Bath Abbey
Castles & Heritage Sites
Bath Abbey is a working church with fan vaulting, 891 restored ledgerstones, a Discovery Centre museum and guided Tower Tours above the nave.
A church before it is a sight
Bath Abbey is first a working church, with chapels open for private prayer and prayers said each hour. Check the opening arrangements on the abbey’s website before you leave your cottage.
The present building dates from Bishop Oliver King’s decision in 1499 to replace the ruined Norman cathedral, a dream the West Front represents. The rebuilding ran on until 1611. The fan vaulting was designed by Robert and William Vertue, who also designed similar vaulting for the Henry VII chapel at Westminster Abbey, and Sir George Gilbert Scott restored it in the 1860s and 1870s. The abbey has 52 windows covering about 80% of the wall space. A church has stood on the site since the 7th century, and the King Edgar Window shows the crowning of Edgar as king of all England at the Saxon monastery here in 973.
What to look at inside
The Great East Window, completed in 1873, tells the story of Jesus in 56 scenes. The floor is made up of 891 flat grave stones called ledgerstones, all restored and re-laid in the Footprint Project after the floor began to collapse. The walls carry 635 memorials, most commemorating people from the 1700s and 1800s. One is Sir William Waller’s memorial to his first wife Jane; his troops sheltered in the abbey after the Battle of Lansdown in 1643.
Tours
A 30-minute Abbey Highlights Tour is included in the entry ticket. It covers the abbey floor, runs Monday to Saturday subject to availability, and is accessible for all. Tower Tours are guided and need a separate ticket, and they are not accessible to wheelchair users. There are also audio tours, including one on the abbey’s history.
Access, dogs and getting there
The abbey is mostly level access and a wheelchair can be borrowed from the Welcome Desk. Only assistance dogs are allowed. Suitcases are not permitted and there is nowhere to leave them. The abbey recommends public transport or the Park and Ride car parks, because the city centre roads and car parks get very busy, and the abbey advises checking Bath and North East Somerset Council’s clean air zone rules.
Beside the Roman Baths
Bath Abbey stands in the same square as the Roman Baths. The abbey is a working church with its own tours, while the Baths are a separate council-run site below street level. See the town page for Bath for more of what is nearby.
Where to stay near Bath Abbey
Sample dates: 16 October 2026 - 18 October 2026. Adjust below to see live prices for Somerset.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need to book Bath Abbey?
- Tickets can be bought online or from the Welcome Desk on arrival. Groups of 10 or more should book in advance. Check the abbey's visiting page for current arrangements.
- Can I take a dog into Bath Abbey?
- Only assistance dogs are allowed in the abbey.
- Can I bring luggage into Bath Abbey?
- No. Suitcases are not allowed inside the abbey and there are no storage facilities.
- Is Bath Abbey wheelchair accessible?
- Yes, apart from the Tower Tours. The abbey is largely level access, with no steps at the main entrance and exit, and a wheelchair can be borrowed. The Discovery Centre museum is reached by lift.