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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 12h

Among the most remarkable memorials in the Abbey is the Grave of the Unknown Warrior, which honours the fallen of the two world wars and conflicts since. The grave is surrounded by a border of poppies, a poignant symbol of remembrance. #31DaysOfGraves #Flower

The Grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey. The black marble gravestone is surrounded by a border of red poppies and is inscribed with the words:

Beneath this stone rests the body of a British Warrior unknown by name or rank, brought from France to lie among the most illustrious of the land and buried here on Armistice Day, 11 Nov 1920, in the presence of His Majesty King George V, his Ministers of State, the Chiefs of his forces and a vast concourse of the nation

Thus are commemorated the many multitudes who during the Great War of 1914-1918 gave the most that man can give

Life itself

For God, for King and country, for loved ones home and Empire, for the sacred cause of justice and the freedom of the world

They buried him among the kings because he had done good toward God and toward His house

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

For #Michaelmas - the feast of St Michael and All Angels - we wanted to share this censing angel on the wall of the Abbey's south transept. Carved in the 1250s, it was originally richly coloured and gilded and is among the most important examples of English medieval sculpture of its time.

A close-up shot of a stone relief carving of a winged angel on an architectural structure. The angel, positioned on the right side of the frame, has wavy hair, a serene facial expression, and is dressed in draped robes. Their left wing is raised up and to the left, while their right wing is visible behind their shoulder. The angel's forearms are missing. To the left is a curved arch decorated with geometric star-like floral motifs.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

We're celebrating the Feast of St Michael and All Angels at our services today. Everyone is welcome to join us for Sung Eucharist at 5:00pm (BST), whether in the Abbey or via our livestream: www.westminster-abbey.org/worship-and-music/watch-services #Michaelmas

An illuminated manuscript initial containing a depiction of the Archangel Michael slaying a dragon.

Framed within a circular, pink-and-white patterned initial letter on a textured gold background, Michael is shown as a winged, haloed figure with curly blonde hair. He wears body armor made of blue feathers, matching his large, outspread wings. He stands over the dragon, raising a silver sword in his right hand while holding a white shield with a red cross in his left hand, pressing it into the open, fanged mouth of the beast.

The dragon lies at his feet, depicted with an orange, scaly body, small wings, and a long tail. Black Gothic script is visible at the bottom of the page.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

One of the most important books in our collection is the Litlyngton Missal, a 14th-century service book made for the Abbey's High Altar. The Latin manuscript contains the readings and prayers used at the celebration of the Mass, and a calendar of festivals and saints’ days. #ManuscriptMonday

A large, ancient bound book open at a double page with an intricate illustration of the crucifixion on the left-hand side, and a page of text with an illuminated boarder on the right

An image of a page of handwritten manuscript with an illuminated boarder

An illuminated initial letter from a medieval manuscript

An intricate, full-page illustration of the crucifixion

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

'You are very welcome to our house' - Merchant of Venice (V, 1) #ShakespeareSunday

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Ahead of #WorldTourismDay tomorrow, take a glimpse inside Westminster Abbey where a thousand years of history are waiting to be discovered... You can find out more and plan your visit at: www.westminster-abbey.org/visit-us #WorldTourismDay2026

An eye-level shot captures the interior of Westminster Abbey. In the foreground, two rows of choir stalls flank a central aisle. The stalls feature ornate, dark wood structures with intricate, golden carvings resembling gothic arches. Blue paneling is visible behind the gold carvings. The seats of the stalls are upholstered in a vibrant red fabric. Each stall is equipped with small, red lamps on stands, which are lit and glow with a warm light. The floor between the stalls and extending into the nave is tiled in a black and white checkerboard pattern. Several people are scattered throughout the space, some walking along the aisle and others gathered further down. The nave features towering stone pillars that rise to support high, pointed gothic arches. These arches form a vaulted ceiling with complex ribbing. In the distance, at the far end of the nave, is the high altar, which is adorned with an ornate, golden reredos. Above the altar, stained glass windows are visible, casting light.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Everyone is welcome at the Abbey for our annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of St Edward the Confessor on Saturday 17 October Celebrate the life of Edward, king and saint, with us:www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/edwardtide/2026/october/national-pilgrimage-to-the-shrine-of-edward-the-confessor

