Name: Westminster Abbey
Denomination: Anglican
Address: Chapter Office, 20 Deans Yard. SW1P 3PA
Telephone: 020 7222 5152
Fax: 020 7233 2072
Web Site: http://www.westminster-abbey.org/
Email: Click Here
Please visit the website for times of services and details of other events.
For virtual tour of Westminster Abbey click here
Kings, queens, statesmen and soldiers; poets, priests, heroes and villains – the Abbey is a must-see living pageant of British history. Every year Westminster Abbey welcomes over one million visitors who want to explore this wonderful 700-year-old building. Thousands more join us for worship at our daily services. The Abbey is in the heart of London. Once inside audio guides are available in eight languages or there is the highly-popular verger-led tour.
The life of Westminster Abbey revolves around the daily pattern of worship; Morning Prayer, Evensong, and the Eucharist. These services are open to the public and our congregations include people from all over the world. Whether you are Anglican (Episcopalian), or of another Christian Church or of another faith, or seeking or doubting, you are warmly welcome to take part.
In addition to the daily round of services, the Abbey hosts a number of services throughout the year to mark anniversaries and special occasions in the life of the nation. We are also a place of pilgrimage, the site of the Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, King of England 1042–66. No two days are the same at Westminster Abbey. There’s always lots going on, from special events and festivals, to lectures and debates, concerts to bell ringing. (Please refer to the Abbey’s website to find out more about worship at the Abbey and forthcoming services and events).
Westminster Abbey has resounded to music every day for over one thousand years. Singing has played a hugely important role, from the plainsong Offices sung by the monks of the tenth-century monastic foundation to the daily choral services sung by the Choir of Westminster Abbey today. Over the intervening centuries some of the most illustrious British organists, singers and composers have been closely associated with the Abbey, which continues to play a leading part in the musical and cultural life of the nation today.
About our services
Daily including Sundays (as advertised)
Matins, Holy Communion and Evensong
Westminster Abbey is inextricably linked to the history of the British Monarchy and the vast majority of its annual three million visitors come to see the tombs and chapels of past monarchs, and the quire where so many coronations, royal weddings and funerals have taken place, rather than participate in worship. Yet the Abbey is most active as a place of worship and, aside from the comprehensive. observance of Anglican services, there is also an hourly prayer, led from the pulpit in the nave. For this short prayer, visitors are asked to sit or stand still and to participate, as most willingly do.
Throughout the week, Matins, Holy Communion, services and Evensong are held each day. These are conducted in either the nave or quire, though the smaller services are held in St George’s Chapel, next to the west door, or in St Faith’s Chapel, which is near Poet’s Corner. At all times that the Abbey is open, the two chapels are available to people for quiet prayer.
On Sundays, there are five services, taken by the Presenter or the Chaplain, and held in the nave or quire. Matins and Evensong each Sunday is assigned to one of the Canons, who will preach at one of the two services and invite a guest to lead the other. These people may be friends, parish clergy or academics. The Dean of the Abbey is often present to read the second lesson and to give the blessing.
At Communion services both rites A and B, as well as the 1662 Prayer book are used, thus satisfying the widest possible range of preferences. Sunday services are attended by between 300 and 1,000 people, out of which only some 20 will be regular worshippers at the Abbey.
The Abbey choir, so much a part of the unique atmosphere, can be heard at Matins and Evensong in the quire. At the 6.30 pm Congregational service on Sundays, whoever leads the service has an opportunity to introduce different features into the worship, such as other choirs, dance and drama.
At various times throughout the year, memorial and other special services are held in the Abbey. the monthly news-sheet gives details of these and indicates the times at which the Abbey is open to the public. A number of the chapels are used for particular services: the Henry VII Chapel, for instance, is used for the marriages of the Order of the Bath and those living in the precinct. If anyone associated with the Abbey should die, be it monarch of cleaning lady, they are entitled to have their coffin in the chapel overnight.
As regards the architecture and monuments of England’s premier church building, it is less feasible to attempt a summary than to refer readers to any of the several texts that dwell on the Abbey at an appropriate length. Informative guidebooks are available to visitors at the Abbey itself.