American Reacts Westminster Abbey Tour | The Hidden Beauty Inside This Medieval Cathedral

[@lyndarichardson4744]

Connor, I love your enthusiasm for Britain & its history. ❤ I hope you get to visit the UK and Westminster Abbey soon.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Imagine for a moment: singing in this great abbey six times a week, where choirs have been leading worship for 1000 years. Waking each morning and looking out onto Dean's Yard from one's school dorm window. Such was my work, study, play, and singing delight from aged eight to 13.

[@hilarymiseroy]

Now that they have announced the location of the Elizabeth II Monument is going to be in St James Park I can't wait to see the design. They won't make it public until 2026, the 100th anniversary of her birth. I hope it will be huge and on a scale with the Albert Memorial because she deserves that.

[@iwasglad122]

Let's hope the cleaning crews are on standby because the day after the unveiling, Her Majesty's monument will be orange - defaced and defiled by those lunatic activists. I hope and pray I'm wrong, but......

[@hilarymiseroy]

@@iwasglad122 That's one reason it needs to be substantial. Think of Nelson's Column or the huge monument to Dundas in Edinburgh.

[@cireenasimcox1081]

Good onya! It breaks my heart how so many KZbinrs travel all the way to the UK and walk straight past the churches & cathedrals. In fact I saw one moaning a bit because there was "no history" in a particular place, standing right in front of one of the oldest & loveliest churches in the land. As you know, we are not a religious people, so we don't visit these places in order to pray, but because they are, collectively, the most beautiful repositories of our history & architecture. To be sure, the comment from one person below who said she cried in Westminster Abbey was certainly not the first - nor the last - person to be completely overwhelmed. You can actually FEEL our histories in these wonderful places.

[@rupert2591]

I'm so in love with this man and his reactions. Intelligent, open and witty, a lovely man.

[@MeganSmith-xx2ih]

AGREE!

[@nolaj114]

Yes..I really appreciate how natural and authentic he is.

[@annewatts8555]

Connor I do pray you get to see Westminster Abbey one day in person … you remind me of how lucky I am to be English and how we who live here can take for granted our history and what is on our doorstep! Thank you for your videos ❤

[@MrBulky992]

"Chorister" rhymes with "forrester". It means "singer in a choir". In English cathedrals and other great churches in England, the term is normally only used for the younger members of the choir. The adults are normally "lay clerks" or (in places of education) "choral scholars".

[@seivad74]

Hi Conner, The Bayeux Tapestry isn't a Tapestry, it's an embroidery and it's not from Bayeux, it is believed to have been made in Southampton. Just thought you may be interested.

[@geoffsbakingblog]

Lord Byron is buried at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. His daughter Ada Lovelace, mother of computing, was later buried beside him.

[@fullfacility]

You hit the nail right on the head. I've been to the great cathedrals many times and I still din't understand how they built them with nothing more than poles and ropes for scaffolding and bronze chisels whic became blunt very quickly. Even with all our fancy modern technology this would be a monumental task today. Literally mind-blowing.

[@leec6707]

Likewise. What our ancestors were capable of is breathtaking. And these structures were built to last!

[@allanmowz]

I'm quite certain we are going backwards not improving. We have nice things but less practicable skill and ability as a whole.

[@johnsmith-de9wv]

Bronze chisels ??? they were'nt living in the bronze age !!! In fact I read somewhere they found a chisel that was folded as in japanese style hardening process ,I belive it was Wells cathedral after shoring up the sunken walls that would have been a saxon tool I think the master masons were to a large degree french , called over to act as overseers

[@Smoshy16]

Always a cup of tea; never a water bottle for these reactions!

[@claregale9011]

Thanks connor I recommended this , appreciate you reacting to it .

[@maggieperry-og9gr]

Edward the Confessor was related to William (the Bastard, later the Conqueror); his mother was Emma of Normandy. Edward was half Norman and half Anglo-Saxon, and Edward was in exile and under the protection of the Duke of Normandy while Emma and her second husband, Cnut of Denmark, ruled many countries around the North Sea.

