Plaque

Westminster Hall - Charles I

Erection date: 1895

Inscription

This tablet marks the spot where Charles Stuart King of England stood before the Court which sat pursuant to the ordinance for erecting a High Court of Justice for his trial which was read the first, second & third time & passed by Parliament on the 4th January 1648-9.

The Court met on Saturday the 20th, Monday the 22nd, Tuesday the 23rd & on Saturday the 27th January 1648-9, when the sentence of Death was pronounced upon the King.

Placed here by order of .... {illegible, but we think it reads:} the First Commissioner of H.M. Works and Public Buildings, 1895.

From Notes & Queries 1920 "The trial of the King was, by order of the Court, held where the Courts of King's Bench and Chancery sat in Westminster Hall, and this Tablet marks the position of the Bar that separated those Courts from the length of the Hall."

The last line of the plaque is illegible and we think the only way of reading it would be a spot of brass rubbing. Another visit required, when we may discover the limits of the security in the Palace.

We took the last line from another plaque (not yet published) in the Hall which is in exactly the same style, although the year may not be exactly correct.

The use of '1648-9' for dates, all of which are in January 1949, is very odd.  We wonder if this is an archaic reference to the time of the changeover to the Gregorian calendar brought about by the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750.

Site: Westminster Hall floor plaques - south end (6 memorials)

SW1, St Margaret Street, Westminster Hall

Referring to the plaques on this second landing, as viewed by the people in our photo who are reading them the right way up:
- at the left: George V Silver Jubilee;
- middle column, from the top: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond; Queen Elizabeth II Golden; William Wallace; Queen Elizabeth II Silver;
- at the right: Simon de Montfort.

The other plaques are positioned as follows, starting from the main floor and moving up the steps, southwards, towards the 8 described above:
- on the first landing, at the north edge: Mandela;
- on the first step of the short flight leading to the group of 8: Charles I.

This south end of the hall has been through a number of changes. We found images at Living Heritage and Alamy and Explore Parliament.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Westminster Hall - Charles I

Subjects commemorated i

King Charles I

Born Fife. Until the age of 11 he was only the 'spare' but then his 18-year o...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Westminster Hall - Charles I

Also at this site i

Westminster Hall - Elizabeth II Diamond + Golden Jubilees

Westminster Hall - Elizabeth II Diamond + Golden Jubilees

{Top plaque:} Queen Elizabeth II, on March 20th 2012, here replied to address...

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Westminster Hall - George V Silver Jubilee

Westminster Hall - George V Silver Jubilee

King George the Fifth on May 9th 1935 here received and replied to addresses ...

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Westminster Hall - Mandela

Westminster Hall - Mandela

Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa on 14th July 1996 here received and...

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Westminster Hall - Simon de Montfort

Westminster Hall - Simon de Montfort

Queen Elizabeth II here replied to addresses presented by both Houses of Parl...

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Westminster Hall - William Wallace + Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee

Westminster Hall - William Wallace + Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee

{Top plaque:} Near this spot, at the Kings Bench at the South end of the Hall...

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Nearby Memorials

Fred Haines

Fred Haines

W6, Furnivall Gardens

The tree-less plaque is in the lawn some distance to the right, outside our photo, which was taken from inside the garden. Concerning Fu...

1 subject commemorated
Westmacott

Westmacott

W1, South Audley Street, 14

London County Council Sir Richard Westmacott, 1775 - 1856, sculptor, lived and died here.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Vanessa Bell

Vanessa Bell

SW7, Hyde Park Gate, 22

Vannessa Stephen, Vanessa Bell, 1879-1961, artist, born and lived here until 1904.

1 subject commemorated
St Lawrence Jewry - board

St Lawrence Jewry - board

EC2, Guildhall Yard, St Lawrence Jewry

St Lawrence Jewry St Lawrence Jewry is so called because the original twelfth century church stood on the eastern side of the City, then...

4 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Florence Nightingale - South Street

Florence Nightingale - South Street

W1, South Street, 8

London County Council In a house on this site Florence Nightingale, 1820 - 1910, lived and died.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator