Westminster Abbey, formally the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, is a historic Gothic church in London renowned for hosting every British coronation since 1066. Its origins trace to the 10th century with a Benedictine monastery on Thorney Island, but the current structure began under Edward the Confessor around 1042-1065 as England’s first cruciform church, consecrated just before his death.
Henry III spearheaded a grand Gothic rebuild from 1245, creating the core layout seen today, consecrated in 1269 with Edward’s shrine behind the High Altar; the nave remained Romanesque until the 14th-16th centuries. Henry VIII dissolved the monastery in 1540 during the Reformation, later designating it a royal peculiar under direct monarch control in 1560, with western towers completed by Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1745.
Today, it serves as a place of worship, national shrine with 3,000+ memorials (17 monarchs buried), and tourist site attracting over a million visitors yearly for services, concerts, and events like royal weddings. Ongoing conservation ensures its status as a UNESCO tentative site blending history and active faith.
PTSG has been delivering testing and inspection services of the building’s lightning protection system since 2021. The British Isles see 300,000 to 400,000 strikes per year. Lightning is always looking for the shortest path to earth. The key is to ensure that it doesn’t make its path through properties.
Lightning protection systems intercept, conduct and disperse lightning strikes safely to earth. They should be designed, installed and tested in accordance with BS EN 62305.
PTSG’s specialists carry out routine testing and inspection of systems to ensure compliance with regulations. Meticulous record-keeping ensures customers remain compliant year-round. The Group’s capability in delivering any necessary repairs and upgrades has led to an extremely high level of repeat business, with customers enjoying peace of mind.