An close-up image of a stained glass window depicting St Edward the Confessor. The King has light skin, gray hair, a full short gray beard, and a mustache. He wears an ornate gold crown and holds a gold scepter in his right hand. He is holding up a gold ring in his left hand. He is wearing a blue tunic, gold stole, and white mantle. He is surrounded by decorative stained glass elements, including a gold key motif on a dark red background to his right.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

These 13th-century wall paintings of Christ with St Thomas and St Christopher were hidden for centuries behind two large monuments and rediscovered during cleaning in the 1930s. You can see them in the south transept when you visit us. #WallsOnWednesday

An eye-level shot captures two medieval wall paintings under pointed arches in Westminster Abbey, flanked on the left by white marble statues.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A sunny early autumn morning at the Abbey ☀️🍂

A low-angle, vertical shot captures the ornate Gothic West Front of Westminster Abbey against a clear blue sky. Two matching, highly detailed square stone towers with pointed spires frame the central facade. The left tower features a blue and gold clock face, and the right tower features a stone rose window. Ornate carvings, pointed arches, and leaded windows adorn the cream-colored stone facade. Leaves of a tree are visible on the left edge.

A low-angle full shot shows the stone facade of Westminster Abbey beneath a clear blue sky. A leafy tree branch frames the upper left corner of the image. The Gothic structure features three large arched entryways at the base, with the central portal being the largest. Above the main entrance, a row of pointed-arch windows sits below a massive, intricate rose window, which is flanked by towering stone buttresses and spires. The facade is richly decorated with detailed stone carvings, statues in niches, and geometric patterns.

A low-angle, vertical shot captures Westminster Abbey on a bright day. The Gothic abbey, made of pale gray stone, is seen in the background behind smaller buildings. In the foreground, a grassy field is partially covered with brown autumn leaves, and green trees frame the top and sides of the image. The sky is clear and blue.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This window in the Abbey's Lady Chapel features symbols of peace including a dove, poppies and a lily. The window, a gift from LJ and Mary Skaggs, was dedicated in 1995. #InternationalDayOfPeace

A colourful panel of stained glass.

On the left, a white dove carrying an olive branch flies downward from blue skies over a scorched orange landscape with ruined buildings consumed by bright red and orange flames.

On the right, a white lily blooms in a blue sky above a horizontal banner reading "PEACE." Below this, a lily with stylized leaves grows above a yellow banner inscribed with "I.J. & MARY SKAGGS." Red poppies bloom over a small, dying orange flame at the bottom.

An extreme close-up of a stained glass window depicting a white dove with wings spread, flying towards the right. Its body is rendered in shades of white, pale blue, and light yellow, with delicate black painted details defining its feathers. The dove holds a white branch with pointed leaves in its beak. The background consists of geometric panes of glass in shades of dark blue, white, and black, joined by thick black lead cames.

A close-up shot of a stained-glass window panel featuring the word "PEACE" written in capital letters on a silver-gray textured banner. Above the word, a stylized white lily is visible against a background of blue, teal, and dark stained-glass panes. Below the banner are green leaves rendered in shades of light and dark green stained glass.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

‘But thy eternal summer shall not fade’ - Sonnet 18 Earlier today we honoured ‘The Few’ - the the airmen of the Battle of Britain who fought against extraordinary odds to defend the country from invasion in 1940 – at our annual Battle of Britain Sunday service. #ShakespeareSunday

