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A briefing paper on the devolution settlement in Wales

This table lists the meeting places of the House of Commons and the House of Lords while sitting at Westminster but not the two main chambers.
Meeting places of Parliament at Westminster (68 KB , PDF)
Date from |
Date to (where known) |
Location |
Notes |
1259 |
1512 |
Painted Chamber |
Opening ceremony in Painted Chamber |
1343 |
1800 |
White Chamber |
White Chamber customary meeting place of Lords until union with Ireland |
1343 |
Painted Chamber |
House of Commons in Painted Chamber |
|
1368 |
Lesser Chamber (Court of Requests) |
House of Commons in lesser Chamber (Court of Requests) |
|
1376 |
Chapter House and Abbey Refectory |
House of Commons in Chapter House or Refectory of Abbey until mid-16th century |
|
1536 |
House of Lords Chamber |
Opening ceremony in House of Lords Chamber |
|
1552 |
St Stephen’s Chapel |
House of Commons in St Stephen’s Chapel c1552 |
|
1801 |
Court of Requests |
House of Lords moves from White Chamber to Court of Requests |
|
1834 |
House of Lords Library |
Great Fire 16 October. House of Lords in House of Lords Library 23 October |
|
1834 |
Room adjacent to House of Lords Library |
Great Fire 16 October. House of Commons moved to a room adjacent to the House of Lords Library |
|
1835 |
Painted Chamber |
House of Lords moves from Court of Requests to Painted Chamber |
|
1835 |
Court of Requests |
House of Commons moves from St Stephen’s Chapel to Court of Requests |
|
1847 |
Barry’s new House of Lords Chamber |
House of Lords moves from Painted Chamber to Barry’s new Lords chamber in rebuilt Palace of Westminster |
|
1852 |
Barry’s new House of Commons Chamber |
House of Commons moves from Court of Requests to Barry Chamber in new, rebuilt Palace of Westminster |
|
1941 |
House of Lords Chamber |
Commons moves from its own Chamber to House of Lords Chamber after war damage to Commons chamber |
|
1941 |
King’s Robing Room |
House of Lords moves from its own Chamber to King’s Robing Room |
|
1950 |
Gilbert Scotts’ House of Commons Chamber |
House of Commons moves from Lords Chamber to its own rebuilt Chamber by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott |
|
1951 |
Barry’s House of Lords Chamber |
House of Lords moves from King’s Robing Room to its own former Chamber |
The details given here have been taken from ‘The Meeting Places of the Houses of Parliament at Westminster’ by J C Sainty, in The Table: the journal of the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table in Commonwealth Parliaments, Volume XLIV 1976 and from the History of Parliament Trust: Survey, 1386–1421.
With thanks to Robert Harrison in the House of Lords Journal Office for his kind advice and assistance in the compilation of this list.
Further details of the buildings of the Palace of Westminster can be found in the following books:
Information on meeting places of the medieval Parliament can be found on the Living Heritage pages on the Parliament website.
This series of publications contains data on various subjects relating to Parliament and Government. Topics include legislation, MPs, select committees, debates, divisions and Parliamentary procedure.
Please send any comments or corrections to the Parliament & Constitution Centre. Suggestions for new lists welcomed.
Meeting places of Parliament at Westminster (68 KB , PDF)
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