Video Transcript

Westminster Hall in 1400

Voiceover: By the 15th Century, the main function of Westminster Hall was to house the Courts of Law. The King's High Table and throne symbolised royal authority in the power of the law. The monarch was seated here as the head of the court, and the hall has seen many important state trials, including that of Guy Fawkes, found guilty of treason and executed in 1606.

King Richard II brought dramatic architectural changes to Westminster Hall in the early 15th Century. He raised and strengthened the walls, ready to support a massive hammer beam roof carved from English oak. In 1834, when a huge fire threatened to destroy this beautiful roof, hundreds of people worked to save it from the flames, and, thanks to their efforts, it's still in place today. The statues of kings in the niches you can see at the southern end of the hall were also added by Richard II.

The King's High Table, seat and bench were most likely removed and broken up in the late 1600s, although law courts continued to use the hall until 1820. Today, this magnificent hall is used for speeches by the Queen, statesmen and by Members of Parliament, and for other ceremonial occasions, such as the lying-in-State of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. It is also a public space for anyone to visit and enjoy.