And while it shares a name with perhaps the best-known Westminster Abbey where the Queen was crowned, Westminster Hall has a history of its own and is in fact almost “the only part of the ancient Palace of Westminster that survives in nearly its original form”, according to with the British government.

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Dating from 1097, Westminster Hall was built by William the Conquerer’s son and spans over 17,000 square feet. At the time it was built, it was “by far the largest hall in England and possibly Europe at the time”, says the government’s heritage website. Story continues below ad It is the oldest building in the Parliamentary precinct, which includes sites such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, while Westminster Abbey is opposite. The coffin procession of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II moves from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament for her lie-in-state, in London, Wednesday, September 14, 2022. The Queen will lie in state at Westminster Hall for four full days before her funeral on Monday 19 September. (Toby Melville/Pool via AP). Toby Melville/Pool via AP The first recorded celebration at Westminster Hall took place in 1099, and over the centuries it has stood silent witness to important historical events, including the 1305 trial of William Wallace, the Scottish freedom fighter who inspired the popular film Braveheart. Henry VIII, the English king notorious for his six wives and his break with the Catholic Church, held his coronation banquet in Westminster Hall in 1509. The coronation banquet for his second wife, Anne Boleyn, was also held there in 1533, followed by the trial of Thomas More in 1535 and the coronation banquet for Boleyn’s daughter, Queen Elizabeth I, in 1559. Story continues below ad In 1606, Westminster Hall was the site of the trial of Guy Fawkes and his conspirators in the Gunpowder Plot. It was also the site of the trial of Charles I in 1649. Charles I was the first English king of that name and is often referred to in the history books as a tyrant after dismissing Parliament for 11 years. He is also known for his gruesome end – he was beheaded after being tried and found guilty of high treason against the kingdom during the Second English Civil War. His execution led to a period of military rule in England, culminating in the appointment of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector of Westminster Hall in 1653, before the restoration of the monarchy in 1661 with the coronation of Charles II, son of Charles I ‘.

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The last coronation celebration held in Westminster Hall was in 1821, when King George IV was crowned. Trending Stories

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The building survived the rebellion, the Great Fire of London in 1666, another fire that specifically destroyed most of the Palace of Westminster in 1834, an Irish republican bomb in 1885 and the German Blitz in 1941. Both the House of Commons and Westminster Hall were hit by bombs and set alight on 10 May 1941. While the House of Commons burned to the ground, Westminster Hall managed to avoid the same fate due to a former cabinet minister, Walter Elliot, who had rushed to the scene and asked the firefighters to concentrate their efforts on saving the medieval building above the newer House. Story continues below ad “After all, as he remarked to a friend years later, they could always build a new House of Commons while the Hall was irreplaceable,” explains the UK heritage department. “Not content with merely giving advice, Elliott personally hacked an opening through the locked doors of the Hall with an ax so that pipes could be brought in to play on the burning roof. The Hall was soon out of danger, but the Commons were reduced to ashes and ruins.’ Dan Kitwood/Pool Photo via AP Members of the public pay their respects as they pass the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II as it lies in state in Westminster Hall, Palace of Westminster in London, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022. (Ben Stansall /Pool via AP). Ben Stansall/Pool via AP Members of Parliament, including Prime Minister Liz Truss and Labor leader Keir Starmer, pay their respects as a vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Hall, London, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022 .(Yui Mok/Pool via AP). (Yui Mok/Pool via AP The roof of Westminster Hall is another key factor in the building’s significance. Story continues below ad While the current hammered roof was commissioned in 1393 by King Richard II and is believed to be the largest timber roof in medieval northern Europe, according to the UK government’s heritage department, the question of what form the original roof took remains unanswered.

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“The great mystery about the Hall is the shape of its original roof. It was not until the 13th or 14th century that carpenters could create roofs significantly longer than the length of timber available and so it was thought that a single or double row of columns was needed to support the roof of the hall,” the section says. “However, recent archaeological explorations have found no evidence of these and that the roof may have been self-supporting to begin with.” The architect largely credited with designing the hammer-beam roof, Henry Yevele, was also involved in major building projects at the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral, according to the department. Towering figures in British history, such as wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II’s father, King George VI, have been laid to rest within the impressive stone walls of Westminster Hall during their periods in state. Story continues below ad And now, Queen Elizabeth II rests among them, until early Monday morning, when her coffin will be moved to nearby Westminster Abbey for her funeral. Global News will carry special live coverage of the funeral on GlobalNews.ca. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.