We’re transforming the welcome we offer to the millions of people who come to the Abbey to enjoy one of the world’s great churches.
A new building – to be named The King Charles III Sacristy in honour of HM The King – will be constructed to house state-of-the-art welcome, security and ticketing facilities, allowing the Abbey itself to be preserved in all its beauty and wonder as a sacred space.
The building will be constructed on the site of the medieval Great Sacristy – built in the 1250s during Henry III’s reconstruction of St Edward the Confessor's Abbey. The Sacristy was where the monks kept vestments, altar linens, and other sacred items used in the mass.
Following the dissolution of the monastery in 1540, the Great Sacristy was repurposed as domestic accommodation. By 1740, it had fallen into a poor state of repair and was pulled down. It is the only part of Henry’s church to have been lost.
The foundations of the original building were discovered in the 1860s. A dig by Channel 4’s Time Team in 2009 established that the footings were indeed from Henry's building. The medieval walls were found and proved to belong to the missing Sacristy.
The new building is designed by Ptolemy Dean, the Abbey’s Surveyor of the Fabric. The single-storey, L-shaped design complements the Gothic architecture of the Abbey, and the use of English stone, oak and lead will allow the building to sit discreetly among its surroundings.
The project has already seen enhancements made to the landscaping at the Great West Door, where step-free entry provides dignified access for all.
Discover how we’re bringing the Sacristy building to life and tour the site in the company of some of the key members of the project team.
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Westminster Abbey is committed to environmental sustainability and to reducing our carbon emissions.
The new Sacristy will be built from natural and long-lasting materials, including locally-quarried stone and sustainably-sourced oak. It is being designed to reduce energy demand and water consumption and will incorporate energy-efficient features such as natural ventilation where possible.
Once built, it will be powered by entirely by renewable electricity, with construction emissions offset to achieve carbon neutrality.
The new Sacristy building is due to open in 2026, and its cost is estimated to be £13m. Support us by making a donation and help us to transform our visitor welcome.
At different times of the day, or in different seasons, the light falling in the Abbey will light up something that you have walked past a million times and never seen before.