An officer in a dark blue RAF uniform and peaked cap stands with their back to the camera, saluting before the altar in Westminster Abbey's RAF chapel. Colorful, ornate stained-glass windows depicting religious and heraldic scenes stretch upward in stone arches behind the altar, illuminating the space. On the altar sits a golden cross-topped reliquary, flanked by tall candles on gold stands. To the left, an RAF roundel flag is mounted on a staff.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Tomorrow we'll be holding our annual service of thanksgiving and rededication on Battle of Britain Sunday. We'll be streaming the service from 11:00am (BST), and you can watch live on or demand at: www.youtube.com/live/4hLGvK_AiiI?si…

An eye-level shot inside Westminster Abbey during a Battle of Britain memorial service. Uniformed Royal Air Force personnel process down the center aisle, with one carrying a blue standard. They are flanked on both sides by a seated congregation, including veterans in wheelchairs, Chelsea Pensioners in bright red coats, and other attendees. An ornate, gilded archway is visible in the background. Overhead, a dark blue overlay displays the text "Battle of Britain service Sunday 20th September" in a white font.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

The State Funeral of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was held here at the Abbey four years ago today, on 19 September 2022. ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.’

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Ahead of our annual Battle of Britain service on Sunday, we're looking back at the Abbey’s role in honouring 'The Few' – the pilots and aircrew who defended the country from invasion during the Second World War: www.westminster-abbey.org/history/explore-our-history/battle-of-britain-80th

An eye-level, medium shot depicts three Royal Air Force officers in dark blue uniforms carrying a flag, or standard, through the nave of Westminster Abbey, with members of the congregation in uniforms and civilian clothes lined on either side.

The three officers walk forward abreast, with the officer in the center, who carries the blue and gold standard upright with gloved hands, slightly ahead. They all wear dark blue RAF uniforms with medals on their left chests, white gloves, and dark trousers. The officer on the left wears a peaked cap, while the other two do not.

Behind the officers, a gilded and painted archway opens to a sanctuary with a golden altar and candlesticks. The archway is decorated with gothic tracery, gold leaf, and small figures. On either side of the archway are large, white marble sculptures in niches. The sculpture on the left depicts a large globe surrounded by figures, while the sculpture on the right depicts several figures, including one kneeling.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This charter from our archive was issued by Henry III in 1246, expressing his wish to be buried next to Edward the Confessor's tomb in the Abbey. Henry’s orders did much to establish the Abbey as the final resting place of kings and queens of England for centuries to come. #ManuscriptMonday

An angled shot of an ancient manuscript on a white display board in a museum. The parchment has dense, reddish-brown cursive handwriting in rows and is creased down the middle. Resting on the bottom half of the document is a small, dark blue, circular woven textile bag with hints of gold and red, next to a reddish, pointed oval seal attached by a strip of parchment.

An elevated, high-angle view inside Westminster Abbey shows the ornate Shrine of St. Edward the Confessor.

In the lower-left foreground, a large, carved stone figure of a king in robes looks down onto the chapel from a high ledge. Below, a tall, multi-tiered dark shrine features arches trimmed in gold and a green gabled roof. A heavy brass incense burner hangs from chains in front of the shrine, illuminated from within. Lit white candles on tall brass stands flank the shrine.

To the left, a row of empty wooden chairs faces the shrine. Further back, several dark wood sarcophagi with effigies rest behind a dark, carved screen wall. Shafts of sunlight filter through the tall, arched gothic architecture, highlighting the stone columns and tiled floor of the sanctuary.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

'Sing [...] songs of peace' - Henry VIII [V, 5] 🔊 Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the Abbey on a quiet summer's morning, accompanied by the plainsong Salve Regina sung by tenor Simon Wall, a Lay Vicar in our choir #ShakespeareSunday #LoudAndQuiet

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

'Ring [...] out the bells aloud throughout the town' - Henry VI, Part I [I, 6] The Abbey's ten bells were made at the Whitechapel bell foundry, and can be heard ringing out to mark church festivals and royal occasions 🔊 Speakers on to enjoy their beautiful sound #ShakespeareSunday #LoudAndQuiet