[@jacquelinepearson2288]

Connor, there is another tour of Westminster Abbey with Dan Snow on History Hit you would also enjoy. It includes a closer look at Edward the Confessor's chapel and surrounding tombs. He made the film with an expert out of hours to the public and includes other bits not seen on this video. Also take a look at the interior of St Paul's Cathedral. Admiral Nelson's tomb is located in the crypt.

[@davidmarsden9800]

You can see Nelson's burial monument on a tall plinth from the cafe in the crypt without paying to enter St Pauls Cathedral. The entrance is located on the Paternoster Square side of the Cathedral just by the side of the main entrance steps. There is a great old carving tributing the Royal Navy as you enter the cafe on the wall on your right that's also worth a look. An ancestor of mine, William Marsden, who was the first secretary to the Royal Navy at the time and a ship was ordered to race home to report the victory at Trafalgar and Nelson's death to him, although another ship raced home without orders as well. Nelson's coffin was originally made for Cardinal Wolsey. The College of Heralds arranged the funeral but at St Pauls as Westminster Abbey had no space.

[@cenedra2143]

I went to Westminster Abbey for the first time a couple of weeks ago, definitely worth a visit, absolutely amazing ❤😊

[@lindabutler5631]

Connor, Westminster Abbey is magnificent. On your next visit to London you must visit the Abbey. It takes several hours to see everything.enjoy.

[@lynnedyer8714]

Loved this video Connor and your appreciation and interest in our country’s history. This place takes your breath away. I hope you get the chance to see it for yourself.

[@stirlingmoss4621]

Glad you enjoyed and appreciated this tour, Connor. You are a true connoisseur of architecture.

[@JohnResalb]

Connor, you tell us what you like - don't hold back.!

[@stephenhickman304]

Absolutely loved this video , you really should see this place in person-words and pics just can't describe the majesty of this building and it's contents

[@abigailjohnson4270]

Don’t worry about pausing - it’s a lot of information. And it’s a lot to look at too - u need to pause to see the detail. And for your brain to catch up 😊. There’s a lot to take in. 1000+years of history. We’re so lucky in this country. Throw a stick and you’ll hit history! X

[@derrickpotter1217]

Loved and learned - it’s worth adding that structural and spiritual progress went hand in hand to develop these buildings through the medieval period. This perpendicular gothic is the final result.

[@johnnybeer3770]

Ask all the questions you want Connor , it's the only way you learn ,i'm a history nut as well and do it all the time . A lady in waiting by the way is the is the Queens companion and looks after her needs , basically a personal servant . 🇬🇧

[@evelynharper6346]

Most Ladies in waiting are unpaid as they are titled Ladies of independent means, they will take on the job for the honour of it.

[@JustMe-ks8qc]

I really enjoy Sinead's tours. The last time I was in Westminster Abbey was the day before the Queen Mother's funeral. There were TV cables everywhere and much of the Abbey was blocked off, so I didn't get to see much. St Paul's Cathedral is my absolute favourite, though. So beautiful. The first time I went there I fund myself sobbing in a chair beneath the dome. It still makes me cry. I'm not religious at all, it's just the beauty of the building.

[@lindylou7853]

Lord Byron was infamously, ‘ mad bad and dangerous to know’ and the dean of Westminster refused his burial in Westminster Abbey… his heart’s in Greece . The rest of him is in his ancestral family’s vault in Nottingham somewhere.

[@chadUCSD]

They added a plaque for him in the late 20th century. Byron that is.

[@susansmith3261]

I love the history in churches and cathedrals, all sizes. Hereford and Wells cathedrals are really historic too.

[@dufflepod]

I remember years ago when I stood in what was left of the forum in Rome. I was within a gnats hair of weeping as I imagined 'The History'. Westminster Abbey is a real heart stopper.

[@davesimpson5702]

Spot on - while many countries have great citizens and contributors - the UK has had the most representing our glorious and successful history

[@chrismackett9044]

Lord Byron died in Greece whilst he was involved in the struggle for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. His body was returned to this country but he was not allowed to be buried in Westminster Abbey because of his dubious morals, and he was buried in a church in Nottinghamshire. A memorial plaque to him was placed in the Abbey towards the end of the twentieth century.

[@martynnotman3467]

"Dubious" barely touches Byron. The whole incest thing for a start 😂

[@davebicker8618]

I believe Byron lies in Hucknall Parish Church, I think his heart remained in Greece. Hucknall lies c. 6 miles from Byron's family home in Newstead.

