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Westminster Abbey
@westminsterabbey.bsky.social
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A royal church offering daily services for all and a World Heritage Site with over a thousand years of history.
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The Abbey's muniment collection - or archive - is one of the oldest in England. The documents we care for, from royal charters to estate papers and administrative records from the medieval monastery, chart life at the Abbey since the 10th century.

#ExploreYourArchive #EYAYourArchive
A photograph of a medieval room with stone arches, wooden chests on the floor, and a wall painting of a white hart
December 7, 2025 at 2:26 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
What are we hoping for? On the Second Sunday of Advent, our Dean, Dr David Hoyle, reflects on the traditional themes of Advent and how Isaiah helps us identify our hopes for God's future.

You can watch the full reflection at: https://youtu.be/rL_nwQ2kW0k
December 7, 2025 at 8:30 AM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
Tomorrow is the Second Sunday of Advent and everyone is welcome to join us at our services:

8.00am Holy Communion - Nave
10.00am Matins - Quire
11.15am Sung Eucharist - High Altar
3.00pm Evensong -Quire
6.00pm An Advent Liturgy - St Margaret's Church
Two lit red candles in an Advent wreath made up of holly, green leaves and red ribbons. Out of focus in the background is a Christmas tree lit with warm white lights.
December 6, 2025 at 5:09 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
The finishing touches are being made in the Abbey ahead of Together at Christmas, a special carol service hosted by HRH The Princess of Wales here this evening.

The service will be shown in the UK on @ITV and @ITVX on Christmas Eve.

#RoyalCarols
#TogetherAtChristmas
A Christmas tree, lit with white lights and red velvet ribbons, standing by the quire stalls in Westminster Abbey The west towers of Westminster Abbey at sunrise on a sunny winter morning Winter foliage decorating the exterior of Westminster Abbey
December 5, 2025 at 9:35 AM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
The 14th-century Litlyngton Missal is a Latin manuscript which contains the readings and prayers used at the celebration of the Mass, along with a calendar of saints’ days.

You can turn the pages of a digitised copy of the Missal in our museum, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries.

#EYADigital
An image of a page of handwritten manuscript with an illuminated boarder A 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 illustration of saints from an illuminated manuscript
December 4, 2025 at 11:09 AM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
This parrot is one of the more unusual items in the Abbey's collection. It belonged for 40 years to Frances Stuart, Duchess of Richmond, and is on display with her funeral effigy in our museum, The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries. It's thought to be the oldest stuffed bird in the UK.

#EYAPets
A stuffed African grey parrot displayed on a stand A life-sized wax figure of Frances Stuart, dressed in robes and a coronet, on display in a museum gallery. Beside her is a stuffed gray parrot on a stand.
December 3, 2025 at 11:18 AM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
'In a winter's night'
Henry VI, Part III (V, 5)

#ShakespeareSunday
Westminster Abbey at dusk on a winter's evening. A Christmas tree lit with golden lights stands in front of the imposing Gothic north front of the church.
November 30, 2025 at 5:09 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
'The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.'
– Sir Winston Churchill

Thank you for following our #Museum30 posts and exploring the Abbey and its history with us.

#WhyMuseums
A view along the quire and nave of Westminster Abbey, taken from an elevated gallery
November 30, 2025 at 3:11 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
On the First Sunday of #Advent, take a moment to reflect with the Reverend Canon Mark Birch, as he explores how, during Advent, we look back at the life of Jesus and look forward to His coming again.

Watch the full reflection now at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRSnUUoLYao
November 30, 2025 at 10:00 AM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
Nicholas Litlyngton, who served as Abbot of Westminster for 24 years, died #onthisday in 1386.

The great Missal - or service book - he commissioned for the Abbey's High Altar is one of the largest surviving English medieval manuscripts, and is richly decorated with coloured inks and gold leaf.
Nicholas Litlyngton depicted in a panel of stained glass wearing a mitre and holding a crozier and a copy of the Missal he commissioned for Westminster Abbey's High Altar A bound medieval manuscript open at a double page An illuminated letter from a medieval manuscript showing the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child
November 29, 2025 at 3:11 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
Our glorious 13th-century Chapter House is decorated with wall paintings including scenes of the Apocalypse and the Last Judgement. The paintings were the gift of John of Northampton, a monk of Westminster from 1375-1404.

#Museum30 #Mural
The large octagonal Chapter House at Westminster Abbey. There is a high vaulted ceiling a tall stained glass windows. Sunlight falling across medieval wall paintings in Westminster Abbey's Chapter House Sunlight falling across the wall paintings in Westminster Abbey's Chapter House
November 28, 2025 at 1:11 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
For #teachers preparing lessons on Advent and Christmas, our free online learning resources include image banks and guides for primary and secondary students.

Explore the collection at: www.westminster-abbey.org/learning/teaching-resources/catalogue?typ=keyword&tag=Christian%20festivals
A group of choristers, wearing red cassocks and white surplices, smiling as they stand together lighting candles
November 27, 2025 at 3:23 PM
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This dramatic Abbey memorial is to Elizabeth Nightingale. The relief depicts a skeleton of Death emerging from his prison to aim his deadly dart at the dying figure of Elizabeth above. She is held up by her husband Joseph, who, in horror, tries to ward off the stroke of Death.

