Westminster Chapter House & Pyx Chamber: A Medieval Guide

Explore the Westminster Chapter House and Pyx Chamber—octagonal beauty, wall paintings, Cosmati floor, and royal finance connections.

12/2/2025

16 min read

Where monks debated and kings counted: two rooms, one story of power.

Chapter House

Octagonal plan; tiered seating for communal decisions.
Traces of medieval wall painting and tiled or Cosmati‑style floor patterns.

Cosmati floor

Pyx Chamber

Thick‑walled undercroft for valuables and royal Pyx testing.
Early Norman fabric survives—stone, vaults, and ironwork.

Visiting Tips

Combine with cloisters for a full monastic circuit.
Note the transition between Norman and Gothic details.

Bottom Line

Spaces that balanced prayer with administration.

Om författaren

Medieval Studies Editor

Guiden vill ge ett stilla, rikt möte med Westminster Abbey – klok timing, varsamma rutter och lagom kontext så att kapell och berättelser börjar ‘sjunga’.