[@ianbentley-rb7hs]

He is buried at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Hucknall, Notts.

[@deeboneham2738]

Thanks for that

[@jaynekirk4162]

Yes, interred with his famous daughter Ada Lovelace in St Mary Magdalene, Hucknall. I was Christened there and a relative of mine took part in opening the tomb around t940. They identified it was him and confirmed he had a club foot.

[@Heyboo66]

Believe me you wouldn't like the spiral staircase on the bus if you had to go down them in high heels cos your 5year old insisted we sat upstairs 😂🇬🇧

[@lizbignell2820]

I may be wrong but Connor doesn’t look to be the kind of man to wear high heels!

[@Heyboo66]

@@lizbignell2820 you never know!😅

[@CeleWolf]

High heels or flat shoes...all the same to stairs on a double decker 😂

[@davinahandley2043]

The gentleman who lost his head for Henry VIII was not Moseley but Sir Thomas Moore who was actually my 10th Great Grandfather. He was Henry's Lord Chancellor, there is a well known film which is very acurate and won about 5 Oscer's called A Man for all Seasons well worth a watch for you

[@suzannehawkins383]

lol pretty sure there's only one O in Thomas More.

[@jillosler9353]

​@@suzannehawkins383With regard to this gentleman, you are correct - although Moore is the more familiar spelling of that surname. Sir Thomas More was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to be hung but King Henry VIII changed the sentence to being beheaded. Once friends and confidants Thomas and Henry fell out because Henry put himself above God when he turned his back on Rome and Catholicism.

[@Seagull1950]

My husband did a very accurate pen and ink drawing of him. Copied from a Holbein drawing. It hangs in our bedroom.

[@denniswilliams160]

The Henry VIII 'M' man you were trying to recall was Sir Thomas More who is venerated in the Catholic Church as Saint Thomas More. Edward the Confessor is usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex. His nickname reflects the traditional image of him as unworldly and pious. Confessor reflects his reputation as a saint who did not suffer martyrdom as opposed to his uncle, King Edward the Martyr. Edward Jenner was the smallpox vaccine man, Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine. Edward V was never crowned because he and his younger brother, Richard of Shrewsbury were the Princes in the Tower. They disappeared after being sent to heavily guarded royal lodgings in the Tower of London. Responsibility for their disappearance (and presumed deaths) is widely attributed to Richard III. Edward VIII was never crowned because he abdicated before his coronation to marry Wallis Simpson.

[@leohickey4953]

@15:15 Notre-Dame de Paris was begun in the 1160s and was pretty much completed a hundred years later. Westminster Abbey was built to replace a much older church on the same site, beginning in 1245. There are several basic templates for Gothic cathedral design, all with the same east-west floor plan, with the entrance in the west and altar at the east end, and a cross-shaped outline. A pair of towers at the entrance end was common but not compulsory. I was taught that the five standard examples of French Gothic cathedral design were Notre-Dame de Paris, Notre-Dame de Chartres, Amiens, Rouen, and Beauvais, with most others adapted from one of those. The earliest English ones would have had French designers, but the fan vaulting shown at @31:52 was an English invention.

[@johnloony68]

I visited Westminster Abbey a few weeks ago, for the first time in decades. On TV it looks like a big open plan church, but there are loads of side corridors and chapels

[@charlesfrancis6894]

I would spend a lot of time in St Mary's church in Banbury Oxfordshire U.K. when i was young i also remember the fossils outside in the stone work.

[@GayJayU26]

I’m exactly the same, I love the history.

[@DianaSheward]

Queen Anne (your historical 'crush'🤭} was the one with 'the legs' !🤭🤣😂👍🏼🇬🇧❤️❤️❤️

[@charlesfrancis6894]

You speak your mind and there is nothing wrong with that .

[@Olive-liz]

Excellent! Thank you Connor🎉 Choristers are the choir boys of Westminster School. Queen Ann … you have a great interest in the history of the UK, has it occurred to you that maybe you’ve spent many a lifetime here, especially during Ann’s reign. We’ve all had a myriad lives on the basis of our Soul’s growth. I’m definitely not religious, but I imagine Elizabeth 1st and her half sister Mary giggled at the pointless division that religion creates so readily. Beautiful building and I too have wondered many times HOW the intricacies of many old buildings was achieved.

