GreaterLondonWESTMINSTERWestminsterAbbey(ermellCC-BY-4.0)1 Ermell

Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey presents a unique pageant of British history; the shrine of St Edward the Confessor, the tombs of kings and queens, and countless memorials to the famous and the great, it has been the setting for every Coronation since 1066 and for numerous other royal occasions.

Westminster, Greater London

Opening times

Westminster Abbey is usually open to visitors from Monday to Saturday throughout the year. On Sundays and religious holidays such as Easter and Christmas, the Abbey is open for worship only. All are welcome and it is free to attend services.

Address

Deans Yard
Westminster
Greater London
SW1P 3PA

Westminster Abbey, a work of architectural genius, a place of daily worship, deploying the resources of high musical expertise, a burial place of kings, statesmen, poets, scientists, warriors and musicians, is the result of a process of development across the centuries, which represents the response of a monastery and later a post-Reformation church to the stimulus and challenge of its environment.

In the 1040s King Edward (later St Edward the Confessor) established his royal palace by the banks of the river Thames on land known as Thorney Island. Close by was a small Benedictine monastery . Edward chose to build a large stone church in honour of St Peter the Apostle. This church became known as the ‘west minster’ to distinguish it from St Paul's Cathedral (the east minster) in the City of London.

The only traces of Edward's monastery are in the round arches and massive supporting columns of the undercroft and the Pyx Chamber. Edward's Abbey survived until the middle of the 13th century when King Henry III decided to rebuild it in the new Gothic style of architecture. This church was consecrated on 13 October 1269.

Every monarch since William the Conqueror has been crowned in the Abbey, with the exception of Edward V and Edward VIII who were never crowned. It was natural that Henry III should wish to translate the body of the saintly Edward the Confessor into a more magnificent tomb behind the High Altar. This shrine survives and around it are buried a cluster of medieval kings and their consorts. The Abbey contains over 600 monuments and wall tablets and over three thousand people are buried here. Notable is the Unknown Warrior, whose grave, close to the west door, has become a place of pilgrimage.

A remarkable new addition to the Abbey was the glorious Lady chapel built by King Henry VII, first of the Tudor monarchs, which now bears his name. This has a spectacular fan vaulted roof and the craftsmanship of Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano can be seen in Henry's fine tomb. The chapel was consecrated on 19 February 1516.

 

  • Captivating architecture

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Famous connections

  • Glorious furnishings

  • Magnificent memorials

  • National heritage here

  • Social heritage stories

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Accessible toilets in church

  • Accessible toilets nearby

  • Bus stop within 100m

  • Café in church

  • Café within 500m

  • Church shop or souvenirs

  • Level access to the main areas

  • Non-accessible toilets in church

  • On street parking at church

  • Parking within 250m

  • Space to secure your bike

  • Train station within 250m

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Wifi

  • Church of England

Contact information

Other nearby churches

Mary Sumner House Chapel

Westminster, Greater London

Part of the headquarters of the Mothers Union, this chapel is full of images and artwork celebrating women.

St Mary Undercroft

Westminster, Greater London

The Chapel of St Mary Undercroft was completed by King Edward I in 1297, further developed under Edward II, and finally completed by Edward III in around 1365.

St Margaret

Westminster, Greater London

As nearby Westminster Abbey was a monastery church, local people needed a place to worship and so St Margaret's was founded in the 12th century.