A TRANSFORMED ABBEY.

Evening Star, Issue 14628, 26 July 1911, Page 3

A TRANSFORMED ABBEY.

'j CORONATION PREPARATIONS AT ; i WESTMINSTER. j BEAUTIFUL BRITISH WORK. ! [From Oce Sfecial Coeresi'Ondknt.] ! LONDON. Jun* 16. ! Westminster Abbey presents today a ! strangely different appearand n> thnt i with which, visitors are familiar. For ! weeks past an army of workmen has been I engaged in preparing the interior of the 1 grand old building for the Coronation j (ceremonial, building up an annexe thereto, i and obscuring a considerable part of the | exterior with a huge stand. | To-day all save the finishing touches have been put to the interior of the Abbey, and the historic- building is for the most part quite unrecognisable." <Salleries are to be seen in every direction. Not one single square foot of space which could be utilised has been left out of account, and, even so. the spare in which the sons and daughters of the Empire are to be accommodated is all too small. The annexe is hung with pieces of tapestry, including a valuable series of Flemish tapestries of the sixteenth century. Suits of armor, brought from the Tower of London, are also" to be seen in the annexe on the panels not covered by the tapestry. In the nave not one of the monuments is visible, and marble pillars are almost hidden from view by the beautiful hangings with which the "galleries are decorated. I They consist of a dark blue velvet on a i fawn ground shot with silver grey, after j a Venetian pattern. The barriers, pillars, and other woodwork which is not droed j with the velvet hangings is covered with a j rv. T y sateen. As the spectator proceeds ! beneath the organ screen into the choir the general sense of change is not quite so apparent. Indeed, with the exception of the galleries and their hangings in the north and south choir aisles and the Coronation carpet, this portion of the Abbey is much the same as usual. CORONATION CARPETS AND THRONES. j The coronation carpet, of royal blue I is in two shades of heraldic design, a.r- ---| raueed in large panels, boar inn the stars jof the Orders"of the Garter, the Thistle, j and St. Patrick. At intervals the initials | of the King and Queen are shown suri mounted by the Crown. The fabric is ! chenille Axminster. and is woven of the | finest materials. For the Royal gallery I and for the spare around the dais a plain ! carpet of royal blue has been used. The i carpets cover an area of nearly 9CO j square - yards. It is, however, tin- ! mediately to the east of the choir that j the main interest nf the Coronation cere- | niony is found. Between the four gre/st | marble columns which support the lantern • of the Abbey hns been erected a platform, ! on which is placed a dais divided into two ; halves, one ot live steps, the other of ; three steps, surmounted by the Coronation thrones and chairs of e.datc. Here the ceremony of the homage takes plaeo after the enthronement of the King. The throne chairs have been reproduced from the originals in the possession of Lord Saclcvilt© They are of Jacobean type, with X-shaced hack supports ot beechwood. The. original nv covered entirely I ir. crimson s:ttui, over which was worked a j scroll design in applique and gold thread. J This is replaced ir. tho Coronation ihrones j bv a crimson silk aamask, specially designed by William Morris many years ago. I The beeehwood frames are covered ' throughout with this material, and are out- j I lined with gold braid and fringes of j various depths. Tho boss at the junction ! of the supports carried a York rcse of geld I and silver hand embroidery, and on the ' backs ox the chairs tho Royal Arms arc I embroidered with tho initials respectively j of the King and Queen in gold. The j chairs of estate have been made, in En;.'- I lish walnut, and are an exact reproduction ! of the chair of the 17th century, in the j possession of Lord Sackviile. The velvet ! covering is on :i cerise satin ground, tho i figure being of velvet in two shades of pea- : oock green and maise. Tho sacvarium and I ' the dias are covered with gorgeous Persian j 1 carpets thick enough to silence the heaviest footfall. The frontal and dorsal for the. aita.v have been specially worked by Royal command, and will be presented to the Abbey by their Majesties. The frontal is a hand"eorne piece of embroidery in pure gold aad silver thread on cream damask, modelled on an example) of tho 15th centurv, preserved in the church of Chipping Camden, in | Gloucestershire/. The design roprcs'ents j tho Crucifix scene, with figures of the Vir- ! gin and of St. John. On either side towards the ends of tho frontal are escutcheons borne by three angel figures sup- ' iwrted on clouds, the escutcheons on the j left bearing the Royal Arms, of England, I and that on the right tho traditional" arms I of St. Edward the Confessor. The ground I is of bold floral spraywork. The dossal, of ! the samo beautiful work, which covers the j whole of the reredos over the altar, repre- [ se>nts two full-length-figures of St. John as. \ a pilgrim and St. Edward tho Confessor oneitbei' side oi the cross. St. Edward the I

vuuitouu! u "«>""ti <* goiu mantle and tho crown on his head, while he holds up the which legend relates was seait him by St. John. In the lower comers ara kneeling figures of King George and Queen Mary represented in profile worked in goid and fine cilk. On the north side are the benches on which are accommodated the members of the Episcopal Bench, the chair- of the Archbishop of Canterbury being placed immediately to the- north of the High Altar. Away to tbe soitlvward is a Credence Table, originally the tomb of Anne of Cloves. The long length of this tomb it is customary to adorn at the Coronation with a rare display of golden plate. Immediately behind is the- Royal boxes, where the Princessee and the younger members of the Royal Family are placed. Tho hauliers in front of the boxes consist of the Royal Arms worked in embroidery, velvet, and cloth of gold, the designs being iuised.' It is interesting to note that all tho beautiful materials that have been need in transforming the Abbey—saving only the Persian carpets, which are lont for the occasion—have been made by British firms, and that only British labor has been. employed in the txaosformation.