Over the past year of Elizabeth Tower blog posts from the Parliamentary Archives, we’ve taken a deeper look at the Ayrton Light, Big Ben and the quarter bells and the decorative shields which adorn the Tower’s façade. As restoration of …
At the top of the Elizabeth Tower is the Ayrton Light, a lantern-like structure installed in 1885 which shines whenever either House of Parliament sits after dark. Restoration of the ironwork, casing and access areas are now complete. All we …
The Elizabeth Tower and the Palace of Westminster are decorated with beautiful and symbolic imagery – representing the values, history, and identity of UK Parliament. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at the national plant emblems on …
This blog article was written by Nicole Hartland, Archive Assistant (Graduate Trainee). The sound of Big Ben is iconic. Big Ben (rings the note of E) and the four quarter bells (ring G sharp, F sharp, E, and B) sound …
This blog was written by Verity Jones, Assistant Archivist (Trainee). The Palace of Westminster is full of quirks, and its secrets are still being discovered – did you hear about the secret doorway recently found near Westminster Hall? It is …
This blog post was written by Dr Kathryn Rix, Assistant Editor of the House of Commons, 1832-1945 project at the History of Parliament Trust. One of the more unusual items in the Parliamentary Archives is a silver trowel, used to lay …
This blog was written by Katherine Emery, Assistant Archives Officer. The two towers of the Houses of Parliament make up the well-known silhouette of the building. The more famous Elizabeth Tower, the clocktower that the holds Big Ben and the …
This blog post was written by Verity Jones, Assistant Archivist (Graduate Trainee). On the 29th March, the clocks will go forward one hour, meaning the end of Greenwich Mean Time and the official start of British Summer Time. At this …
As the New Year approaches, we will once again hear the bongs of Big Ben ring out across London as midnight strikes. While renovations are taking place, the Great Bell is currently only rung on special occasions such as Remembrance …
This blog was written by Verity Jones, Archive Assistant (Graduate Trainee). Today, 7th October 2019, marks the first day of the removal of the scaffolding currently covering the Elizabeth Tower. It has obscured the tower since 2017, with only one …
