[Ad-gifted] Our next stop in Bath is none other than the The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, a parish church of the Church of England and former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England.
Located just next to The Roman Baths, it is hard to miss Bath Abbey when you are wondering around the beautiful city centre.
The history of this sacred place stretches as far back as Anglo-Saxon times and it is still a working church. Visitors are also allowed to book the Tower Tour and climb all 212 steps of Bath Abbey’s Tower to catch a glimpse of the clock face, see the bells as well as the fan-vaulted ceiling from the other side.
There is so much history to discover when you visit Bath Abbey, from learning about the 635 memorials to admiring the various stained-glass window panels. We found ourselves in awe of the fan vaulted ceiling and spending time taking a closer look at the historical artefacts and medieval carved stone fragments in the The Discovery Centre. Keep on reading to find out what we did during our visit to Bath Abbey.
What did we think of Bath Abbey?
Bath Abbey is such a beautiful church. Founded in the 7th century, it was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries with major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s.
Soon as we walked into Bath Abbey, we noticed the size of the church and how tall it is. The first thing which caught our eyes was the Fan Vaulted Ceilings. Created in the 1500s by the king’s master masons, the stone vaults form beautiful fan shapes to draw us up to God.
Next, we made our way to the waiting area for our tour guide, who took us up the Bath Abbey Tower. There are 212 steps in total with the steps mostly being uneven, the stairs were steep and narrow in places but both my children were fine climbing up the stairs.
We were allowed to leave our backpack at the bottom of the stair (in a locked area) so that made it easier for us to climb up easily. The tour is also not recommended for those who suffer from poor mobility, claustrophobia, vertigo or general ill health as well as children aged 5-years-old and below.
The tour lasted for around an hour, where we had the chance to go behind closed doors to see the clock face and fan-vaulted ceiling from the other side. Our tour guide was very informative and gave us a lot of facts about Bath Abbey while making the talk entertaining.
We were next shown the bell chamber and given some details about their age-old bell ringing tradition which has been modernised in recent years. We ended our tour at the top where we were lucky to enjoy the picturesque and panoramic view of the city and soak up the stunning view.
There is so much to see and do at Bath Abbey, here are some of highlights:
Windows: There are some stunning window art in the church, the main ones to spot would be The Great East Window which was completed in 1873 and this tells the story of Jesus in 56 scenes. Also look out for King Edgar Window which shows the crowning of Edgar as the first king of all England. The West Window which was completed in 1894 tells the stories of the first five books of the Bible. The panels in the bottom left show God’s Creation of Eve and Noah’s Ark. While The West Front Window represent the dreams of Bishop Oliver King that led him to replace the ruined Norman Cathedral with the present Abbey in 1499.
Footprint: The Abbey’s floor is made up of 891 flat grave stones called ledgerstones which have been re-laid and restored from collapsing thanks to the Footprint Project. So when you head to Bath Abbey, do spend some time admiring the reinstated floor.
Birde’s Chantry Chapel: Feel free to stop by to pray at the chapel which was built by Prior William Birde (d. 1525).
The Discovery Centre : The centre is Bath Abbey’s brand new heritage centre, designed to bring the Abbey’s history to life. It is an interactive centre showcasing videos and displaying Medieval carved stone fragments and historic artefacts. There are even period costumes available if you or your children would like to dress up.
Tickets can be purchased from the Welcome Desk on arrival at the Abbey.
Adults £6.50
Students £5.50
Children (5 -15) £3.50
Families 10% discount
Up to 2 adults + accompanying children
No charge for Discovery Card holders or BA1 & BA2 residents (with card or proof of address). Audio Guide £3.50
What are their Opening Hours?
Monday – Friday 10am to 5.30pm
Saturday 10am to 6pm
Sunday 1.15pm to 6pm
* On Sundays the Abbey is open for visiting around the regular services being held. The last entry is always 15 minutes before closing time. Opening times may also vary during the year as it is a working church.
Where is Bath Abbey?
