Date Thesis Awarded

4-2015

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Arts (BA)

Department

Religious Studies

Advisor

Mark McLaughlin

Abstract

My goal for this research project was to better understand the largely misconceived crypt space on campus. When speaking with students, faculty, staff, and community members in Williamsburg, I found about half of the population to be unaware of the bodies interred below the chapel floor. This was astonishing to me, as while many men and women worshiped, watched concerts, and took part in ceremonies within the Wren Building’s south wing, none were aware or informed about the local dignitaries directly below their feet. For those that were familiar about the crypt below, little accurate knowledge was known. This series of events inspired me to explore the topic of the Wren crypt for my honors thesis. My year long research project developed through three main avenues: learning a general overview of the Sir Christopher Wren Building, examining interments of bodies in the Wren crypt via archives, and analyzing archaeological remnants once housed within the campus crypt. Collectively, these three realms of study help share the larger narrative of William and Mary's Sir Christopher Wren Building. Through examination of each specific crypt component, a developed dialogue emerges from the space itself.

Recommended Citation

Allibhai-Mawani, Somayah S., "Discovering What Lies Below: the Exploration of William & Mary's Crypt Under the Chapel" (2015). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 124.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/124