[@brigidsingleton1596]

Connor, 'stalagmite' 🔼 / 'stalagtite' 🔽 are correctly pronounced: " _stal_agmite / _stal_agtite" ... (_Not_ sta_lag_mite_ / sta_lag_tite.) ... Regarding the so-called "soul" ... There is _no evidence_ _nor proof_ that the man-made imagined "soul" exists or has _ever_ existed. Just as the man-made imagined deity / deities of this world are also _solely_ figments of man's fevered imagination.

[@keithhulks7049]

The name you were looking for is Sir Thomas More who succeeded Cardinal Wolsey as Chancellor. More would not agree with the breakaway from Rome and was beheaded. He is buried in the Chapel of St Peter as Vincular, part of the Tower of London.

[@Janie_Morrison]

I love watching that video because I like listening to history and castles and things like that

[@PollyHayes-x5p]

Choristers are the boys who sing in the choir. They attend Westminster School. The places are few but sought after throughout the UK

[@leohickey4953]

@8:15 Edward the Confessor fell ill in December 1065 after a series of strokes, but hung on until his death the following January, without any son to inherit the throne. That's what caused all the trouble: at least three men claimed that they were the rightful inheritor of the English crown, and during the following ten months there were a series of violent disputes, with William of Normandy the eventual winner. "Confessor (of the Faith)" is just a title given to a monarch who was known to be a staunch defender of Christianity in the face of hostility or persecution. He was eventually canonised as a reflection of his holy reputation.

[@julianwilcox399]

Edward V is one of the 'Princes in the Tower' His coronation was deliberately delayed numerous times by his Uncle Richard , who was supposed to be ruling as regent until Edward Came of Age. He was then Imprisoned in the Tower, never to be seen again , while is Uncle crowned himself Richard III. Edward VIII was never crowned because he abdicated in 1936 before a coronation could be arranged

[@MalHope-j9z]

When you talk you are reacting. Love it !...

[@domramsey]

Dude, they're *never* letting Byron into Westminster Abbey, he had way too much fun for that. Maybe react to a video about him if you want to know the juicy details?

[@davidstell6745]

13:20 The man you are thinking of was Sir Thomas More.

[@paulbriggs5238]

I'm pretty sure she did a really good Jack the ripper tour video

[@billyo54]

An architectural overload Connor. You must visit and give us your impressions. That word you couldn't get was Chorister meaning member of a choir. Yes, the drapes are carved from stone. The small Chapel to the Virgin Mary is only opened on special occasions. A lady in waiting is assigned special tasks to the Queen such as preparing her wardrobe for public engagements, keeping her informed of those she is about to receive and a sometimes confidante along with other duties.

[@drecords0]

Hi Conner, In answer to your question about why Edward V and Edward VIII weren’t crowned in the abbey. Edward V was murdered (probably on the orders of his uncle Richard III) along with his brother before he could e crowned. Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 in order to marry a twice divorced American called Wallace Simpson, again before being crowned.

[@simonthreespiresparanormal1892]

I'm not religious, but fully respect people's beliefs . The buildings in Britain are truly breathtaking and i love visiting them.

[@archiebald4717]

Tomb of the unknown warrior, not soldier.

[@PollyHayes-x5p]

Spot on. Unknown remains were returned to the UK. They were from each service ie army, navy, air force. A random choice was made. Therefore laid and title "the unknown warrior"

[@chadUCSD]

​@@PollyHayes-x5pTheir unknown because the bodies were not identified. All that was known was they were British soldiers, nothing more. And they weren't from all 4 of the forces either. That too was unknown. Just that they wee British. I've watched several documentary films and videos about this. Md the Queen Mum on her wedding day started the tradition of Royal Brides laying their wedding bouquet (flowers) on the tomb after they get married. She did this as she lost a brother in WWI who's body remained unrecovered so ti her the Unknown Warrior could've been her own brother. Every royal bride since then has had their bouquet laid on his tomb. Even those not married in the Abbey. Their bouquet is driven to the Abbey and laid there on their behalf straight after their wedding.