Bath Abbey is in the centre of Bath near The Roman Baths, In between Pulteney Bridge and the Thermae Bath Spa. Bath Abbey does not have any carparks on site but there are plenty of carparks located around the city area. The nearest short stay car park is a five-minute walk away at the Podium in Northgate Street, BA1 5AL, or the Southgate Car Park in St. James Parade, BA1 1TP. If you are driving into the city, do note that Bath is under the Clean Air Zone Restriction so you may need to pay a daily charge to drive in Bath if your vehicle does not meet emission standards.
Bath
BA1 1LT
01225 422462
Note:
- The Tower Tour lasts 45-60 minutes. This can be booked at the Welcome Desk upon arrival. Tours are booked on a first come, first served basis. Children under 5 will not be permitted to take part in the tour. Children aged between 5 and 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Due to the nature of this tour, it may not be suitable for those who suffer from poor mobility, claustrophobia, vertigo or general ill health. Sensible footwear and clothing should be worn.
- The Abbey is fully accessible to wheelchair users, with level access through the gift shop and entrance porch. The Abbey floor includes an accessible toilet, and the Discovery Centre features a Changing Places toilet. The Abbey offers wheelchairs for those with accessibility needs to borrow during their visit, which can be arranged by asking a member of staff at the Welcome Desk. Unfortunately, due to the historic nature of the building, the Abbey’s Tower is step access only.
- The Abbey offers large print guides, which are available at the Welcome Desk for visually impaired visitors and ear defenders for visitors with autism.
- All assistance dogs are welcome inside the Abbey.
About
There is nowhere else quite like Bath Abbey. Magnificent stained-glass windows, columns of honey-gold stone and some of the finest fan vaulting in the world, create an extraordinary experience of light and space. But there is more to it than that. There has been a place of Christian worship on this site for over 1,200 years and the Abbey remains a living church with services taking place throughout the entire week. Come and experience the special atmosphere and rich history of this holy and uplifting place.
The first sight most visitors have of Bath Abbey is the West front’s unique ladders of Angels, which was inspired by Bishop of Bath, Oliver King’s dream of ascending and descending angels. From 7 March 2023, explore the fully accessible new Discovery Centre, a unique heritage space allowing visitors to peek behind the scenes of life at the Abbey and delve into the building’s history.
You may also want to read this:
Family Day Out Review: Jane Austen Centre in Bath
Family Day Out Review: Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein in Bath
Tudor World History Museum in Stratford-Upon-Avon Review
Photo Credit: Visit Bath
*We were gifted a family ticket in return for the feature. All opinions are our own.
24 comments
It is years since I have visited here, it is such an amazing place I love history and remember loving visiting here and definitely somewhere I want to visit again
So glad my post brought back a lot of memories for you
Visiting Bath Abbey can be a wonderful family’s day out besides gaining knowledge about this heritage site. Love the family photographs.
So glad you have enjoyed reading my post
So many things to explore and learn from this place! It’s a wonderful family day out
Agree, a stunning place to visit
Wow! Just wow! Your shots are amazing, Perfect place to visit with family.
Thank you so much Marie
Every part of Bath Abbey is just gorgeous! All of the interior is just dripping with history, and the views are astounding, too. I would love to see it one day!
The roof was my favourite and the view, such a stunning place to visit
That looks like it makes for a great day! How fun!
A fantastic day out
I’ve heard about Bath Abbey but never seen it! I can’t wait to see it in person, can’t wait!
Hope you get the chance
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review of Bath Abbey! Your attention to detail and personal anecdotes made me feel like I was right there with you. I especially appreciated your honest opinions about the experience. It’s clear that you put a lot of effort into this article, and it paid off beautifully.
Thank you so much for your kind words
The Bath Abbey is a magical place. And sometimes it could be a creepy place when you explore its deeper interiors!
Yes I bet it can be, it was busy when we were there so we felt fine
We have visited a few cities in the last few weeks, so I’ll have to add this to our must visit. It looks amazing.
Hope you do
The architecture in Bath Abbey is really beautiful. I would love to see those stained glass windows in real life, they look so beautiful – especially in your pictures.
Agree, a lot of Roman history can be seen in its architecture
Looking forward to go to Bath one day.
Hope you do get the chance