Westminster Abbey may be composed of rigid stone, but the enthusiasm of the abbey’s employees makes the site warm and enjoyable. In conveying their passion for the site, the faces that illuminate the abbey make its long history come alive.
Gillian Sutch is just one of the many tour guides who shuffle through the Abbey each day, reciting facts and stories that are historical, cultural, and sometimes even comical. Wearing a bright red blazer and speaking in a soft-spoken voice, she complements the historical narrative of the Abbey with interesting factoids not evident to the average visitor.
She shares, for instance, that gems were stolen from Henry III’s tomb by tourists, and that the renowned playwright Ben Johnson is actually buried standing up. It is precisely these touches that make one’s visit not only engaging, but also memorable.
“It all just sort of ties up,” Sutch said wistfully of Poet’s Corner, a nook of the Abbey where British writers are buried. Sutch named the Corner as her favorite part of the site simply because “all the names [of the late poets] mean something.”
“Whether they’re buried here or elsewhere,” she added, “they’re remembered either way.”
After quitting a long career in public relations, Sutch became a certified tour guide in order to pursue history and London, her two passions.
“I love the history,” she said with a sheepish smile. “I hope to continue giving tours for as long as I can.”
