Photography in the Abbey

Photography is generally permitted when visiting the Abbey, but not during services or live performances.

Visiting

Visiting

Visitors to the Abbey are welcome to take personal photographs in the church, with the following restrictions:
  • Photography is not permitted at any time during services, including any services that run alongside tourist visiting.
  • Video recording, flash photography, extra lighting, selfie sticks and tripods are not permitted.
  • Photography of children/young people is prohibited without consent of the accompanying adult.
  • Professional photography is only permitted with the approval of the Abbey’s Press Office.
  • Photography is not permitted at any time in the
    • Shrine of St Edward the Confessor
    • St Faith’s Chapel
    • The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries
Worship

Worship

Statutory services

Photography is not permitted before, during, nor immediately after a service (during the exit procession). It is permitted as members of the congregation are leaving to exit.

Special services

Photography is permitted before the service starts and as the congregation is leaving. It is not permitted during the service nor during any processions at the start/end of a service. 
 
The appropriate photography policy will be prominently featured in orders of service.  
Concerts / live performance

Concerts / live performance

Photography is not permitted during any concert, rehearsal or live performance. 
 
Photography may be permitted before and after a concert or live performance, at the event manager’s discretion. 
 
The Abbey’s photography policy will be prominently featured in programmes and/or tickets.  

Photo gallery

This gallery includes a number of professional-quality, high-resolution images of Westminster Abbey which you are free to download and use on a personal, non-commercial basis.

Requests for any public, commercial or professional use of these images should be made via email to the Press Office.

    Row of white marble statues of men dressed in ancient Roman-style robes or military uniforms

    Memorials in the North Transept

    View up to the ceiling of Westminster Abbey, with marble statues and monuments in the foreground

    The North Transept

    Rose-shaped stained glass window high above the floor of Westminster Abbey

    Rose window in the North Transept

    White marble statue of William Wilberforce seated in a chair with his legs crossed

    Statue of William Wilberforce

    Pale marble gravestone inscribed with 'CHARLES ROBERT DARWIN BORN 12 FEBRUARY 1809. DIED 19 APRIL 1882.'

    The grave of Charles Darwin

    Marble figure of death emerging from a tomb

    Statue in the North Transept

    The Grave of the Unknown Warrior: a black marble gravestone set into the floor, bordered by red poppies

    The Grave of the Unknown Warrior

    The nave of Westminster Abbey with the Grave of the Unknown Warrior in the foreground

    The Grave of the Unknown Warrior in the Nave

    The nave of Westminster Abbey with chairs set out for a service

    The Nave

    The ceiling of Westminster Abbey with stained glass windows and chandeliers hanging down

    The ceiling and west window of the Nave

    Elaborate stained glass window showing portraits of soldiers and their coats of arms

    West window in the Nave

    Depiction of St Edward the Confessor in stained glass, he wears a gold crown and carries two sceptres

    Nave window

    The ceiling of the lantern in Westminster Abbey, at the centre is a patterned panel

    Lantern ceiling

    Mosaic patterned floor

    Detail from the Cosmati Pavement

    The Coronation Chair on a stepped wooden podium surrounded by red curtains with gold fringing

    The Coronation Chair

    The Coronation chair on a stepped wooden podium with flags and a statue set into the wall above

    The Coronation Chair in St George's Chapel

    Gravestones of George Canning and William Wilberforce, both set into the floor of Westminster Abbey

    The Grave of William Wilberforce

    Henry V's Chantry Chapel, a small altar of engraved black marble with statues above

    Henry V's Chantry Chapel

    The Lady Chapel: the flags of the Knights of the Order of the Bath hanging down from the ceiling

    Henry VII's Lady Chapel

    A view up to the ceiling of Westminster Abbey from the High Altar

    The High Altar and ceiling

    Westminster Abbey's High Altar with a mosaic of the Last Supper behind the altar table

    The High Altar and Cosmati Pavement

    Altar in the Lady Chapel, Westminster Abbey, which includes a painting of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus

    Lady Chapel altar

    Mosaic of the Last Supper behind the High Altar of Westminster Abbey

    The High Altar - Altar screen

    Vividly-coloured stained glass window depicting a countryside scene

    The Queen's Window by David Hockney

    Lengthy inscription in Latin on Sir Isaac Newton's memorial

    Inscription on Sir Isaac Newton's memorial

    Statue of William Shakespeare, holding a piece of paper with a sonnet on it and leaning on a pile of books

    Memorial to William Shakespeare

    The shrine of St Edward the Confessor, with a small altar and candles in front of it

    The Shrine of St Edward the Confessor, from the side

    The shrine of St Edward the Confessor, surrounded by the shrines of other monarchs

    The Shrine of St Edward the Confessor, from the front

    Black, diamond-shaped memorial stone engraved with '1913 BENJAMIN BRITTEN OM CH BURIED AT ALDEBURGH 1976'

    Benjamin Britten's memorial stone

    Array of gravestones and memorial stones to writers including TS Eliot, Alfred Lord Tennyson and Robert Browning

    Memorials in Poets' Corner

    Aerial view of many of the gravestones and memorial stones in Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey

    Memorial stones in Poets' Corner from above

    Colourful stained glass windows within which are white glass panels to Oscar Wilde and Christopher Marlowe

    Memorial window to Oscar WIlde and Christopher Marlowe

    Choir stalls in the centre of Westminster Abbey, an area known as the Quire

    The Quire

    View from the Quire of Westminster Abbey looking towards the High Altar

    The Quire, looking east

    View from the Quire of Westminster Abbey looking towards the Choir Screen

    The Quire, looking west

    The gold Quire Screen in Westminster Abbey into which is set Sir Isaac Newton's memorial

    The Quire screen

    Rose window in Westminster Abbey, below which are smaller, rectangular windows

    Rose window in the South Transept

    White marble recumbent effigy of Mary Queen of Scots, wearing a gold crown and holding a sceptre and orb

    Tomb of Queen Elizabeth I

    The gilt bronze recumbent effigies of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York on top of their tomb

    Tomb of King Henry VII

    White marble effigy of Mary Queen of Scots lying down, with her head resting on a patterned cushion and her hands in the prayer position

    Tomb of Mary Queen of Scots

    Medieval wall paintings of the Risen Christ with St Thomas and St Christopher bearing the Christ Child on his shoulder

    Wall paintings in the South Transept

    The grave of Charles Dickens, which reads: CHARLES DICKENS BORN 7th FEBRUARY 1812 DIED 9th JUNE 1870

    The grave of Charles Dickens

    Bronze bust of William Blake atop a black base into which is carved 'William Blake 1757-1827'

    The bust of William Blake in the South Transept

    Handel memorial: A white marble statue of Handel showing Handel with an open musical score

    Memorial to George Frideric Handel

    Isaac Newton memorial, showing marble carving of Newton reclining on a pile of books next to two angels, with a yellow and white globe above them

    Memorial to Sir Isaac Newton

    View down into Westminster Abbey from the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries in the triforium

    View into the Abbey from The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries

    Small white statue of Richard III with a stained glass panel and a round stained glass window behind it

    Stained glass window in The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries

    Wax effigies of the Duchess of Buckingham, her son Robert and a toy unicorn on display in a glass case in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries, Westminster Abbey

    Display of effigies in The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries

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