Our Lady of Westminster facts for kids
Our Lady of Westminster is a very old statue of Mary and Jesus. It was carved in the late Middle Ages. Today, you can find it at the entrance of the Lady Chapel in Westminster Cathedral, London.
The statue is made from a type of stone called English alabaster. It is about 36 inches (91 cm) tall. It shows Mary sitting on a throne with baby Jesus on her right knee. Mary wears a crown and used to hold a sceptre (a royal staff), which is now broken. Jesus looks up at her and holds a globe, blessing it with his other hand. This statue is one of the most important treasures of the cathedral. It is also the oldest item in the building, which was built in the 1800s.
Most experts believe the statue was carved around 1450. It was likely made in the Nottingham area of England. The alabaster stone came from a nearby place called Chellaston. For about 500 years, no one knew where the statue was. Then, in 1954, a dealer named S. W. Wolsey found and bought it in Paris. The name "Our Lady of Westminster" can also refer to older traditions linked to Westminster Abbey nearby.
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A Journey Through Time: The Statue's History
English alabaster statues were very popular in Europe. Many were sent to other countries, even as far as Iceland, Croatia, and Poland. France was the biggest market for these statues. Even today, some churches in France still have English alabaster altarpieces.
The trade continued even after the Reformation. This was a time when many religious changes happened in England. In 1550, an English ambassador reported that ships full of religious statues arrived in France to be sold. This happened even after a law in England tried to stop the use of such images. It seems the Our Lady of Westminster statue was sent to France between 1450 and 1550.
This statue is much larger than most English alabaster works. Usually, alabaster pieces were thin panels carved in high relief. These panels often showed scenes from the life of Jesus. They were framed and used as altarpieces in churches.
In 1863, another similar alabaster statue was found. It was headless but looked almost the same. This suggests that the Our Lady of Westminster statue was a standard design. Workshops probably made many copies for sale, not just for special orders. Statues were often exported in large groups. Dealers would then sell them to buyers in different places.
The statue likely stayed in France until the French Revolution. This was a time of great change in the late 1700s. Many church properties were destroyed or scattered. The statue then became part of private collections. It was owned by Baron de St Leger Daguerre. In 1954, it was put up for sale at an exhibition in Paris.
That's where the dealer S. W. Wolsey saw and bought it. Then, Cardinal Griffin and the Dean of York Minster became interested. Cardinal Griffin won a small bidding war and bought the statue. It was placed in Westminster Cathedral on December 8, 1955. The choir sang the Salve Regina during the ceremony.
In 1963, the Westminster Choir school visited Italy. They gave a copy of the Our Lady of Westminster statue to Pope John XXIII. They also gave him a booklet explaining its meaning.
What the Statue Looked Like Originally
The statue still has some of its original paint. This helps us know how it looked when it was new. The throne was painted a reddish-yellow color. Its decorative knobs were gilded, meaning they were covered in gold. Mary's cloak was dark blue, and its inner folds were red.
The ground under Mary's feet was a dark green. It had small red and white daisies painted on it. Mary's crown, sceptre, and cloak fastenings were all gilded. The Christ child's hair was also gilded. These bright colors were typical for Nottingham Alabaster statues. They were made to be seen in dimly lit churches, often by candlelight. They were usually placed inside wooden altarpieces with painted doors. The fact that the statue has a flat back and is almost flat in some places suggests it was made for such an altarpiece.
Westminster Abbey and the "Dowry of Mary"
The idea of England being the "Dowry of Mary" is very old. The first mention of this idea comes from 1377. The Countess of Pembroke left money for a chapel in Westminster Abbey. She also gave the Abbot of Westminster an alabaster statue of Mary. Soon after, King Richard II helped make Mary's worship at Westminster even more popular.
Jean Froissart wrote about King Richard II of England during the 1381 Peasants' Revolt. The King went to Westminster Abbey to pray before meeting the rebels. Froissart said Richard prayed at a statue of Our Lady in a small chapel. This chapel was known for many miracles. Kings of England had great faith in it.
Another writer, Strype, also described the event. He said the King went to Westminster, prayed at the Chapel of Our Lady of Pew, and then went to meet the rebels. The meeting went well, and the rebel leader, Wat Tyler, gave up. The King and his court believed this was a miracle from the Virgin Mary. So, they encouraged people to honor her at Westminster.
After stopping the rebels, Richard returned to his mother. He thanked her and God. He said, "Today I have regained my kingdom which I had lost." He then placed England under Our Lady's protection. This was his way of giving thanks for getting his kingdom back.
Richard II improved the Chapel of Our Lady of Pew in the abbey. He also ordered the famous Wilton Diptych painting. This painting shows him placing himself and England under Mary's protection. In 1399, a special order was issued. It said that all Christian nations honor Mary. But England, as "her especial dower," should honor her more than others.
The Our Lady of Westminster statue connects to this old "Dowry of Mary" tradition. This tradition began in Westminster and spread throughout England before the Reformation.
Our Lady of Pew
The statue called Our Lady of Pew in Westminster Abbey is a different one. It was made by Sister Concordia Scott OSB. She sculpted it from alabaster. This statue of Mary and Jesus stands in a special spot in the Chapel of Our Lady of Pew. It was placed there on May 10, 1971. The original statue in this chapel had disappeared centuries ago. The design for this 20th-century statue was inspired by the 15th-century English alabaster Madonna at Westminster Cathedral.
Gallery
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A copy of Our Lady of Westminster by Sister Concordia Scott, now known as "Our Lady of Pew" in Westminster Abbey.
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A similar English alabaster carving of Mary and Jesus from the British Museum.
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The installation and blessing of the shrine of Our Lady of Westminster on December 8, 1956.