[@doreenbunker234]

Love this video. Thank you.

[@Codex7777]

A 'Lady in Waiting' is literally a lady (noblewoman) who waits on the Queen. There are usually several of them and they are generally, though not exclusively, younger women. They both 'wait' on the Queen, doing her bidding and are her companions, often becoming close friends with the Queen.

[@sarahfoster6765]

Edward the 8th was never crowned because he abdicated before his coronation to marry Wallis Simpson . Edward the 5th was one of the Prince’s in the tower that disappeared & was said to have been murdered by his Uncle who claimed the throne as Richard lll. ❤️🇬🇧

[@paulybarr]

The guy whose name you are searching for at 12:53 is Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. He rose to a position of great power during Henry VIII's reign, but couldn't swing an annulment of Henry's marriage to the catholic Catherine of Aragon, so that Henry could marry Ann Boleyn. This led to his disfavour and downfall at court, but he wasn't executed. He hit his head while getting on a barge and died soon after from his injury.

[@Langstrath]

I think he is probably thinking of Sir Thomas More (who was executed for opposing Henry VIII's rejection of the Catholic Church)?

[@davidmarsden9800]

Wolsey's coffin was used to bury Admiral Lord Nelson and is in the crypt under the middle of the dome of St Pauls Cathedral.

[@carolineb3527]

Lord Byron is buried in his family's vault at Hucknall Torkard in Nottinghamshire, near his family home at Newstead. His family requested this but, as it happens, burial in Westminster Abbey was also refused - Byron's behaviour was regarded as so immoral at the time it would have caused a great scandal had he been buried there. However, there is now a plaque in his memory, erected in 1969 next to plaques in memory of Lewis Carroll, Dylan Thomas, and D.H.Lawrence. Given that those three also had fairly scandalous lifestyles (allegedly in the case of Carroll), maybe we should start calling those plaques "Four with Failings". 😉

[@pathopewell1814]

My daughter's wedding reception was held at Newstead Abbey. Marvellous sunny day and setting.

[@leohickey4953]

@23:35 I think Britain does punch its weight when it comes to influential figures, but perhaps some other countries would claim to rival it. The crypt of the Panthéon in Paris (itself a sort of secular cathedral) also includes monuments to a lot of famous people, for example.

[@dorothysimpson2804]

Queen Elizabeth was crowned in 1953. You are thinking of Sir Thomas Moore.

[@veronicawilliams7427]

I have been going to London regularly since 1951. but not so long ago I went to a section of the Abbey in more recent tims. They took us up to see the Muniments Room where all the ancient documents are kept in huge cabinets from the very earliest of times. and we where shown these are stored in huge cabinets and we where allowed to see so much and on our way out after the tour, we where taken to sse th actual first buildings built on the site in a back Courtyard

[@murraya82]

Sorry if someone has answered this, couldn’t see in the comments. William the Conqueror was one of the options to succeed Edward the Confessor. Harold was in England and was elected the successor but William (whose claim was not as good) decided to take by force. Regardless, both factions recognised Edward and as Edward also was respected by the Pope it was important to recognise him.

[@JohnResalb]

Hi Connor. As you would expect, we also have a town called Rayleigh (in Essex) which I would imagine has been there since time immemorial.

[@finncullen]

Re: Your point about the transition between Edward the Confessor and the Norman era - it was Edward's death that started the succession crisis. Harold Godwinson AND William of Normandy each claimed the right to succeed Edward and William won. Of course the Normans still held Edward as a righteous king, they claimed their right to rule by asserting his authority.

[@suzannehawkins383]

I had a strange experience visiting Westminster Abbey from Canada. I was raised Anglican Church of England so that is my church of faith, although I consider myself an atheist now. I wanted to see the inside of the Abbey and rather than pay for a tour, I decided to experience an early Sunday morning Mass. the Abbey has no pews, they just put folding chairs in front of the altar for the mass. There were only about 15 of us waiting for the mass; we all took up the first couple of rows. I was first entering and so had my choice of folding chairs. I chose a random chair right in front of the altar at the end. As I was waiting for it to start, it occurred to me that people were buried all over the place there, under all the floor tiles. Each tile had the bio info for the person buried underneath. I looked under my chair. James Outram, born January 29 1803. OMG, so weird. my birthday is January 29 1953, exactly, to the day, 15a years after Sir James was born. Very weird...

