Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 · editedBath Abbey
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What's on here
Morning Prayer
Tuesday, 08:30
Choral Evensong
Tuesday, 17:30
Evening Prayer
Tuesday, 17:30
Morning Prayer
Wednesday, 08:30
Evening Prayer
Wednesday, 17:30
Morning Prayer
Thursday, 08:30
Choral Evensong
Thursday, 17:30
Evening Prayer
Thursday, 17:30
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Why go
- Stone angels climb Jacob’s Ladder on the west front.
- Climb 212 steps up the 49-metre tower for views over Bath.
- The Great East Window tells Jesus’s story in 56 scenes.
Don't miss
- Discovery CentreExplore Footprint Project finds, archive items, animations and interactive games in the abbey’s museum beneath the shop.Beneath the abbey shop
- Klais organLook for the 4,000-pipe main organ, rebuilt by Klais in 1997 using historic stops.North transept
- Birde’s Chantry ChapelPrior William Birde built the chapel for prayers for his soul.
- West WindowCompleted in 1894, it depicts stories from the Bible’s first five books.
Know before you go
- Suitcases are not allowed inside, and the abbey has no luggage storage.
- Visitors are welcome to pray, light a candle or sit quietly.
Legends and hidden details
- Bishop Oliver King’s dream is linked to the rebuilding of the ruined church and the design of its west front.
Services and visiting hours
- At the abbey
- Worship, civic ceremonies, concerts and lectures
Interesting facts5
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52 windows
The abbey’s 52 windows cover about 80% of its wall space.
Bath Abbey - Wikipedia -
1,200 people
The church can seat up to 1,200 people.
Bath Abbey - Wikipedia -
Most wall memorials commemorate people from the 1700s and 1800s.
Visiting – Bath Abbey -
The floor’s flat gravestones, called ledgerstones, were restored and relaid through the Footprint Project.
Visiting – Bath Abbey -
A plaque beside the west doors marks the end of the Cotswold Way.
Visiting – Bath Abbey
Shorts
History
A convent was founded near Bath in 675. The monastery was re-established as a Benedictine house in the 10th century, and the church later served as a bishop’s cathedral. King Edgar was crowned here in 973. After the Footprint Project, the abbey floor was repaired and stabilised.
- 675Osric granted land near Bath to Abbess Berta to establish a convent.
- 973King Edgar was crowned at the abbey.
- By 1122Only the ambulatory of John of Tours’s planned cathedral, dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, was complete when he died.
- 1137–1156Fire devastated the unfinished cathedral in 1137; construction continued until about 1156.
- 1499Oliver King found the church in ruins, and rebuilding began on the site of the Norman cathedral.
Show all
- 1539The Benedictine community was dissolved.
- 1583The church became Bath’s parish church after Elizabeth I supported restoration in 1574.
- 1860sSir George Gilbert Scott led major restoration work.
How to get there
- On footBath Spa station is less than a 10-minute walk from Bath Abbey, BA1 1LT.
- 5 minParkingThe Podium short-stay car park is on Northgate Street, a 5-minute walk away.
- ParkingSouthgate car park is on St. James Parade.
- BusCoach drop-off points are on North Parade Road and Orange Grove.
Accessibility
- Step-free entry Through the main entrance.
- Lift To the Discovery Centre, Changing Places toilet and Learning Room.
- Toilet An accessible toilet is on the abbey floor. The main visitor toilets in the Discovery Centre are reached by steps.
- Baby changing In the toilets accessed from the abbey floor.
- Wheelchair Wheelchairs are available to borrow.
- Tower access The tower route has 212 steps.
Sources: Bath Abbey - Wikipedia · Bath - Wikivoyage (see) · Bath Abbey · Visiting – Bath Abbey · Accessibility – Bath Abbey · Abteikirche Bath - Wikipedia · Abbaye de Bath - Wikipedia · Bath Abbey: tickets (its own site) · checked 6 Oct 2026
- Website
- bathabbey.org/
- Phone
- +44 1225 422462
Questions and answers
Can I buy tickets to Bath Abbey online?
Yes. Tickets can be bought through the abbey’s website.
Are guided tours available at Bath Abbey?
Free guided history tours are offered subject to availability; they do not include the tower.
When is Bath Abbey open?
Monday–Friday 10:00–17:00, Saturday 10:00–18:00, and Sunday 13:00–15:30.
Is Bath Abbey still used for worship?
Yes. It hosts worship, civic ceremonies, concerts and lectures.
Can children visit Bath Abbey?
Families can ask for a free trail or a Sensory Explorer backpack.
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