What is inside?

Arthur Penrhyn Stanley's Historical Memorials of Westminster Abbey was first published in 1867 and proved so popular that it was reissued repeatedly. The current volume published here, is the eighth edition. The book provides a lively account of the tombs and memorials that are to be found throughout the Abbey, as well as the many 19th century investigations of the tomb contents which the author seems to have particularly enjoyed. Needless to say much of the volume is given over to the large number of royal tombs, with extended discussions of royal coronation ceremonies. The main body of the book contains a thorough catalogue of all the monuments and memorials to be found in the Abbey from its foundation in 1050 to 1881. A more extended treatment is given to groups of memorials with a common theme, e.g. Poets corner (with memorials for Chaucer onwards). The last 200 pages of the book contains a detailed history of the Abbey from earliest times, with much detail about the people connected with its activities. This is a fascinating book, copiously illustrated with over 540 pages of text.

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