[@ianwalker5842]

That's amazing!

[@DavidGloyne-vf9sv]

There's a road named after him (Outram Road) near where I used to live in Addiscombe near Croydon, Surrey

[@Walesbornandbred]

Byron is in his families tomb in Hucknall.

[@roseoconnor5938]

The pronunciation of The Choristers.....referring to where the choir of Westminster Abbey stay 😊

[@GayJayU26]

This was impressive

[@maxhall2086]

Edward the confessor was a childhood friend of William the conqueror. Edward lived in exile in Normandy and William later claimed it was during this time that Edward promised him the throne.

[@francisedward8713]

Emphasis on claimed. Why would you assign a foreigner with a different culture and language your throne over your own blood, with William's reputation? Pretty hard to believe.

[@bigenglishmonkey]

@@francisedward8713 1. he was a friend 2. he was there from 10 until 39, he could have promised him when really young 3. it also means he knew William more than anyone, while not knowing many people back home 4. England had already had someone with a similar culture and a different language before in king Cnut, who was a decent ruler to be honest not to mention, if true, William had the strongest claim to the throne. Harald lost his claim when he let a Saxon king back on the throne. Harold seemingly took the throne by force. Edwards nephew was to be chosen by the lords at a kings moot as his successor, but they instead backed Harold, so the official method was thrown out the window.

[@productjoe4069]

@@bigenglishmonkey Also, William and Edward were related. William's great-grandfather was Edward's grandfather (the first Duke of Normandy). Harold was Edward's wife's brother, but had no direct relation to him.

[@roamingcurious6730]

The Normans (and the KIngs of France) and english royalty are all descended from Vikings, so they have a common ancestry.

[@skiapod6427]

@@francisedward8713 When William the Barsteward tells you what his friend said, you better believe him.

[@nicksykes4575]

Hi Connor, the guy you're trying to remember was Thomas Moore.

[@Calmness123-f5k]

The reason the tapestry style may remind you of hieroglyphics, is that it is presented in a one point perspective style. More complex perspective techniques that give the idea of depth, leading the viewers eyes from a foreground to a background, or three dimensional representation of things, wasn't used in pictorial representation until the 15th century at the earliest.

[@aw6936]

Small wonder that Americans get confused by the difference between Great Britain (the UK) and England, when the apparently British makers of these videos also get it all wrong. For info: ALL of the kings crowned (please, Americans - NOT "coronated") in Westminster Abbey were ENGLISH. (There was no Great Britain prior to the Act of Union with Scotland in the 18C.)

[@adrianwalker3641]

When you come to great Britain you must visit lincoln cathedral and castle you will be amazed

[@paulybarr]

Re your question at 17:18 - yes, Notre Dame is also Gothic- begun in 1163 and completed a century later in 1260. Also, re your observation about how difficult it must be to carve something as fine as fabric in stone, check out Mary and Jesus's clothing in Michelangelo's Pieta, carved from marble, in St Peter's Rome. It doesn't get any more breathtaking than that.

[@leohickey4953]

@19:20 I agree that convincing fabric seems a difficult subject to carve in marble, but it would have been a standard subject by the time this one was installed. If you want to see an example of "hard to carve out of marble", check out Bernini's _Apollo and Daphne_ in the Borghese Gallery in Rome, where she is transformed into a laurel tree. The Wikipedia page includes a clickable image, and the second picture shows the astonishing detail of the branches. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_and_Daphne_%28Bernini%29

[@sjbict]

Byron's Resting place is Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire

[@gillianrimmer7733]

