Editing Palace of Westminster (section)

=== Precincts of the House of Lords ===
==== Lords Chamber ====
[[File:Minute's silence (51111527681).jpg|thumb|alt=Photograph|The Sovereign's Throne and its gilded Canopy dominate the ornate Lords Chamber.]]

The Chamber of the [[House of Lords]] is located in the southern part of the Palace of Westminster. The lavishly decorated room measures {{Convert|13.7|by|24.4|m|ft|0}}.<ref name="Factsheet G11" /> The benches in the Chamber, as well as other furnishings in the Lords' side of the palace, are coloured red. The upper part of the Chamber is decorated by stained glass windows and by six allegorical frescoes representing religion, chivalry and law.

At the south end of the Chamber are the ornate gold Canopy and Throne; although the Sovereign may theoretically occupy the Throne during any sitting, he or she attends only the State Opening of Parliament. Other members of the Royal Family who attend the State Opening use Chairs of State next to the Throne, and peers' sons are always entitled to sit on the steps of the Throne. In front of the Throne is the [[Woolsack]], an armless red cushion stuffed with [[wool]], representing the historical importance of the wool trade, and used by the officer presiding over the House (the [[Lord Speaker]] since 2006, but historically the [[Lord Chancellor]] or a deputy). The House's [[Ceremonial mace|mace]], which represents royal authority, is placed on the back of the Woolsack. In front of the Woolsack is the Judges' Woolsack, a larger red cushion that used to be occupied during the State Opening by the [[Law Lords]] (who were members of the House of Lords), and prospectively by the Supreme Court Justices and other Judges (whether or not members), to represent the Judicial Branch of Government. The [[Table of the House]], at which the clerks sit, is in front.

Members of the House occupy red benches on three sides of the Chamber. The benches on the Lord Speaker's right form the Spiritual Side and those to his left form the Temporal Side. The [[Lords Spiritual]] (archbishops and bishops of the established [[Church of England]]) all occupy the Spiritual Side. The [[Lords Temporal]] ([[Peerage|nobles]]) sit according to party affiliation: members of the Government party sit on the Spiritual Side, while those of the Opposition sit on the Temporal Side. Some peers, who have no party affiliation, sit on the benches in the middle of the House opposite the Woolsack; they are accordingly known as [[crossbencher]]s.

[[File:Passing of the Parliament Bill, 1911 - Project Gutenberg eText 19609.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Drawing|The passage of the [[Parliament Act 1911]]. Votes in both Houses of Parliament are conducted in the form of [[Division of the assembly|divisions]].]]

The Lords Chamber is the site of nationally televised ceremonies, the most important of which is the [[State Opening of Parliament]], which is held formally to open each annual parliamentary session, either after a General Election or in the autumn. At this occasion every constitutional element of the government is represented: the Crown (both literally, and figuratively in the person of the Sovereign), The Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and The Commons, (who together form the Legislature), the Judiciary (although no judges are members of either House of Parliament), and the Executive (both [[Minister of the Crown|Government Ministers]], and ceremonial military units in attendance on the Sovereign); and a large number of guests are invited to attend in the large Royal Gallery immediately outside the Chamber. The Sovereign, seated on the Throne, delivers the [[Speech from the Throne]], outlining the Government's programme for the year and legislative agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary session. The Commons may not enter the Lords' debating floor; instead, they watch the proceedings from beyond the Bar of the House, just inside the door. A small purely formal ceremony is held to end each parliamentary session, when the Sovereign is merely represented by a group of [[Lords Commissioners]].

Following the Blitz, which destroyed the chamber of the House of Commons, the Lords' chamber was occupied by the Commons. The Lords temporarily used the Robing Room during the reconstruction. The State Opening Of Parliament was carried out as normal, with the new rooms being used. Evidence can still be seen of this today, with damage clearly visible on one of the doors where they were struck by Black Rod.

==== Peers' Lobby ====
Directly north of the Lords Chamber lies the Peers' Lobby, an [[antechamber]] where Lords can informally discuss or negotiate matters during sittings of the House, as well as collect messages from the [[Doorkeeper (Houses of Parliament)|doorkeepers]], who control access to the Chamber. The Lobby is a square room measuring {{Convert|12|m|ft}} on each side and {{Convert|10|m|ft}} in height,<ref name="Factsheet G11" /> and one of its main features is the floor centrepiece, a radiant Tudor rose made of Derbyshire marbles and set within an octagon of engraved brass plates.<ref>[[#Wilson|Wilson (2005)]], p. 16.</ref> The rest of the floor is paved with encaustic tiles featuring heraldic designs and Latin mottoes. The walls are faced with white stone and each is pierced by a doorway; above the arches are displayed arms representing the six royal dynasties which ruled England until Queen Victoria's reign ([[House of Wessex|Saxon]], [[Norman dynasty|Norman]], [[Plantagenet]], [[Tudor dynasty|Tudor]], [[House of Stuart|Stuart]] and [[House of Hanover|Hanoverian]]), and between them there are windows stained with the arms of the early aristocratic families of England.<ref>[[#Guide|''Guide to the Palace of Westminster'']], pp. 47–49.</ref>

Of the doorways, the one to the south—which leads into the Lords Chamber—is the most magnificent, and sports much gilding and decoration, including the full royal arms. It is enclosed by the Brass Gates, a pair of elaborately pierced and studded doors together weighing 1.5 tonnes.<ref>[[#Guide|''Guide to the Palace of Westminster'']], pp. 50–51.</ref> The side doors, which feature clocks, open into corridors: to the east extends the Law Lords Corridor, which leads to the libraries, and nearby to the west lies the Moses Room, used for Grand Committees<!-- (''see [[#Other rooms|below]]'') -->.

To the north is the vaulted Peers' Corridor, which is decorated with eight murals by [[Charles West Cope]] depicting historical scenes from the period around the [[English Civil War]].<ref name="Central Lobby tour">{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/online-tours/virtualtours/central-lobby-tour/ |title=Central Lobby virtual tour |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=5 August 2010 |archive-date=16 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716004602/http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/online-tours/virtualtours/central-lobby-tour/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The frescoes were executed between 1856 and 1866,<ref>[[#Wilson|Wilson (2005)]], p. 21.</ref><ref>[[#Guide|''Guide to the Palace of Westminster'']], p. 53.</ref> and each scene was "specifically chosen to depict the struggles through which national liberties were won".<ref name="Central Lobby tour" /> Examples include ''Speaker [[William Lenthall|Lenthall]] Asserting the Privileges of the Commons Against Charles&nbsp;I when the Attempt was Made to Seize the Five Members'', representing resistance against absolute rule, and ''The Embarkation of the Pilgrim Fathers for New England'', which illustrates the principle of freedom of worship.