Tomb of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York

Tomb of Henry VII & Elizabeth of York

Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York, lie in a vault beneath his magnificent tomb in the Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey.

They were the first monarchs to be buried in the Abbey in a vault under the floor, rather than in a tomb chest above ground.

The heads of the effigies carried at their respective funerals, still survive in the Abbey collection.

The head of the king’s effigy is particularly lifelike and probably made from his death mask.

Sadly, the bodies of the funeral effigies were damaged by water, during the blitz in the Second World War.

The inscription on their tomb reads~

“Here lies Henry the Seventh of that name, formerly
King of England, son of Edmund, Earl of Richmond.
He was created King on August 22 and immediately
afterwards, on October 30.
He was crowned at Westminster in the year of Our
Lord 1485.

He died subsequently on April 21 in the 53rd year of
his age.
He reigned 23 years eight months, less one day”

“Here lies Queen Elizabeth, daughter of the former
King Edward IV, sister of the formerly appointed
King Edward V, once the wife of King Henry VII, and
the renowned mother of Henry VIII.

She met her day of death in the Tower of London on
the 11th day of February in the year of Our Lord
1502, having fulfilled the age of 37 years.