How to Visit Westminster Abbey, London
Last Updated on 1st February 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
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Westminster Abbey lies in the shadow of the Houses of Parliament close to the River Thames and is the location where no fewer than forty monarchs were crowned. Today the ecclesiastical building remains an architectural gem, is UNESCO World Heritage listed, and is one of the most popular places to visit in London.
N.B.: Westminster Abbey is formally known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, but everyone just refers to the building as Westminster Abbey for short. The building shouldn’t be confused with Westminster Cathedral which is the largest Catholic Church in the Uk and Archbishop of Westminster.
#ad | Please note that we were invited on a tour of Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliaments by takewalks.com as we are a longstanding affiliate partner. They did not ask us to write any kind of review. All opinions, photos, and comments remain those of the editorial team.
Contents
What is Westminster Abbey?
Westminster Abbey is a historic church with roots dating back over 1000 where royalty has been crowned since Christmas Day of 1066, when William the Conqueror was crowned King of England.
Since then, there has been forty coronations in the church, including most recently Charles III, following the death of Elizabeth II. No one knows exactly when the first church on site was built, though historians generally agree that there was a monastery dedicated to St Peter on the site prior to the 11th-century (probably since 960 CE).
The first church that we have more information about on the site was a Romanesque structure built at the behest of Edward the Confessor and was consecrated on the 28th of December 1065. Unfortunately for the king, he was too ill to attend the service and died just a few days later and is now interred in the abbey.
After William the Conqueror defeated Edward the Confessor’s successor, Harold Godwinson, in the Battle of Hastings of 1066, he just knew he would have to have his coronation in Westminster in order to consolidate his power, and thus the beginning of the current coronation tradition began.
Much of the Abbey we see today was created during the reign of Henry III. As part of his renovations and restorations, he demolished large swathes of the 11th-century church and replaced it with a dazzling Gothic masterpiece to rival those found in Paris, Cologne, and Strasbourg.
Highlights of Westminster Abbey
Cloisters: One of the more tranquil and secluded spots within the Abbey grounds are the medieval cloisters, which predominantly date from between the 13th and 15th centuries. It’s estimated that at least 3300 people are buried within this space, though no one has an exact numbers as records were not as stringent as they are today several centuries ago.
Coronation Chair: As the site of so many memorable coronations, it goes without saying that you can see the very chair on which many of them have taken place. The coronation chair is behind bullet proof glass directly on the right-hand side upon entering the abbey and has been used for over 700 years.
The grave of Ben Jonson: One of the more peculiar graves in the abbey is that of Ben Jonson, who is also known as “O Rare Ben Johnson” for the inscription that is engraved on his final resting spot. As far as records suggest, Jonson is the only person to have been buried standing up. The reason why? Well standing up required less room and was therefore less expensive.
Cosmati Pavement: One of the jewels of architecture which is most treasured within the church’s collection in the Cosmati Pavement, which was laid in 1268 at the behest of Henry III. This is one of the only examples of this kind of mosaic in the world still surviving and is truly quite beautiful.
David Hockney: One of the more modern touches to the building in recent centuries is the addition of a stained glass window by acclaimed British artist David Hockney. The artwork was created to celebrate the reign of Elizabeth II and is known as the Queen’s Window. There are a number of other beautiful stained glass windows, including a large rose window.
Chapter House: Truth be told, one of the most glorious elements of the cathedral is the Chapter House, which is located within the east cloister and was traditionally where the monks gathered with the abbot to ‘hold chapter’. Today, the octagonal room is home to beautiful stained glass windows, tiered seating which would have once seated up to 80 monks, and intricately carved walls.
The Quire: Many people incorrectly name the Quire of the church as the choir. Indeed, it is actually the choir which sits in the quire and that of Westminster Abbey is pretty magnificent. The tradition of singing dates all the way back to the 10th-century when monks would have chanted plainsong.
