St Stephen's Chapel
St Stephen's Chapel is the forgotten heart of the Palace of Westminster. For seven centuries St Stephen's was at the centre of the political and religious life of the nation, and its influence may still be detected today.
As the palace chapel of the most important royal residence of medieval England, St Stephen's witnessed the worship of kings and queens and their households. Its college of canons combined their religious duties with service to the crown as diplomats and administrators.
In 1548 St Stephen's took on a dramatic new role as the debating chamber of the House of Commons. After the devastating fire of 1834 it was reimagined by Charles Barry as St Stephen's Hall, which is still the public entranceway into Parliament.
St Stephen's was one of the greatest English building projects in the Middle Ages
In the mid-sixteenth century St Stephen's became the venue for political debate and discussion at a time when Parliament was growing in power and influence.
St Mary Undercroft was rebuilt in the nineteenth century and is still a working chapel within the Houses of Parliament
See what historians think St Stephen's looked like throughout its history
Find out more about the important moments in the history of Westminster Hall
Reference material for more in-depth research