Abbey re-opens for visiting

The Abbey will be open for visiting on selected days during December, with timed entry tickets available to purchase online in advance.

The return of visitors is vital for the future of the Abbey, as it is entirely self-funding, receiving no support from the Church, State or Crown. Since initially re-opening in July, visitors have been enjoying the opportunity to experience the beauty of the church without the usual crowds.

Feedback from those visiting in recent weeks has included:

'A truly heart-warming and deeply moving experience, and an astonishing opportunity to see that beautiful old place without the normal crowds. The staff were brilliant, very welcoming, and actively helping people with enquires. And, although wearing masks, you could tell they were all smiling by looking at their eyes! Well done for bringing joy!'

'I knew that it would be a heart-lifting and morale boosting experience to see the old place again in these difficult times and especially after the restrictions of lockdown. And, of course, it certainly didn’t disappoint!'

'Great opportunity to see a normally crowded top tourist site with fewer people to compete with. Checking the website to get a flavour of what I could expect to see also helped.'

Further information about the measures in place to keep visitors safe in the Abbey is available on our coronavirus page.

The Abbey has also re-opened for public worship and is holding 23 services each week. Attendance at these services in free of charge, and congregation sizes are limited to maintain social distancing.