honor of actors, writers, and artists.
One plaque that I found was for Charles Dickens, the famous Victorian-era author who wrote classics like A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, and Oliver Twist. He died on June 9, 1870, and was added to Westminster Abbey on June 14, 1870. I wish he could have seen A Muppet’s Christmas Carol, I’m sure he would have loved it.
Another plaque I saw was for Lord Byron, his full name being George Gordon Byron. He was an English poet and was responsible for creating an image of the “romantic hero.” This hero has flaws and is passionate and has a drive in the story, helping people relate to a character who, despite having flaws, you want to see reach their goals. He died on April 19, 1824, and was added to Westminster Abbey on May 8, 1969.
Another plaque belonged to Sir Henry Irving, an actor in the late 1800s and the early years of the 1900s, who viewed his career of acting as just that, a career, in a time where it was not seen as a full on profession. He was also one of the first actors to receive a knighthood! Irving died on October 13, 1905, and was added to Westminster Abbey just a week later on October 20, 1905.
Both the inside and the outside of Westminster Abbey were beautiful to look at. I love seeing the architecture of these old buildings and wondering about the purpose behind all of the design choices.
Theatre in London U of A 