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Historian @rentravailer.bsky.social joined us in the Lady Chapel to talk about the global connections that strongly influenced Tudor and Stuart England. In our Q&A Nandini explored the lives of artists and pirates from around the world and considered what it means to be English.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Early morning sunlight falls across the wall paintings in the Abbey’s 13th-century Chapter House. The Chapter House was where the monks gathered with the abbot to hold chapter: to pray and discuss the day’s business. #WallsOnWednesday

An eye-level shot captures a series of medieval wall paintings set within stone arches and supported by dark pillars. The paintings depict various biblical scenes with multiple figures in robes, halos, and wings, organized in rectangular panels. Above the arches, decorative stone details are visible. At the bottom, a red-orange band features faint figures and animals, including one labelled "Dromedary." Sunlight filters across the textured wall from the left, highlighting details in some panels while leaving others in shadow.

A low-angle, wide shot of the interior the medieval Chapter House at Westminster Abbey, with a high, vaulted ceiling made of light-colored stone ribs that meet at a central, slender column. Large, ornate stained-glass windows line the upper walls, casting colorful light onto the stone floor below. The windows are filled with detailed designs, including coats of arms and religious scenes. The lower walls are decorated with stone archways.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Today we remember Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who died four years ago, on this day in 2022. 'Bring us, O Lord God, at our last awakening into the house and gate of heaven'

A photograph of Queen Elizabeth II, wearing a berry-coloured hat and coat, smiling as she arrives Westminster Abbey for a service.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

If you're planning a visit to the Abbey, please be aware that College Garden will be closed for approximately five weeks from Monday 14 September while we carry out essential conservation works. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience during these vital works.

A sunny courtyard garden features a lush green lawn bordered by garden benches and manicured shrubs. In the foreground, large, leafy green trees partially frame the view. Behind the garden stands a multi-story brick residential building with peaked roofs and white-framed arched windows. Peeking over the rooftops in the background is the Gothic stone facade of Westminster Abbey, showcasing a large, intricate rose window and gothic archways set against a clear blue sky.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

'Praise and prayers' - Henry VI, Part I (V, 3) When Henry III rebuilt Westminster Abbey in the mid-13th century, he was inspired by French cathedrals such as Reims, Amiens and Chartres with their soaring Gothic arches, rose windows and flying buttresses. #ShakespeareSunday

An elevated, wide-angle interior view of the interior of Westminster Abbey, looking down across the transepts. High, ribbed vaults meet in a gilded central ridge along the ceiling. On both sides, multi-tiered stone galleries feature pointed arches, intricate trefoil stone carvings, and tall, slender columns. Tall, narrow clerestory windows let in natural light from above. At the far end, a large, colorful rose window sits above a row of smaller stained-glass windows. Hanging chandeliers illuminate the checkerboard-patterned floor below, where seats and a few distant figures are visible.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Join us in worship as we stream Evensong from the Abbey at 3pm (BST) today. The service will be sung by our Lay Vicars with music by Mundy, Quinney and Gabrieli. You can watch either live or on demand at: youtube.com/live/0OIOD34LJi8?featur…

An eye-level, wide shot of the choir stalls inside Westminster Abbey, showing choir members seated on both sides of a black-and-white checkered floor aisle under a high vaulted ceiling. On top of the image is a semi-transparent blue banner that reads "Evensong Saturday 5th September."

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Worship with us as we stream Evensong from the Abbey at 5pm(BST) today. The service will include music by Lassus, Vento and Victoria, and you can watch either live or on demand at: youtube.com/live/81MUV2dkD3U?featur…

An interior view of Westminster Abbey where a choir and congregation are gathered in wooden choir stalls for a service.

In the foreground, two choir members stand with their backs to the camera, wearing white surplices over red cassocks. To the right, rows of people stand within ornate, dark wood choir stalls decorated with small brass lamps casting a warm red glow. Gothic architectural elements, including stone pillars and gold screenwork, rise in the background.

Superimposed in white text on a semi-transparent blue banner at the top of the image are the words: "Evensong Thursday 3rd September".

