Westminster Palace Roof

By then the flames had also spread close to the wooden roof of westminster hall.

Westminster palace roof.

The hall is the only original piece of gothic architecture in the westminster palace. As politicians dither over repairs the risk of fire flood or a deluge of sewage only increases. A scotland yard spokeswoman said. To avoid further damage to the building fabric this phased programme of roof.

The magnificent hammer beam roof of westminster hall is the largest medieval timber roof in northern europe. London fire brigade and london ambulance service are in. At 9 15pm officers were made aware of a man trespassing on the roof at the palace of westminster. St edward the confessor the penultimate saxon monarch of england built a royal palace on thorney island.

The rest is gothic revival. In march 2007 another four members of greenpeace made their way to the palace s roof by means of a nearby crane which was being used for repairs to westminster bridge. But fixing the palace of westminster might change british politics for good. Once up they unfurled a 15 metre 50 ft banner protesting against the british government s plans to update the trident nuclear programme.

The cast iron tiled roofs were installed on wrought iron structures in the mid 1800s and used innovative technology. When the fire engines arrived the house of lords was already destroyed and the commons was ablaze. The work was largely undertaken by the king s chief mason. The palace of westminster site was strategically important during the middle ages as it was located on the banks of the river thames known in medieval times as thorney island the site may have been first used for a royal residence by cnut the great during his reign from 1016 to 1035.

The roof westminster hall was probably originally supported by pillars giving three aisles but during the reign of king richard ii this was replaced by a hammerbeam roof by the royal carpenter hugh herland the greatest creation of medieval timber architecture which allowed the original three aisles to be replaced with a single huge open space with a dais at the end. The prime minister lord melbourne quickly directed efforts to douse the roof with water which saved the hall although much of the rest of the palace was lost. An incendiary bomb struck the chamber of the house of commons and set it on fire while another set the roof of westminster hall alight. Measuring 20 7 by 73 2 metres 68 by 240 feet the roof was commissioned in 1393 by richard ii and is a masterpiece of design.