The Elizabethan antiquarian John Stow recorded that in 1512, a fire destroyed the part of the Palace of Westminster which contained the royal apartments, “since which time it hath not been reedified”.
St Stephen’s Chapel and College survived this fire, but in 1548 the College was dissolved by the Reformation and the Chapel converted to become the first permanent home of the House of Commons. The architecture of the former St Stephen’s Chapel would be an important influence on the development of political life in the Commons.
The above sequence traces the conversion of the former St Stephen's Chapel to become the Commons Chamber. Explore the sections below for more information on key points associated with the three periods displayed above.