Benedictine monks first came to the site of Westminster Abbey in the middle of the tenth century, establishing a tradition of daily worship which continues to this day.
The Abbey has been the coronation church since 1066 and is the final resting place of seventeen monarchs and has the medieval shrine of an Anglo-Saxon saint still at its heart.
The challenge for Luke Hughes and Company was to design and make clergy seating to sit upon the uneven Cosmati pavement in front of the High Altar. This unique and remarkable floor was laid down in 1268 by order of Henry III who had started re-building Edward the Confessor’s Abbey in the new Gothic style in 1245. We designed a special foot to stabilise the seating whilst protecting the priceless floor. 4 benches and 2 chairs were designed and made in time for both the Pope's visit and the Royal wedding.
Clergy seating for the Cosmati pavement
The Cosmati pavement in front of the high altar at Westminster Abbey required special solutions when it came to providing clergy seating.