Bath Abbey

Begun in 1499, Bath Abbey is the last of the great medieval churches of England. The West Front is unique as it depicts the dream that inspired the Abbey's founder, Bishop Oliver King, to pull down the ruined Norman cathedral and raise the present building on its foundations.

Over the past twelve and a half centuries, three different churches have occupied the site of today’s Abbey:
An Anglo-Saxon Abbey Church dating from 757, pulled down by the Norman conquerors of England soon after 1066.
A massive Norman cathedral begun about 1090. It was larger than the monastery could afford to maintain and by the end of the 15th century was in ruins.
The present Abbey church founded in 1499, ruined after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 by order of Henry VIII.

Worship has taken place on the site of today's Abbey for over one thousand years and continues to this day with services taking place throughout the entire week.

Opening Times:

01 April - 31 October
09:00 - 18:00 (Monday to Saturday)
13:00 - 14:30 and 16:30 - 17:30 (Sunday)

01 November - 31 March
09:00 - 16:30 (Monday to Saturday)
13:00 - 14:30 and 16:30 to 17:30 (Sunday)

Please note that the Abbey is closed on Christmas Day and Good Friday for sight seeing, but open for services to which visitors are most welcome to attend.
The Abbey is open on Easter Saturday and Easter Monday from 09:00 to 18:00.
Opening times vary during the year due to services, events and concerts. Please telephone the office or check the website for details.

For arranging group bookings please contact Dawn Farmer, Visitors Officer, on +44 (0) 1225 303310.

The Abbey welcomes all visitors and invites a donation of £2.50 per adult. We rely on the generosity of our visitors and our congregation to fund the ministry and mission of the Abbey.

Events

Road Directions

Leave the M4 at junction 18 and take the A46 towards Bath. Join the A4 signposted Bath. For a day visit to the city it is recommended to use the park and ride facilities or Charlotte Street car park.

Public Transport Directions

The Bath Spa railway station is less than 10 minutes walk away in Manvers Street. Coaches can drop off and collect from Orange Grove and park during the day at the Riverside Coach and Lorry Park off of Green Park Road, about a 10 minute walk away.

Facilities

• Gift Shop
• In town/city centre
• Indoor Attraction
• No Smoking Attraction
• Of historic, literary or architectural interest
• Accessible to Wheelchair Users
• Facilities for Hearing Impaired Visitors
• Facilities for the Disabled
• Guide Dogs Permitted
• On Bus Route
• Toilets for Disabled Visitors
• Coach Parking
• Approx length of visit
• Booking essential
• Euros accepted
• Groups Accepted
• Max group size
• Min group size
• TIC Staff Admitted Free
• Event Venue
• Printed Material in Foreign Languages
• Marketed towards families
• Dutch printed material
• French printed material
• German printed material
• Italian printed material
• Japanese printed material
• Spanish printed material
• Educational Visits Accepted
• Guided Tours Available for Groups
• Guided Tours Available for Individuals