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Writer Siegfried Sassoon died #onthisday in 1967. Best remembered for his volume of anti-war poems, Counter Attack, he is honoured in the Abbey alongside fifteen other poets of the First World War with this memorial stone in Poets' Corner.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

This beautiful seal bag, embroidered with the Royal Arms of England, was made in 1280 to protect the wax seal attached to a royal charter from the reign of Edward I. Both the charter and the seal bag survive in our archive collection. #ManuscriptMonday

A small woolen red and green pouch, with three gold embroidered lions, attached to a medieval manuscript

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Henry V died #onthisday in 1422. This is his chantry chapel in the Abbey, built above his tomb and completed in 1450. The chapel is reached by a spiral stone staircase whose steps are worn by the monks who said prayers here daily for the king's soul.

An oil-on-panel portrait of Henry V, by an unknown artist and dating from the 16th or 17th century

Henry V's ornately decorated chantry chapel in Westminster Abbey

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

'Learning and good letters' - Henry IV, Part II (IV, 1) From writers and musicians to scientists and statesmen, many of the most accomplished figures from centuries of our national life are remembered within the walls of Westminster Abbey. #ShakespeareSunday #Education

An eye-level, medium shot shows Poets' Corner in Westminster Abbey, featuring a central marble monument of William Shakespeare flanked by other writer memorials.

Shakespeare's full-body monument is set within an arched alcove. He is depicted in 16th-century attire, leaning on a pedestal carved with crowned heads, and pointing to a scroll with a quill. Below him, the inscription reads, "WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 1564-1616 BURIED AT STRATFORD-ON-AVON." Above his alcove, small circular plaques honor Keats and Shelley.

To the left of Shakespeare, vertically stacked, are bust memorials for Robert Southey, Samuel Johnson, and a small plaque for Jane Austen. To the right, a bust of Robert Burns sits above a seated, draped statue of James Thomson. The monuments are mounted on a stone wall beneath the cathedral's ribbed vault ceiling, framed by thick gothic pillars on either side.

A close-up shot of a white marble monument depicting a seated Sir Isaac Newton leaning his right elbow on a stack of four books. He wears a draped classical robe and looks outward. Next to him, two winged cherubs hold a scroll with mathematical diagrams, one pointing at the drawing. Above them, a large gilded celestial globe with constellations is mounted. Below the figures is a marble relief carving depicting small children performing scientific experiments. The monument is set against an ornate background with a blue and gold Gothic arch and column.

A close-up shot of a white marble sculpture depicting George Frideric Handel in period attire, looking upward with one hand raised. In front of him lies an open book of music score featuring the hand-carved notes and words from "Messiah": "Larghetto. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He shall stand... at the lat... ter Day... upon the Earth." Behind the book, another plaque reads "MESIAH," and a horn sits in the bottom right corner.

A high-angle, medium shot showcases a rectangular stone memorial plaque mounted on a rough stone wall. The plaque is dedicated to the Brontë sisters, with their names and lifespans inscribed in black, serif lettering:

"CHARLOTTE BRONTË 1816 1855"
"EMILY JANE BRONTË 1818 1848"
"ANNE BRONTË 1820 1849"

The plaque is framed by a molded stone border, and supported by a stone bracket below, which bears the inscription "WITH COURAGE TO ENDURE" in capital letters. Part of a stone column or archway is visible in the foreground on the left, and a decorative stone carving can be seen at the top left. The stone wall is made of uneven blocks, and the overall lighting is soft and natural.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

The white hart (a mature stag) was the emblem chosen by Richard II. Here you can see it depicted in a stained glass window in the Abbey's nave, and on a wall painting in our muniment room.

A stained-glass window depicting the white hart badge of Richard II on the left, and his attributed coat of arms on the right.

The white hart is shown couchant on a patch of green grass against a sky-blue background. It has golden antlers and wears a golden crown as a collar, attached to a golden chain. A circular border around the hart features Gothic script and crowned 'R's.

To the right, a bright blue field patterned with dark blue foliage contains a golden cross patonce surrounded by five golden birds (martlets). Strong black metal leading separates the sections of the window.