Edward is called The Confessor, because he was cannonised by the Church after his death. He was venerated by the Normans because his mother was Norman, and he spent most of his youth and early adulthood in exile in Normandy. He actually spoke Norman French rather than English and surrounded himself with Normans when he came to the throne. It was through him that William claimed the throne of England, as his cousin, even though he was no blood relation. Edgar Atheling was the closest blood relative to Edward and should have been his heir but he was only a teenager when Edward died. He was not considered strong enough to hold the kingdom together in 1066. Harold Godwinson was chosen king by the Witan because he had been basically in charge of the military for years. There were a number of claimants to the throne when Harthacanute died in 1042, but the Godwin family, who controlled Wessex, supported Edward's claim and fought for him in exchange for him marrying Earl Godwin's daughter, Edith. The Godwin family basically ruled the country in the years before Edward's death and were the most powerful in England - Harold didn't have any right by blood to the throne either. Edward hated the Godwin family, but couldn't get rid of them permanently (although he did try and had them banished at one point - another story) and he famously refused to sleep with his wife who had been forced on him. He wasn't know as being particularly pious or saintly during his lifetime;it was only after his death that his wife, Edith, disseminated the story of him taking a religious vow of celibacy as an explanation of why he had refused to sleep with her.

[@davidmarsden9800]

Edgar Aetheling, Edward's nephew was originally chosen by the Witan as the new King but as he was only about 12, Harold got his way and basically staged a coup. William had a bloodline claim and also he stated that Edward had promised him the crown and also Harold had agreed and sworn an oath on holy relics when he was shipwrecked in Normandy and was a guest of William in 1064. Harold had no legitimate claim or bloodline to the crown.

[@gillianrimmer7733]

@@davidmarsden9800 , William had no blood line claim.

[@davidmarsden9800]

@@gillianrimmer7733 Yes he did via his grandfather being Edward's mother's brother.

[@gillianrimmer7733]

@@davidmarsden9800 ,William had no bloodline to the English throne - his grandfather, Edward's mother's father ( and brother) was the Duke of Normandy. Edward's claim to the throne came from his father Althelred, an Anglo-Saxon King, not his mother, Emma of Normandy. That would be like saying that Indigo Middleton, the son of James Middleton has a claim to the throne of the UK because he shares a grandfather with Prince George.

[@maureentaphouse5206]

I can't remember the Irish lady's name but she is the BEST,

[@gordonconnah411]

The Bayeux Tapestry is mis-named. It's actually an embroidery.

[@C.Hughes-Lloyd]

Yes and no. You have a misunderstanding of the meaning of the word tapestry. I suggest you consult a dictionary.

[@gordonconnah411]

@@C.Hughes-Lloyd I suggest you take the stick from out of your arse.

[@amanda3743]

She mentions about Edward the confessor being exiled in Normandy. There he was pally with Guilleme le bastarde of Normandy and allegedly promised him his kingdom if he reclaimed it. But Harold Godwinson also believed he had a claim to it and when King Edward died, he crowned himself King Harold. This caused Guilleme to invade when a suitable chance arose, and his success at the battle of Hastings led to him taking the crown and refashioning himself as William the Conqueror. King William put a lot of effort to legitimise his claim having come from Edward's wishes. He commissioned the Bayeaux tapestry which was shown here telling the story of Edward's passing, the Conquest, and his claiming of the English throne. He was crowned at Westminster where Edward was interred, so starting the custom of Westminster Abbey coronations. The sapphire worn in a ring by Edward also became one of the prominent jewels in the coronation crown and still is today. Again to show legitimacy.

[@williambranch4283]

Poet's Corner in Westminster Abby has mysteries. Ben Johnson, his connection to the Earl of Oxford and William Shakespeare ... whoever he actually was ;-) Lord Byron died in Greece during their war. "Confessor" is an honorary Catholic title.

[@timnewman7591]

Edward V was not crowned because he was a child when he succeeded his father in 1483. At that time it waas considered unlucky to crown a king before they could reign in their own right. Then, Richard III happened and the next monarch who was young enough to need a regency was crowned quickly enough that people were a little surprised at the lack of ceremony (the people doing it wanted to ensure he was seen as king rather than heir). Edward VIII was never crowned because he abdicated. This was in 1936 and he wanted to marry a divorced American commoner. The government weren't prepared to allow that and he abdicated so he could marry. The coronation that was planned for him was used by his brother, George VI, Lord Byron has a memorial stone but isn't buried in the abbey (he's buried I believe near his family home in Nottinghamshire).

[@malarkey2217]

Think the name you're looking for is Sir Thomas Moore. 'A Man For All Seasons' (1966).

[@sharonmartin4036]

I actually think he is he is trying to recall Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, but you may be correct.

