Inside the Abbey

Westminster Abbey has been in the global spotlight in recent months, hosting both the funeral of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. So what is it like to be part of the Abbey community, especially during such high-profile events?

Can you describe your role as Canon Theolgian?

The Canon Theologian is one of four Residentiary Canons appointed by The Crown to govern the Abbey. My particular interests and responsibilities include chairing the Westminster Abbey Institute, particularly committed to work with our neighbours on Parliament Square on the theme of public service, and overseeing the Abbey’s work in education and learning. I also oversee a new stream of work focussing on the Abbey’s digital
offering. With my colleagues I share in the daily round of leading worship and preaching.

People may know that Westminster Abbey is a royal peculiar, but what does this mean in practice?

In practice it means we are not under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Church of England. When the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London come to the Abbey, they do so as honoured guests, but they have no responsibility for what goes on here. The Dean and Chapter is answerable directly to the Sovereign. We do not have a parish or a diocese, but rather exist to serve the Monarch, Nation and Commonwealth.

Are there any similarities between the Abbey community and a Cambridge College community?

Very much so. A commitment to learning and truth. Residential colleagues, a common life, a certain amount of eating and drinking together…! There is something quite interdisciplinary about the nature of Westminster Abbey’s life. We are a living church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a centre of musical
excellence, a library and archive of international importance… The list goes on!

The eyes of the world were on the Abbey during last year’s
funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. Can you describe the preparations? Were there any unexpected hurdles to be overcome or did it all run like clockwork?

The preparations for ‘London Bridge’ were very thorough, and had been made with the close collaboration of a diverse series of partners. I had the privilege of having worked closely on the Order of Service, the texts, the music, and the ceremonial around the Service, having previously been Precentor of Westminster Abbey prior to coming to Clare. So I was very familiar with the plans and the schedule. However, of course some things had changed since I first left the Abbey in 2015, so it was fascinating to see how things had developed. After intense preparation and rehearsal, everything went pretty much according to plan. There are always a few surprises on the day, but the quality of planning and the professionalism of an institution can often be judged on its ability to be flexible, to not panic, and to work out in real time what actually matters. I was immensely proud of friends and colleagues here at the Abbey, in the Royal Household, and in the Armed Forces, for giving of their all as we commended a truly
remarkable Sovereign to the God whom she served so faithfully.

How does the Abbey juggle its routine activities as a place of
worship with the demands of set-piece royal and national
occasions?

The Abbey’s first vocation is prayer. That is a non-negotiable, and we have four ‘statutory’ services each day, beginning with Morning Prayer at 7.30am and a Eucharist at 8.00am. Without that daily rhythm, nothing else here would work. The residential community is firstly a worshipping community, and everything else springs from that, alongside our welcoming of pilgrims and visitors. Interestingly, our neighbours in parliament, Whitehall, the Royal Households, the Supreme Court, the Armed Forces, are often those we work with for the big set-piece special events. So we try to ensure the quality of those relationships. Then there
can be a more natural synergy between the daily round and the big high-profile occasions.

Can you provide any insights into the preparations for the coronation?

Uniquely in the Abbey’s life, the Coronation Service itself is under the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury. But many people
here are very closely involved in highly-detailed planning and preparations, alongside colleagues at Buckingham Palace and
Lambeth Palace. It is an immense privilege to be here at a time of incredible opportunity.