#Museum30 #Moving
A dramatic marble memorial featuring two elegantly dressed figures leaning against each other beneath a stone arch. Below them, a draped figure of Death hovers with a staff, creating a dynamic scene.
November 26, 2025 at 3:05 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
Look around the Abbey and you'll find many depictions of animals, both real and mythical.

From the lions at the foot of the Coronation Chair to a carved dragon in the Lady Chapel or this charming elephant from a bestiary in our archive collection, which is your favourite?

#Museum30 #Animal
A small wooden carving of a dragon A golden, intricately carved lion figurine with a flowing mane and fierce expression stands on a rectangular base of the coronation chair. Its mouth is open, revealing sharp teeth. An illustration of a elephant with exaggerated flappy ears and a long trunk, taken from a medieval bestiary (or 'book of beasts'). Mounted on the elephant's back is a fortified structure or tower in green and red, occupied by soldiers in armor. One soldier stands, appearing to shoot an arrow from the top, while others look out from windows.
November 23, 2025 at 4:11 PM
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'In winter's cold and summer's parching heat'
- Henry VI, Part II (I, 1)

The Abbey's Gothic North Door pictured on a snowy December day and during this summer's heatwave.

#ShakespeareSunday #HotAndCold
The gothic north front of Westminster Abbey, with a Christmas tree and the ground outside both covered in snow The gothic north front of Westminster Abbey on a bright summer's day with a clear blue sky in the background
November 23, 2025 at 12:25 PM
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Musician Henry Purcell died #onthisday in 1695.

He served as the Abbey's organist for 16 years and composed music for State occasions including the coronations of James II in 1685 and William and Mary in 1689.

He is buried in the Abbey and remembered with a memorial tablet in Poets' Corner.
A white marble memorial tablet to Henry Purcell on a pillar in Westminster Abbey. It has an inscription in English and Latin reading: Here lyes HENRY PURCELL, Esqr. who left this life and is gone to that blessed place where only his harmony can be exceeded. Died 21 of November in the 37th year of his age, A.D. 1695
November 21, 2025 at 9:33 AM
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HM Queen Elizabeth II (the then Princess Elizabeth) married Prince Philip here in the Abbey #onthisday in 1947.

The couple would later return to the Abbey for services of thanksgiving to celebrate their Silver, Golden and Diamond wedding anniversaries.
A black and white photograph of the then Princess Elizabeth with Prince Philip on their wedding day A photograph of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip seated in Westminster Abbey at a service celebrating their silver wedding anniversary in 1972. Seated beside them are other members of the Royal Family including Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and Princess Anne. A photograph of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at a service in Westminster Abbey to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary in 2007. The royal couple stand in the nave as they view a copy of their marriage record, which is displayed in a glass case.
November 20, 2025 at 10:19 AM
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This 'peepshow' was made to celebrate the coronation of William IV here at the Abbey in 1831. Peepshows were popular souvenirs, ingeniously unfolding to create magical 3D views of famous events, places and stories. This one shows the coronation service from the Abbey’s triforium.

#Museum30 #Magic
The front cover of a 'peep show', a book of paper cut outs which gives a 3D illustration of the coronation of William IV A colour illustration of the coronation of George IV in Westminster Abbey. A woman with blonde hair and glasses is closely examining a coronation 'peepshow' in a glass case in a museum.
November 19, 2025 at 1:11 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
Today's #Museum30 theme is #Makers, so we're celebrating Thomas Preston, the scribe who hand wrote the Litlyngton Missal - a 14th-century service book made for the Abbey's High Altar.

Thomas lived in the monastery while he worked on the missal and later became a monk at the Abbey.
An image of a page of handwritten manuscript with an illuminated boarder A 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 illustration of saints from an illuminated manuscript
November 17, 2025 at 1:53 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
'We are in God's hand'
- Henry V (III, 6)

#ShakespeareSunday
A photograph taken looking up towards the underside of the quire screen and the vaulted ceiling soaring high above the nave of Westminster Abbey
November 16, 2025 at 12:09 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
In 1947, the Abbey's organist William McKie was responsible for arranging the music for the royal wedding of the then Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip. Among the music performed was his own composition, the motet 'We wait for thy loving kindness, O God'.

#Museum30 #Kindness
A black and white portrait photograph of William McKie A black and white photograph of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day
November 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
The heaviest object on display in The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries is this limestone sarcophagus, which was dug up on the Abbey's north green in 1869. It was used for two burials - a Roman one in about AD 300-400, and a Saxon one in about AD 900-1000.

#Museum30 #Heavy
A large limestone sarcophagus in a museum gallery
November 14, 2025 at 2:47 PM
westminsterabbey.bsky.social
Wishing HM The King a very Happy Birthday today!

His Majesty is pictured here meeting our choristers after our annual Commonwealth Day here at the Abbey in March.
HM The King smiling as he meets choristers outside Westminster Abbey
November 14, 2025 at 9:19 AM
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HRH The Princess of Wales will return to Westminster Abbey to host a special Christmas carol service on Friday 5 December: www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/p...
The Princess of Wales, wearing a red coat with a black velvet bow, smiles as she arrives outside Westminster Abbey for a service
November 13, 2025 at 10:04 AM
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Did you know that our services are available to stream worldwide? You can join us in worship from the comfort of your own home, watching either live or on demand via our website at: www.westminster-abbey.org/worship-music/watch-services

#Museum30 #Digital
Members of the Choir of Westminster Abbey, wearing red cassocks and white surplices, singing from the Abbey's quire stalls.
November 12, 2025 at 10:19 AM