On Tuesday of this week, 27 pupils, the Headmaster and two members of staff had the honour of attending a service to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the re-building of Westminster Abbey.  On 13th October 1269, the third Abbey Church was consecrated in the presence of Henry III.  The King had decided a quarter of a century earlier to replace the second Church, which had been built at the command of Edward the Confessor and been consecrated on 28th December 1065.

St Edward the Confessor, who died in 1066, was canonised in 1161 and re-buried above ground in 1163 in his Shrine and Tomb behind the altar at Westminster Abbey surrounded by generations of Kings and Queens.

In the presence of Her Majesty, the Queen and the Duchess of Cornwall, we all joined together to mark this occasion as members of the wider Westminster Abbey community.  Sutton Valence was invited through our connection via the United Westminster and Grey Coat Foundation and also because William de Valence (after whom Sutton Valence is named) is buried in the Abbey.

It was a wonderful service and we all felt very proud to be there, representing the School, and to be part of such an historic event.