The river wall forming the first portion of the works of the present building was begun in 1837, the first stone of the Houses themselves was laid on the 27th April, 1840, and the structure was so far complete in 1860, the year when its architect died, that the roof of the Victoria Tower was covered in and the flag-staff fixed; but the internal decoration can hardly even yet be said to be absolutely finished.
The entire area occupied by the Houses of Parliament and the buildings connected with them is about eight acres; the chief front, that to the river, is 940 ft. long.
The material employed for the outer masonry is magnesian limestone, from Anston, in Yorkshire, and the river terrace is of granite. The most noteworthy points of the exterior are the ROYAL ENTRANCE or VICTORIA TOWER, at the north-west corner, one of the largest structures of the kind in the world, with a handsome arched gateway, forming a porch with a finely carved groined roof, and enriched by statues of the patron saints of Great Britain in niches; the CLOCK TOWER, to the north-east, with a clock under the supervision of the Astronomer Royal, a great bell known as Big Ben, weighing over eight tons, and seven smaller bells.
The approach from Westminster Hall, continued so as to combine an access from without with an entrance of great dignity from the Hall itself, is one of the many fine features to see.