Heritage Open Days behind the scenes tour at Bath Abbey

Heritage Open Days at Bath Abbey. 

Bath Abbey’s floor is unique. It is made up of 891 memorial stones, more than any other floor in the country, but it is collapsing! These tours will go to where the repair and conservation work are taking place and look at the floor’s history.

Bath Abbey is currently delivering its Heritage Lottery Funded “Footprint Project” which will create new worship, learning, and visitor spaces, use the heat energy from Bath’s thermal springs to power eco-friendly, underfloor heating, and repair the Abbey’s unique, historic floor. The Abbey’s floor is unique and its restoration is a major conservation project in its own right. All 891 memorial stones will be lifted from the floor, the surface beneath repaired, and the stones relayed.

The Behind the Scenes Tours will visit areas not usually open to the public where the floor is being repaired and the memorial stones are being conserved. The tour will look at why there are so many stones, why the floor is collapsing, their history, and how they are being repaired through the Footprint Project.

Tours leave from the front of the South Nave Aisle in the Church. Ask at the Welcome Desk or a Steward for directions.

Opening Times

• Thursday 13 September: Tours at 1400 and 1530
• Friday 14 September: Tours at 1000, 1130, 1400 and 1530
• Saturday 15 September: Tours at 1000, 1130, 1400 and 1530

Booking Details

Pre-booking: Required
Tours must be pre-booked. Tours go into areas where building and conservation work is taking place. Hard hats, hi viz jackets, and steel toe cap boots will be provided. These must be worn throughout the tour. Your shoes will be stored during the tour. So that we can provide appropriate footwear, please give your UK shoe size on booking. Please wear socks on the day.

• Booking Contact: Bath Abbey Office
  Call: 01225 422462
  Email: office@bathabbey.org
  Write to: Bath Abbey Office, 11A York Street, Bath, BA1 1NG