It is rare to write about history as it unfolds. A coronation at Westminster Abbey is at once a ceremony steeped in over a thousand years of tradition, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period, and an event firmly of the present era. Coronations are momentous occasions when monarchy and nation take the opportunity to re-examine themselves, articulating beliefs and aspirations. Linking Crown, Church, and peoples in the union of monarch and state, they serve as vital barometers of constitutional principles and cultural values. At the heart of this event lie fundamental questions of national identity and core beliefs, with the concepts of justice and mercy shaping proceedings since the earliest traditions. Drawing on a wealth of previously unexamined archival materialand uniquely, the views of children from across the UK in 2023this book uncovers the significance of coronations as their influence ripples outward from Westminster, making it an essential read for anyone interested in the history of the British monarchy.
Chapter
1. Introduction: Past, Present and Future.- Appendix I.
Coronation Timeline since 1066.- Part I. Rituals and Religion.
Chapter
2.
Cleansing and Anointing: The Hallowing.
Chapter
3. British Coronation
Sermons in Context.- Appendix II. Westminster Abbey Coronation Sermons,
16032023, with reference to duration.- Part II. Oaths and Objects.
Chapter
4. Contracting: Recognitio, Acclamation and the Coronation Oath.- Appendix
III. Coronation Oath Texts.-
Chapter
5. Swords and Objects: Old and New.-
Part III.- Senses, Expenditure and Participation.
Chapter
6. Banqueting:
Food and Wine.
Chapter
7. Coronation Cost, Bonfires, Bells and Fireworks.-
Part IV. Material Remembrance and Responses.
Chapter
8. An Afterlife in
Coins and Medals.
Chapter
9. Gaffes, Incidents and Critiques.
Chapter
10.
Impact, Education and Conclusion.
George Gross is a Visiting Research Fellow at Kings College London, UK, and founder of the British Coronations Project there.
