About Us

Westminster Abbey is a living Church, part of the Church of England: a House of God, where almighty God is worshipped daily, continuing a 1400 year tradition in this place. Every day of the year (except Good Friday and Holy Saturday) the Eucharist is celebrated at 8.00 a.m. Almost every day the Abbey's world-famous choir sings one or more of the daily services. You can find details of the worship elsewhere on the website. Whether you are Anglican (Episcopalian), or of another Christian Church or of another faith, or seeking or doubting, you are warmly welcome to attend any service.

Westminster Abbey is the House of Kings, where the coronation of Kings and Queens has taken place since 1066, and where many of the Kings and Queens of England and of the United Kingdom are buried. Principal among them is St Edward the Confessor, King of England from 1042 to 1066, whose shrine is at the heart of the Abbey Church. Beside and around them are buried or memorialised many of the great men and women from almost every century of these islands' history: statesmen and politicians, lawyers, warriors, clerics, writers, artists, musicians. Westminster Abbey is a Royal Peculiar, whose Dean is directly answerable to the Sovereign.

Besides the Abbey Church itself, within the Abbey precincts you are welcome to visit St Margaret's Church (the Church of the House of Commons), the Great and Little Cloisters, the stunning Chapter House and Museum, and, on several days of the week, College Garden, an oasis of calm at the heart of the City. Specialist visitors are welcome by appointment to the Library and the Muniments Room. In the precincts are also Westminster School, strongly associated with the Abbey, and Westminster Abbey Choir School, which educates the Abbey's choristers.

The Abbey's Mission is

To serve Almighty God as a "˜school of the Lord's service' by offering divine worship daily and publicly;
To serve the Sovereign by daily prayer and by a ready response to requests made by or on behalf of Her Majesty;
To serve the nation by fostering the place of true religion within national life, maintaining a close relationship with members of the House of Commons and House of Lords and with others in representative positions;
To serve pilgrims and all other visitors and to maintain a tradition of hospitality