An aged, textured wall painting framed by a stone arch depicts a white hart (stag) lying down against a warm, golden-brown background. The stag has large, dark, branching antlers, a long neck, and prominent eyes looking toward the viewer. Around its neck is a golden crown-like collar, from which a metal chain hangs down.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

On #InternationalDogDay, these are the two loyal dogs at the foot of the tomb of Simon Langham, who served as Abbot of Westminster from 1349-62. Dogs were often used on clergy tombs in the middle ages to represent the faith of the deceased.

A close-up shot of a small marble dog sculpture resting at the foot of a tomb. The dog has floppy ears, smooth features, and is wearing a collar adorned with bells. It lies with its head raised and its front paws tucked, appearing to pull at the draped folds of a larger carved garment beside it.

An eye-level medium close-up shot of the alabaster tomb of Simon Langham shows his feet resting on a pair of small dogs wearing belled collars. The tomb is in Westminster Abbey in London. At the far upper left, Langham's head lies on a pillow, facing upwards.
The dog on the left has floppy ears, and its front paws are extended. Its neck is adorned with a thick collar of round bells, and its head is turned slightly to the right, facing upwards. The dog on the right faces right, with its front legs extended. It also wears a collar of round bells. Behind the dogs, a black iron gate runs diagonally from the upper left to the lower right. The scene is illuminated by light from the upper right, casting shadows on the left side of the dogs and the tomb.

An eye-level shot captures the carved stone tomb of Simon Langham, featuring his reclining effigy in vestments and a mitre, with hands clasped in prayer and a dog resting at his feet. The tomb's base is decorated with intricate tracery and five colorful shields bearing coats of arms. It is enclosed by a black wrought iron railing, with a medieval painted panel depicting figures in the background.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Centuries-old graffiti on the walls of the Abbey’s medieval triforium. Hidden high above the Abbey floor, the triforium was largely unused for 700 years but is now home to our museum, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries. #WallsOnWednesday

An extreme close-up of a stone pillar, heavily carved with historic graffiti of initials and dates. Prominent carvings include "HND 1838" near the top, "A B" in the center, "CN 1749" with a star symbol, and large, deep "WM" initials below. Other faintly scratched names and dates, such as "1910," cover the textured stone surface. The background shows another pillar out of focus, indicating an indoor, historic stone structure.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Today we celebrate the feast of St Bartholomew the Apostle. His statue stands in the Abbey's Lady Chapel, one of 95 saints depicted here in the largest surviving collection of figure sculpture from early Tudor England. He is shown holding a knife - a symbol of his martyrdom.

A stone statue of St Bartholomew stands within a Gothic-style arched niche. He is depicted wearing draped robes with patterned borders, holding a thick book in his left hand and a knife in his right hand. The surrounding stone structure features ornate Gothic pillars and carvings.

Ornate stone statues of saints are set in niches on a Gothic architectural facade, with intricate carvings and patterns, partially obscured by colorful flags in the foreground.

Five white stone statues of saints stand in individual ornate Gothic niches. Below them, a row of five sculpted angels with outspread wings are carved in relief, some holding crowns. The architectural details are in a light beige stone.

A vertical, eye-level shot captures the interior of Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, featuring an elaborate fan-vaulted ceiling, colorful heraldic banners hanging on both sides, a checkered floor, and dark wooden choir stalls lining the walls.

In the center of the chapel is a black and white checkered floor, with the altar at the end. The altar features a gold-framed painting, with a large, arched stained-glass window above it. The ceiling is made of intricate fan-vaulting, with gold accents. Hanging from the ceiling on both sides of the chapel are many large, colorful heraldic banners, with designs including lions, birds, and geometric shapes. On either side of the chapel are rows of dark wooden choir stalls, with carved details. Lantern-like lights are attached to the stalls.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Worship with us as we stream Evensong from the Abbey at 3pm (BST) tomorrow. The service will include music by Wood and Bainton, and you can watch either live or on demand at: www.youtube.com/live/0Vp7dGLx-dU

A photograph looking through the quire stalls towards the High Altar in Westminster Abbey. Members of the congregation stand in the stalls during a service.

