Overview

Westminster Abbey is famous for being the venue for coronations and royal weddings. The Abbey has worked hard in recent years to improve access. This review is specifically about my visit on Disabled Access Day 2019 and attending a special Disabled Access Day Guided Tour, which focused on disabled people buried or commemorated at the Abbey.

Transport & Parking

The nearest tube station to Westminster Abbey is Westminster which is step free. There are several buses that stop very close to the Abbey.

Access

The public entrance to the Abbey is on the north side and is step free. Before entering the Abbey there is security checks and then if you don’t already have a ticket, you will need to queue to buy one. Once inside immediately there was seating, where I rested until the tour started. I attended a special Disabled Access Day Guided Tour, with a BSL interpreter, and the route through the Abbey was step free. On the tour were people with a variety of access needs. Aaron and Graz who were conducting the tour, were very aware of the varying needs of the group. The tour was conducted at a slow pace and there were thoughtful stops were seating was available for people with mobility disabilities. The guides were very engaging as the tour was interactive, with interaction and questions encouraged, and the language used by the guides was informative, clear, avoid jargon and appropriate for the needs of the group. The Abbey have audio guides and pre-recorded descriptive tours for people with a visual impairment. Recently the Abbey has install lift access to its upper galleries, which I am planning to visit on a return trip.

Toilets

There is an accessible toilet in the cloisters. It is spacious with grab rails and emergency cord.

Staff

I found staff at the north entrance proactive, they saw that I had a crutch and fast tracked me inside. The tour guides were impressive with their knowledge of disabled people associated with the Abbey, they also spoke about disability and power and those who are absent from the Abbey, as well as those who are remembered.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

The memorial to Ian Fraser is worth looking out for in the cloisters, as it has a braille inscription on it. The Abbey is extremely accessible, welcoming and well worth visiting. Big thank you to the Abbey for supporting Disabled Access Day and making me so welcome during my visit.

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