Henry III

Henry was born at Winchester Castle on 1st October 1207, eldest son of King John and Isabella. He succeeded his father in 1216. His was one of the longest reigns in English history.

It is to Henry that we owe the rebuilding of Westminster Abbey in the new Gothic style of architecture. In 1220 he had laid the foundation stone of the old Lady Chapel (later replaced by Henry VII's chapel) and he had a special devotion to St Edward the Confessor. He wanted to emulate the great churches then being built in France and to transfer Edward's body to a new shrine near which he himself could be buried.

Demolition of Edward the Confessor's 11th century church began in 1245 and the king was recklessly extravagant in the money spent on the Abbey and its lavish decoration (the cost including the new Shrine was £45,000, about 15 million in today's money). The eastern section, including the intricate Cosmati pavement, and transepts of the Church as far as one bay of the nave west of the organ screen, dates from his reign. The bones of St Edward were translated to the new shrine in 1269 and the consecration of the Church took place on 13th October 1269. But building ceased when Henry died and it was completed at a much later date.

Marriage and children

Henry married Eleanor, daughter of Raymond Berenger V, Count of Provence, in Canterbury cathedral on 14th January 1236 (she later became a nun and died at Amesbury in 1291). They had five sons - Edward, who succeeded his father as Edward I, Edmund, Earl of Lancaster who is also buried in the Abbey, Richard, John, and Henry, who all died young and were buried in the Abbey. Their three daughters were Margaret, who married Alexander III of Scotland, Beatrice, who married Jean de Dreux Earl of Richmond, and Katherine who died young in 1257 and who was buried in the Abbey.

Coronation

He was hastily crowned king at Gloucester Abbey on 28th October 1216 due to the uncertain political situation at the time and then again with full ceremonial in Westminster Abbey on 17th May 1220. Eleanor was crowned on 20th January 1236.

Burial and tomb

Henry died at the Palace of Westminster on 16th November 1272. He had a magnificent funeral and his body was temporarily buried in the old grave of Edward the Confessor in the Abbey on 20th November. He was the first monarch to be buried in a coffin (rather than the body being visible on a bier) with a wax effigy (this does not survive) used in the procession.

Nineteen years later in 1291 his body was taken up and placed in the splendid tomb put up by his son Edward I to the north of the Shrine of St Edward. But his heart was delivered to the Abbess at Fontevraud in France, burial place of some of his ancestors, as Henry had wished. Henry's large tomb is of Purbeck marble with slabs of purple and green antique porphyry set in the sides and inlaid with gilded "Cosmati" mosaic and coloured marble and glass. Much of this has been robbed but decoration still remains on the north side. The arched recesses on the chapel side may once have contained relics of saints, as may the small cavity in the pillar near the head of the effigy.

High on the tomb lies the superb gilt bronze effigy, cast in one piece, made by London goldsmith William Torel. It is hollowed out at the back to reduce the weight. The metal plate on which the king lies, the pillows beneath his head and his shoes are decorated with the lions of England. The gabled canopy behind his head has gone as have the jewels from his crown and robe and the sceptres he held in his hands. The two lions at his feet have also disappeared.

When the effigy was removed from the plate it was seen that this has been cut to the shape of the figure and on the bare stone are etched figures of a queen and a nun praying before a larger uncompleted figure. There are also other scratchings of heads, a bird and a six pointed flower in a circle.

The Norman-French inscription remains around the edge. This can be translated as:

Here lies Henry formerly King of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitaine, son of King John formerly King of England, to whom God grant mercy. Amen

The wooden tester or canopy over the tomb is 15th century and was once gilt and painted but the grille which protected the tomb has gone. On the lower edge of the tomb chest is the remains of a 16th century inscription in black letter, added by Abbot Feckenham, which can be translated

Henry the Third is the founder of this church 1273. War is sweet to those who have not experienced it.

Tomb dimensions in metres: length 2.94. width 1.50. height 2.30. Length of effigy: 1.90 m.

The effigy was stored in the Chapter House crypt during the Great War and was evacuated to a country house during the 1939-45 war.

An early stained glass shield with his arms (gules, three lions passant guardant or) is now in St Edmund's chapel window and a 13th century carved shield of arms remains in the choir aisle, together with those of other benefactors to the building work (including the coat of arms of Provence). The Chapter House contains tiles depicting his Royal arms. It is thought that one of the kings painted on the Sedilia, beside the High Altar, represents him. He is also depicted in an early 20th century stained glass window in the nave. A carved corbel head of a queen in the Muniment Room may possibly represent Eleanor of Provence.