The history of the Palace of Westminster began in the Middle Ages – in the early eighth century – when there was an Anglo-Saxon church dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle which became known as the West Minster (St. Paul's being the East Minster).[1][2] In the tenth century the church became a Benedictine abbey and was adopted as a royal church, which subsequently became a royal palace in the 11th century.[3]
Edward the Confessor, the penultimate Anglo-Saxon king, began the building of Westminster Abbey and a neighbouring palace to oversee its construction.[4] After the Norman Conquest of 1066, William the Conqueror adopted the Palace of Westminster as his own. His son, William II (William Rufus) laid the foundations of the Great Hall (Westminster Hall).[5]
In 1245 the church was rebuilt (under the reign of Henry III and dedicated to St. Edward (Edward the Confessor).[6]
From as early as 1259, the state openings of parliamentary occasions were held in the King's private apartment at Westminster, the Painted Chamber.[7] The English (and subsequently British) Parliament of the United Kingdom has met at Westminster since the 'Model Parliament' was called by Edward I in 1295.[8][9]
The Palace burned down in 1834 and was replaced by the modern building.