This very royal of churches has seen the coronation of all the monarchs who have acceded to the throne in these islands  since William the Conqueror was crowned King in 1066. Interred here are 17 monarchs and innumerable famous scientists, writers and artists including Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens and Ben Jonson. The building’s history dates back 1000 years, but it was King Henry III in the 13th Century who built much of the building which is so recognisable today.
There is a charge for tourist visits, or should you attend one of the regular services for worship it is free to enter.
There are a number of Big Bus stops close to Westminster Abbey but please check to see which direction you need to travel in.

1000 years of British History at Westminster Abbey

Constructed approximately 100 years ago, Methodist Central Hall serves both as a Methodist Church and Conference Centre in the heart of London. This spectacular building and magnificent great hall was built from donations given by followers of John Wesley, the founder of methodism. The donations took the form of being no more than one guinea from each contributer, the 'million Guinea fund' as it became known took five years to collect the million pounds that were needed to build the hall. The name of each contributer can still be found in 50 leather bound volumes that are viewable opposite the visitor services desk.

The domed ceiling in the Great Hall is the second largest of its type in the world. Beautifully decorated, the dome is a self-supporting concrete structure in keeping with such a monumental building. The hall has attracted many famous speakers since it was opened in 1912 and has played host to many important events and meetings. The first ever convening of the general assembly of the United Nations was held here in 1946. Mahatma Gandhi, Sir Winston Churchill, Dr Boutros Boutros Gali and the Prince of Wales are just some of the dignitaries that have made keyline speeches here.

The Great Hall, which is truly impressive, seats almost 2,500 people and houses a magnificent organ containing 4,731 pipes with free public organ recitals taking place on sundays throughout the summer months.

Westminster Cathedral is a turn of the century brick built neo-Byzantine building situated near Victoria station. It is the largest Roman Catholic church in England. This is not to be confused with Westminster Abbey although there are connections between the two as the land on which the Catholic Cathedral stands now was once owned by the Benedictine monks who founded Westminster Abbey. The land was acquired by the Catholic church in 1884 with the work being completed in 1903.

The Cathedral was designed by architect John Bentley in an early Christian Byzantine style. The outside is finished in red brick and stone and is quite unique in appearance from the rest of Britains large places of worship. Sightseeing tourists in London may not even be aware that the Cathedral exists and often will stumble accidentally on it while making their way to Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace or the Houses of Parliament nearby.

The architecture and appearance of the building from the outside is complemented on the inside too. Eight marble columns support the canopy over the altar with Byzantine style mozaics adorning the chapels. Sculpter Eric Gill created the raised friezes of the fourteen stations of the cross which are world renowned pieces of eclesiastical art in their own right. there is an elevator that will take you to the top of the 290 ft (82 m) bell tower, and from there panoramic views of London's cityscape can be had featuring views that take in Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, The Houses of Parliament and in the distance, St Pauls Cathedral.

Scotland Yard is synonymous with London and it's policing every bit as much as Sir Robert Peel's 'Bobbies'. Since 1967 the headquerters of the Metropolitan Police has been at the New Scotland Yard building in broadway. The most famous feature of the building is the revolving 'New Scotland Yard' sign that revolves some 14,000 times daily. Scotland Yard is internationally famous as a symbol of fair policing and it's detectives, both real and fictional feature and appear in many crime novels and books. Sherlock Holmes always had a perfect foil in the yards Inspector Lestrade albeit sometimes rather antagonisticly.

The revolving sign at New Scotland Yard