The picture is overlaid with white text reading:

Evensong
Sunday 23rd August

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

The font in the Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey, for #FontsOnFriday. The font was first set up in the north transept in 1663. In 1871, architect George Gilbert Scott renovated the font, designed its cover and moved it to its present position.

An ornate, octagonal stone baptismal font features intricate Gothic tracery and shields carved around its upper basin. Atop the font sits a highly detailed, dome-shaped wooden cover decorated with fish-scale carving, crocketed ribs, and a carved finial of a bird, likely a pelican, at the peak. To the left stands a tall, dark wooden candlestick holding a thick white candle. In the background, dark, elaborately carved wooden screens and stone church architecture are visible.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Today is #WorldPhotographyDay and we're celebrating this year's theme of Home we're telling the story of a day here at the Abbey - a place where everyone is welcome to come to worship, to visit and to explore.

An elevated, wide-angle interior view of Westminster Abbey, looking down towards a distant altar and a large rose window. Intricate stone ribbed vaulting arches across the high ceiling, meeting at golden central bosses. On both sides, multi-tiered stone galleries feature pointed arches, decorative trefoil tracery, and slender columns. Tall, narrow clerestory windows let in light from above. Down the center of the nave, hanging chandeliers illuminate the checkered stone floor where small figures of people walk.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Westminster Abbey has been a place of daily worship since the tenth century, and everyone is welcome at our services. You can find more information about worshipping here, and full service times, at: www.westminster-abbey.org/worship-and-music

An eye-level shot captures the North Transept of Westminster Abbey, with the facade shown in a three-quarter view, slightly angled to the right, under a clear blue sky. On the left, green deciduous trees frame the scene. Part of St Margaret's Church is visible in the bottom-left corner.

The facade features a large, intricate rose window at its center, set above a series of pointed-arch windows and decorative carvings. The building is made of light-colored stone with visible weathering and staining, giving it a textured, aged appearance. Multiple spires and pinnacles rise from the roofline, adding to its Gothic architecture. The entrance features three grand arched portals at the base. Shadows are cast across parts of the building, indicating strong sunlight from the right.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

'Go merrily to London' - Henry IV, Part I A very warm welcome to everyone visiting the Abbey and worshipping with us this summer #ShakespeareSunday #SummerHolidays

A high-angle view captures the expansive interior of Westminster Abbey. The gothic-style quire features towering stone pillars, pointed arches, and a vaulted ceiling stretching into the distance. Below, a black-and-white checkered floor is populated by scattered visitors. In the foreground, rows of ornate wooden quire stalls flank either side, lined with red cushions and lit lamps. Sunlight streams through stained-glass windows at the far end, highlighting the gold decoration at the High Altar.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Wishing the Princess Royal a very Happy Birthday today! Her Royal Highness is pictured meeting members of the Abbey Choir after the annual Commonwealth Day service here earlier this year.

HRH The Princess Royal, wearing a green hat and coat, smiling and speaking to members of the choir as she leaves Westminster Abbey following a service.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Today we remember St Maximilian Kolbe who died #onthisday in 1941, after offering his own life to save a fellow prisoner at Auschwitz-Birkenau. He is one of ten 20th-century Christian martyrs whose statues stand above the Abbey’s Great West Door.

Close-up of a statue of St Maximilian Kolbe, showing him with a long beard, wearing robes and holding a book

A photograph of ten carved stone statues above the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

'In the orient when the gracious light lifts up his burning head' - Sonnet 7 #ShakespeareSunday #SunAndMoon

The sun rising into a clear blue sky behind the west towers of Westminster Abbey

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Did you know that the monks of the medieval Abbey made wine from the grapes they grew in College Garden? Our gardeners continue to care for the vines today, and while the grapes are no longer used for winemaking, our resident blackbird has been enjoying the harvest!

