St Mary Undercroft, Medieval chapel in Palace of Westminster, London, England
The underground chapel features five vaulted bays with clustered columns crafted from polished Purbeck marble and a ceiling decorated with carved dragons and angels.
Built in 1297 and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the chapel survived the great fire of 1834 that destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster.
The chapel holds the status of Royal Peculiar, operating directly under the monarch's authority rather than falling under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
Members of Parliament and peers can reserve the chapel for ceremonies including weddings and christenings through the office of the Lord Great Chamberlain.
In 1911, suffragette Emily Davison hid in a cupboard within the chapel to list her census address as House of Commons, leading to a memorial plaque in 1999.
Part of: Palace of Westminster
GPS coordinates: 51.49940,-0.12500
Latest update: March 3, 2025 15:14
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