BRITAIN'S BEST BUILDINGS - PALACE OF WESTMINSTER
BBC Two Tuesday 10 May 2005 7pm-8pm
In the final programme of Dan Cruickshank's second series exploring the story behind architectural masterpieces, he comes to the Palace of Westminster.
Palace of Westminster Facts
It was the main residence of English royalty from the middle of the 11th Century until a fire in 1512 caused Henry VIII to relocate
From 1547 the Commons met in what had been the Royal Chapel of St Stephen - all private chapels were abolished at that time
In 1834 the Palace was burned down; only Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower and the crypt of St Stephen's Chapel and its cloisters were spared
Work on the current Houses of Parliament was started in 1840 by Sir Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin was completed in 1870