A charming brick house with large windows is bordered by a lush garden full of colorful flowers and green shrubs. An elegant stone balustrade with decorative columns frames the building’s terrace. Sunlight filters through the leaves of a tree in the foreground, creating dappled shadows on the scene.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Summer sunshine streaming into the Abbey above the Chapel of St Edward the Confessor this afternoon

Intricately detailed Gothic ceiling above the Chapel of St Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey, with ribbed vaults and pointed arches, featuring ornate stonework and colorful stained glass windows allowing light to filter through.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

‘Like the heaven’s glorious sun’ - Love’s Labour's Lost (I, 1) #ShakespeareSunday

The grand Gothic interior of Westminster Abbey bathed in sunlight streaming through tall, arched windows, illuminating the stone columns and ornate carvings. In the foreground, an altar with a gold-patterned cloth stands under shimmering chandeliers.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

The Abbey's Lady Chapel was built by Henry VII and consecrated in 1516. Throughout the ornately decorated chapel you can find Tudor emblems including the rose, daisy (associated with Henry's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort) and fleur-de-lis. #FlowersOnFriday

A photograph taken looking towards the altar at the east end of Westminster Abbey's Lady Chapel

Golden decorative elements featuring a detailed rose with layered petals and leaves in the center, flanked by two fleur-de-lis symbols, set against a blurred background.

Gold-coloured portcullises, roses and fleurs-de-lis on the ceiling of Westminster Abbey's Lady Chapel

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Thank you to our departing St Margaret's Choristers, who sang their final service with the choir this month. We wish each of the girls the very best for the future as they move to the next stage of their lives - though we look forward to seeing them for our trip to Paris before they finally leave!

As founder members, all four of the girls have been part of the choir's journey from its very first rehearsals to singing regular services in St Margaret’s and the Abbey, performing in Parliament, and giving concerts to audiences of hundreds.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Earlier this month we said farewell to our departing Form V choristers as the Abbey Choir sang their final service before their summer break. Thank you to all of the boys for their dedication and commitment to the choir, and wishing them the very best as they move on to their new schools.

A group of choristers in red cassocks and white surplices in a semicircle on a patterned marble floor inside Westminster Abbey. They face a line of clergy standing in front of the High Altar. The scene is framed by wooden quire stalls on one side and a gathering of people watching on the other, indicating a formal service.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

'Call me to your remembrances' - Timon of Athens (III, 5) Rupert Brooke is one of sixteen poets of the First World War remembered with this memorial in the Abbey's Poets' Corner. He died 1915 while serving with the British Army in Greece. #ShakespeareSunday #GreekAndRomanPlays

Memorial stones on a tiled floor in Westminster Abbey's Poets' Corner featuring names of poets and writers. One plaque is inscribed with red and white text listing names associated with World War I: "Richard Aldington, Laurence Binyon, Edmund Blunden," among others. The phrase "My subject is War, and the pity of War, the Poetry is in the pity" is prominently displayed in red. Other visible plaques commemorate figures such as Thomas Stearns Eliot and Edward Lear, with dates and biographical details.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

'With all respect and rites of burial' - Julius Caesar (V, 5) This limestone Roman sarcophagus was found buried in the Abbey's precincts in 1869. It was used for two burials - a Roman one in around 300–400AD and a Saxon one in 900–1000AD. #ShakespeareSunday #GreekAndRomanPlays

A large limestone sarcophagus stands on a wooden floor in a museum gallery with three large, ornate rose windows. Sunlight filters through, casting patterned shadows on the floor. The gallery has stone walls and a wooden ceiling, showcasing gothic architecture.

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Westminster Abbey @westminsterabbey.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Wishing Prince George a happy 13th birthday today!🎈 His Royal Highness is pictured here with members of the Royal Family at the annual Together at Christmas carol service at the Abbey last year.

Prince George, with The Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, greeting a member of the clergy before a Christmas service in Westminster Abbey

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