For nearly a millennium Westminster Abbey served as a burial place, coronation and wedding site for the royals of England and Britain.
Consecrated in 1065 CE, the magnificent structure is one of the world’s most famous buildings – but it hasn’t always In its current form. It’s been subjected to the fashions and wishes of the nobility.
New research has shown that one of these vanishing sections was a grisly chapel. It was a sacred space for Saint Erasmus of Formia’s royal cult, which was dedicated to the martyred by slow disembowelment.
It was destroyed in 1502, and there is no trace of it. It may have been a place for worship by the ‘White Queen’ of England, Matthew Payne and John Goodall, a member on the Westminster Abbey Fabric Advisory Commission. Elizabeth WoodvilleEdward IV’s wife, Judith.
Their evidence includes a variety of evidence. Neue paperA centuries-old document that has been recently discovered in the form of a royal grants and an alabaster framework that once belonged to an ornamental screen, known as an a, has been rediscovered. reredos.
“The White Queen wanted to worship there, and it appears to be buried there, as the grant states prayers should be sung around the tomb of our consort (Elizabeth Woodville).” Payne explains.
“The construction, purpose, and fates of the St Erasmus chapel are therefore deserving of more attention.”
It is not clear when the chapel was constructed. Edward IV granted the abbey the first mention of it. He wrote in the document that the grant was for a chantry, “in a chapel Saint Erasmus newly constructed by the queen, annexed the chapel Saint Mary of Saint Mary of Saint Mary, for both the good estate and their souls afterwards.”
Saint ErasmusSaint Elmo was also known as a bishop. He lived in the third century CE. He was imprisoned, tortured again and burned alive before being imprisoned and tortured again. Finally, he was killed by having his intestines slowly wound round. Windlass. It was a great time. He is a patron to sailors, children, and people with abdominal distress.
In the 15th Century CE, a cult developed around this saint. Altars and images were dedicated to him in a variety of churches throughout the country. He was also depicted in paintings and sculptures.
The devotion of the royal family to Saint Erasmus was strong in the 1470s. Historians don’t know why, but they speculate that it could have been for the protection of their children or a safe passage on the sea by the king in 1972.
“But the dedication of Westminster was of particular significance because the abbey was among only two religious houses in England to have a relics of the saint.” The researchers write. “A tooth of Saint Erasmus was reportedly among the relics that King Offa gave to the abbey, according to John Flete the monk historian John Flete in the 1440s.
It was also a burial place. It was the burial place of Anne Mowbray, an 8-year old child bride to Elizabeth’s son Richard. Henry VII demolished the Saint Erasmus chapel in order to make space for the construction of the cathedral. Lady ChapelHer coffin was moved and then lost. It would not be Rediscovered until 1964.) There was also a Sir Thomas Hungerford of Down Ampney listed as being buried there on 1494. However, it isn’t clear why.
Elizabeth and Edward IV were eventually buried at Saint George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.
Visitors to Westminster today can only see the alabaster-reredos frame of the chapel. It is exquisitely, intricately carved. Historical experts speculate that it was once used to frame a grisly painting. Saint Erasmus’ martyrdomThe hanging is behind the altar in the chapel.
Researchers believe that the presented evidence indicates that further investigation is necessary into this piece of English history.
“This short-lived chapel has received very little attention.” Goodall:.
“Despite the existence of elements from the reredos, it is barely mentioned in abbey histories.” It is evident that the original chapel needs to be investigated.
The publication of the research was published in Journal of the British Archaeological Association.
