- Parliament Buildings Westminster London - Cathy Smith
Originally , the British capital was Winchester, a town in the county of Hampshire 69 miles south-east of London. However, as Winchester gradually declined during the 12th and 13th centuries, London grew bigger and more prosperous and became the new capital.
Houses of Parliament
The Houses of Parliament are also known as the Palace of Westminster. The first royal palace was built on the site in the eleventh century, and Westminster was the primary London residence of the Kings of England until a fire destroyed most of the complex in 1512. After that, it served as the home of Parliament, which had been meeting there since the thirteenth century.
Parliament consists of the House of Commons, a democratically elected body (roughly equivalent to the U.S. House of Representatives), the House of Lords (Dukes, Earls etc.) and the monarch (king or queen).
Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot
In 1605 Guy Fawkes, along with a number of Catholic conspirators, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. They raged against the persecution of Catholics in England. They obtained 36 barrels of gunpowder. They stored them in a cellar just under the House of Lords. In doing so, they hoped they would kill the King, and maybe even the Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics.
For 400 years bonfires have burned on November 5th to mark the failed Gunpowder Plot and soon people began began to place effigies of Guy Fawkes onto bonfires and to let off fireworks. Out of this dark plot has evolved a ceremony enjoyed every November by children all over Britain.
The Houses of Parliament Today
During the Second World War, between 1940 and 1941, the Parliament buildings were turned into an inferno of flames during the constant air raids. By 1950 the building was restored to its original traditional style. It is not as old as it looks.
There are two queues, one each for the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Lords' queue is usually shorter so it is easier to get into the Lords public gallery, although it may not always be possible to secure a place to hear the questions.
Admission to the visitors’ galleries of both Houses is free, but tickets are required for Question Times. For overseas visitors, tickets can only be obtained from their embassy in London. UK citizens need to write to their Member of Parliament.
For times and dates of entry when Parliament is in session, see further information. Guided tours are available during summer opening (usually July - September, see events tab for details). The clock tower 'Big Ben' does not form part of the tour.
Nearest Tube Station: Westminster
Cathy Smith - I have Miss McGinn to thank for my becoming a writer. I was in her class for only two years from age nine to eleven. In what we called ...
