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Exploring the tranquil walkways of Westminster Abbey Cloisters

Dating back to the 13th century, Westminster Abbey’s cloisters once served as quiet corridors for Benedictine monks to read, meditate, and walk in contemplation. They surround a grassy courtyard and connect key monastic spaces, offering today’s visitors a glimpse into centuries-old rituals, rhythms, and moments of daily reflection.

Layout & architecture of Westminster Abbey Cloisters

  • Quadrangle design: Four covered walkways frame a central green garth, creating a peaceful square layout originally used for monastic movement, contemplation, and outdoor rituals.
  • Architectural style: The Gothic style is evident in pointed arches, ribbed stone vaults, and high tracery windows that cast patterned light across the walkways.
  • Construction materials: Reigate stone, Purbeck marble, and local British stones shape the columns, vaulted ceilings, and walls, showing centuries of weathering and repair.
  • East Cloister access: This corridor leads to the Chapter House, an octagonal vaulted room where monks once gathered for readings, ceremonies, and administrative meetings.
  • Functional features: Stone benches, window niches, and embedded memorials line the cloisters, once serving both practical and spiritual needs of the monastic community.

Historical significance of the Cloisters

Once central to monastic life, the cloisters have witnessed centuries of ritual, learning, and quiet routine. Their walls still hold stories of devotion, ceremony, and community.

  • Monastic routine: Benedictine monks walked these corridors daily, using the north cloister for reading and the west for teaching new recruits in a quiet, structured rhythm.
  • Sacred ceremonies: On the Maundy Thursday event, the abbot washed the feet of thirteen poor men in the east cloister and gave them food, coins, and blessings.
  • Medieval survivals: You can still spot original vaulted ceilings, worn stone benches, and faded wall paint. Some features survived a 1298 fire, others were carefully restored later.
  • Graves and names: Look down and around for memorials to abbots, craftsmen, musicians, and even actors whose contributions were honoured with quiet spaces in the cloisters.

Cloister burials and commemorations over time

Notable burials

The cloisters contain graves of key abbey figures, including the Abbots Laurence of Durham and William de Humez. Musicians Henry Lawes, composer for Charles I, and William Shield, associated with “Auld Lang Syne,” are buried here. Actors Thomas Betterton and Spranger Barry, both 18th-century theatre icons, also have tombs within the cloister walkways.

Memorials

Memorials line the cloister floors and walls, including plaques to organists like James Turle and workers involved in Abbey upkeep. In the garth, a fountain commemorates Lancelot “Capability” Brown, famed for shaping England’s gardens. Many inscriptions include roles, death dates, and affiliations, preserving detailed records of those connected to Westminster Abbey’s operations.

Post-reformation additions

From the 16th century onward, burials here included abbey officials, musicians, and clergy excluded from church interiors. Many date to the 17th and 18th centuries, including those who served during the Commonwealth and Restoration periods. The cloisters remained active burial grounds even after monastic life ended, adapting to shifting religious and political landscapes.

Visitor tips 

  • Visit early in the day to enjoy quieter moments in the cloisters before the main nave opens and large crowds arrive.
  • The cloisters connect multiple areas of the Abbey, including the museum and shop, so use them as a quieter route between sections.
  • Rest briefly on one of the cloister benches to take in the serene atmosphere once used for monastic meditation and silent prayer.
  • The cloisters stay open later than some parts of the Abbey, so save them for the end if you’re tight on time.
  • Don’t walk too fast through the West Cloister, as many tomb inscriptions are small and clustered close to the wall bases.
  • Try to join a guided tour that includes the cloisters, as many of the plaques and symbols aren’t self-explanatory without context.
  • Use the cloisters to view changing light patterns through stained glass windows, especially late morning when sunlight filters from the south.

Frequently Asked Questions about Westminster Abbey Cloisters

What is the oldest part of the cloisters still standing today?

The East Cloister dates back to the 11th century and is the oldest surviving section. It was part of Edward the Confessor’s original abbey.

Is photography allowed in the cloisters, even if it’s restricted inside the Abbey?

Yes, non-flash photography is permitted in the cloisters and garth, making it one of the few freely accessible photo-friendly areas of the Abbey.

Are the cloisters included in general admission, or can I enter them for free?

The cloisters are located before the ticketed entrance to the main abbey, so visitors can enter and walk around them without paying an entry fee.

What makes the cloisters architecturally significant?

They represent transitions across Norman, Early English, and Perpendicular Gothic styles, with details like rib-vaulted ceilings, lancet arches, and carved capitals spanning centuries.

Can I find any royal connections in the cloisters?

Yes, Elizabeth I used the Chapter House during her reign, and cloister routes were often used by monarchs accessing the abbey privately from the Palace of Westminster.

Why are some cloister walkways darker than others?

This is due to centuries of soot and London pollution affecting the stone. Restoration is ongoing, but some areas remain blackened as a visual timeline.

Is the cloister walk accessible for wheelchair users?

Yes, the main paths around the cloisters are level and wheelchair accessible, though access to the Chapter House or Pyx Chamber may be restricted.

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