Shrine of Edward the Confessor: One of the more ornate tombs within the Abbey is the Shrine of Edward the Confessor, who as I mentioned, died several days after the consecration of the building. The shrine is covered in beautiful mosaics, though the lower parts are damaged due to pilgrims during the Middle Ages reaching up and stealing pieces of the mosaic to bring home as souvenirs.
Lady Chapel: One of the finer chapels in the Abbey is the Lady Chapel, which was referred to as ‘the wonder of the world’ by 16th-century historian John Leland. Today highlights include a vaulted medieval ceiling and it is the burial place of fifteen queens and kings.
Famous burials in Westminster Abbey
You should note that there are both burials and memorials in the Abbey. Whereas burials mean that the body of the person is interred within the Abbey, a memorial means that the mortal remains are not there. Some people have both at different locations within the Abbey.
There are too many people of note to list within a single article about Westminster Abbey, though there are some of the most notable:
- Edward the Confessor: Anglo-Saxon English king ( c. 1003 – 5 January 1066)
- Anne of Cleeves: the only wife of Henry VIII interred in the cathedral (1515-1557)
- Elizabeth I: Queen of England and daughter of Henry VIII (1533-1603)
- Sir Isaac Newton: mathematician, physicist, and astronomer (1643-1727) Newton’s Grave is right next to the rood screen and is very illustrious
- Jane Austen: novelist (1775-1817)
- Charles Darwin: naturalist (1809-1882) Darwin is buried in an area of the church known as scientists’ corner
- Stephen Hawking: mathematician and theoretical physicist (1942-2018) Hawking has the same inscription on his grave as Newton only his in English and Newton’s is in Latin
How to visit Westminster Abbey
In order to visit Westminster Abbey, you’ll unfortunately have to pay a fee, though it’s free to enter if you wish to attend a service or pray (but if you enter under these circumstances you’re not allowed to wander around and take photos). No filming is allowed within the Abbey.
There are two ways to visit the abbey; you can either buy a ticket directly from the Abbey on their website (which can be upgraded free of charge to an annual pass that is valid for three visits) or alternatively you can book a guided tour.
- Exclusive Houses of Parliament Tour with Guided Visit & Skip-the-Line Westminster Abbey Tour (this is the tour we took and I enjoyed our guided visit of Westminster Abbey followed by a tour of the Houses of Parliament)
- Complete Westminster Abbey Tour with Diamond Jubilee Galleries
- London in a Day: Tower of London Tour, Westminster Abbey & River Cruise (this tour will take a full day and show you a number of London highlights together with a local guide)
If you want to learn more about the historical building together with a local guide (and get some more insider juicy information) then I do really recommend taking a tour. We often take guided tours wherever we travel to and often pay for themselves as they’re a great way of listening to fun stories and learning more about a place than you might in a guidebook.
Westminster Abbey opening times
Westminster Abbey is open throughout the year from Monday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. From September through to May, the abbey is open until 6 PM on Wednesdays and is closed from 1:30 PM on Saturdays. The last admission is one hour before closing time. On Sunday, the Abbey is only open for services.
What to see close to Westminster Abbey
There are a few highlights close to the Abbey that are worth checking out while in the area. The first is actually Parliament Square, where you’ll find a dozen statues of statesmen and other notable individuals.
Unfortunately, women are incredibly underrepresented in this space and the square is only home to one statue of a woman; the statue of Millicent Garrett Fawcett, a British suffragist leader who was instrumental in leading the changes which eventually led to women getting the vote.
While in the square, you have to look up at the Gothic Houses of Parliament, which were rebuilt after a great fire during the middle of the 19th-century (in 1834 to be precise). At this time, the Gothic was à la mode and so this is what was chosen from a list of prospective plans.
Contrary to popular believe, you can’t see ‘Big Ben’. What you’re actually looking at is the Elizabeth Tower. The other tower on the building is known as the Victoria Tower.
Anyone can pay to visit the tower if they book far enough in advance (typically you’ll have to buy a ticket 3 to 5 months ahead of your planned visit on the government website). If you are a resident of the Uk, then you can request to visit Big Ben from your local MP for free. Find out more details here.
