Westminster abbey how long is evensong

One of them has even kicked off her shoes and socks so she can cool her feet on the floor. The rest of the congregation is made up of pious old ladies trying to pray, two hundred tourists straining to see, young kids who've been dragged along by their parents, and an old bloke who is hacking up the contents of his snuff box. So it's a mixed bunch. Whilst all of this is going on the organ is playing ethereal tunes in the background but then suddenly swells up into a heart thumping rumble as the parade of priests troop in.

In they come with their crosses held high, swinging their smoky incense jugs around. The service is underway now with gospels, prayers and an occasional sing-song with the choir. You get issued with a little hymn sheet beforehand but there's no pressure to sing. Half of the hymns are performed by the choir alone and that's when the singing truly shines -- the choir sounds absolutely fantastic. The noise they make is being echoed all around the Abbey and if my local church sounded half as good as this then I would have converted ages ago.

It's a lot easier to believe in God when you're standing in Parliament Square with the Queen's College choir sounding out.

Even when the singing stops and the priest is droning on you can still enjoy the surroundings. You don't get the full effect when the Abbey's packed with people in the morning, but when you're sitting here listening to the choir and breathing in that thick, smoky smell of incense, looking up at the stained-glass windows and the ceiling soaring six-storeys above your head, it really hits home what this place is all about.

The service lasted for about an hour and was over by 6 PM. Then the priests parade out again and you're very quickly ushered out of the door. There's no time for sightseeing. You end up on the front steps where the priest is wishing everyone peace on earth and all of that kind of thing, etc, and as you walk away the bells get drowned out by the beeping buses and bikes roaring round to Parliament Square.

Then you can smell the hot dog burger van that's parked ten metres from the gate. It's definitely worth doing, without a doubt, even if you're not religious because there's a lot to enjoy, and be moved by, if you let it. If you enjoy church services then I recommend the Evensong at St. MalcomP I certainly enjoy your reviews. Very interesting and you have a wonderful sense of humor.

Ben Johnson, the poet, playwright, and actor, is the only person buried in an upright position. One scenario would see the funeral held at Westminster Abbey, with the body then being moved to Windsor Castle. There are communal vaults below the church and most bodies rest in peace in there. In some cases, bodies were cremated and the ashes placed in the tomb. However, he is actually buried in his home town of Stratford upon Avon, at the local Holy Trinity Church. There are some 3, people buried within the walls of Westminster Abbey.

These tombs are scattered around the church as well as beneath the floor of the Abbey. As you might imagine, there is limited space remaining for burials, the most recent burial was that of renowned scientist Steven Hawking. We hope this answered all of your questions so now you have everything you need to know about Westminster Abbey! Feel free to peruse our London Tours to plan your journey in the city.

If you have any more questions about the Abbey, feel free to contact us. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. First, what is Westminster Abbey? Info for Planning a Visit to Westminster Abbey. Prev Next. Leave a Reply Cancel Reply. Search for:. I want to say Southwark Cathedral, but will have to check.

But I do recommend the Abbey. Make sure you pick a day when the choir will be singing, and if you have a preference for the boys' choir versus the adult men and boys, or a visiting choir, keep that in mind.

The information should be on the website or you can contact them to ask. The effect of the music, in that space, is, for me, unearthly, ethereal, and otherwise awe-inspiring. Slang has rendered the English word "awesome" less useful for some descriptions! I suggest you do a verger tour the day you plan to attend Evensong, or a day prior to your selected service. I enjoy having a live guide, plus being able to ask questions and see the tomb of Edward the Confessor. At some point in the tour, the verger may ask if anyone is interested in coming back to attend Evensong.

I can't say definitely that this had anything to do with it, and undoubtedly it depends on how busy they are, but on more than once occasion, a nice verger has put us into very good seats for Evensong. Overall I find the Abbey staff, and especially the vergers, eager to be helpful and to share the history of the Abbey with visitors. On one memorable occasion, the verger, upon hearing we were planning to return for Evensong and seeing the heavy bags books we were carrying, offered to hold our bags for us so we wouldn't have to carry them around the rest of the day.

On our most recent trip, last fall, a verger went out of his way to make sure my aunt saw items of interest in the museum in the undercroft, and to describe to me a special service they were holding. I've had very good experiences there, and hope you will enjoy your visit as well. I think everyone else has answered your questions.

However, I went to the evensong during a trip to London in and will add a few observations. I think its worth going to the evensong service even if you aren't religious. It's always interesting to see historic structures used for their intended purposes.

In this case the music and service will be quite good. You might also consider attending a Sunday service. There is not a service every night, so check to make sure they'll have a service when you plan to attend. In addition to not being able to see the rest of the abbey, I don't think you will have access to the restrooms inside during the service.

There is a conference center across the street that was open in the evening when we were there that is an option. Go ahead and take the tour and see the facility. We went first thing in the morning and it worked well. They had a cash line and a credit card line. The cash line moves a bit quicker.

Rob, thank you for your comments. Your mention of available restrooms was especially good to know!