[@patriciabethkedzlie7212]

Connor you need to watch the history of the unknown soldier in the Abbey...A not to be missed in my opinion.....Amazing what it took from start to finish,,,

[@grahambarlow1308]

When you come to Britain , you really should try to go on a Cathedral Tour. Many were started by the invading Normans who were great stone builders and Masons. with their distinctive architecture and technical know how. We have one here in Chichester , an old Roman City with the walls still there. Bernstein even wrote Psalms for this Cathedral , which are now widely performed They have just recovered the roof with new lead to protect the medieval wooden roof structure , which is a masterpiece in carpentry.. Being a Cardinal or even a Bishop at the time of Henry the VIII was a very dangerous business to be in!.

[@janinshirley]

Edward V was one of the young princes who were said to have disappeared at the time of the Wars of the Roses . Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 because he wished to marry Mrs Simpson a divorcee which at the time wasn't popular with many senior members of the Government and Church. He became the Duke of Windsor and lived most of the time in France until his death

[@tonybaker55]

We have to remember that the Normans were descended from the Danish Vikings and therefore closely tied to the Danish Royal Family, through Cnut. Edward the Confessor was the son of Aethelred the Unready and took over the crown from Harthacnut, son of Cnut. The arguement that William had with Harold was over who was named as Edward's successor. Harold's link to royalty was through his mother, whose brother was married to Cnut's sister. William was the son of a Duke, but not connected to Cnut and was also an illegitimate son. His Aunt Emma was however married to Aethelred the Unready, so that sort of closes the loop. Neither Harold or William had a direct claim really, so a battle for power was inevitable.

[@PhyllisGlassup2TheBrim]

Elizabeth Woodville, the queen, and mother to the princes in the tower, sought sanctuary here and stayed for months.

[@ElunedLaine]

Lord Byron's buried at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire His heart was interred in Greece but his other remains were sent to England for burial in Westminster Abbey, but the Abbey refused for reason of "questionable morality"

[@wendycartwright22]

My dear late husband had a healing prayer said there a few years ago..

[@AndrewwarrenAndrew]

Inside is also a memorial to my 5x Great granduncle Major General James Peter Wolfe.

[@trytellingthetruth.2068]

Major General James Peter Wolfe. I have heard his name spoken before, and knew about his time in North America (Canada) You must be very proud of his achievements. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[@stephendukes6582]

The confessor was known to William as a truly pious holy man and as such was rewarded as such by having a new tomb in a new church as a political move to show the Saxons; "Hey we've just invaded your land and taken over but we still respect your dead leaders so we're not all bad."

[@Bosspigeon230]

Never cross reference with movies!

[@PhilTough-hn8qj]

I watched one of your early videos the other day Connor you've put some timber on mate.

[@angelabushby1891]

You should watch the story of our Unknown Worrier with actual film from just after WW1

[@CarlPickering-dp6wc]

Edward the confessor was related to William of Normandy and Harold Godwinson was seen as taking what William was promised by Edward.

[@INeilMJ]

Oiiii! Connor, Seriously get ya ass back over here. A couple of weeks in London...You'll get round the Abbey and do a few of the awesome London markets you've not been to. Train to Whitby (my 2nd.fav place)...then York (I need to move there!!) on to Lincoln....My home - You did a brief vid, but there's soooo much more here!!!! You also mentioned hieroglyphics in this video....which also got me ears pricked up as I've been obsessed with Ancient Egypt since I started learning about it in juniors. I've been to Cairo 4 times and the Khan el khalili market is out of this world. You can fly to Cairo from LHR in less than 5 hrs too 🙂

[@Yandarval]

1163-1260 For Notre-Dame. Westminster, as we see it today, 1275 for the start of construction. For both, there were already large religious building on, or close to the sites.

[@lindylou7853]

Walter Raleigh was born in Devon, near Budleigh Salterton…. Nice beach … Devon … England ….

[@bonnyvonny5182]

Went the first time on a school trip and have been a few times since beautiful , Edward the confessor and Richard the second are buried there

[@donkfail1]

"What is that fricking guy's name? In that movie with the guy with the thing." Do you mean A Man for All Seasons? They have filmed it many times. If so, the guy is Thomas More.