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| A flying buttress at the Chapter House |
Originally built by Edward the Confessor and consecrated in 1065, only a week before his death, the construction of the present building seen at Westminster Abbey was begun by Henry III in 1245 and was essentially undertaken with Reigate stone and with Caen stone; however, several phases of refacing and restoration with different types of stone have subsequently been carried out over the years.
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| A general view |
My very quick tour of the exterior of Westminster Abbey started at the Chapter House, having briefly looked at the masonry of the Jewel Tower nearby, and here my impression was that the original Reigate stone has essentially been replaced by Chilmark stone – a fact confirmed by one of the stonemasons that I was talking to about the work in progress on site.
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| A stonemason working a block of Chilmark stone |
Selected by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the mid 19th century for the restoration of the Chapter House, the greenish, glauconitic, sandy limestone is a good colour match for the original stone and blends in well, and it has been used in its restoration ever since.
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| A masonry pier at the Chapter House |
The sharp lines and profiles of the ashlar, dressings and moulded profiles obviously distinguish it from the mediaeval masonry in the abbey and, although most of the restored stonework in the main part of the Chapter House and flying buttresses still appear to be in reasonable condition, enlarged photographs clearly show that the surfaces of many of the stones are delaminating.
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