Westminister Abbey Evening Song

It was almost 20 years ago when we did it, but we'd toured the Abbey earlier in the day, headed down the street to the Tate Museum for a short visit, then returned to the Abbey for Evensong after everyone else had left for the day. Things may have changed a lot since then, but we didn't even try to hang around before the service started.

We just did it in November. After the Abbey closes, before leaving, tell the docent you’re staying for evensong and they will let you stay inside. You don’t get to wander around. They may check your ticket to ensure you really were visiting the Abbey. You just sit down and wait until a few minutes before 5. The benefit is you can get in line on the inside (left side of the Abbey) by Stephen Hawking’s marker in the floor before everybody waiting outside comes in. That way you’ll get to sit in the quire, right beside the choir.

Any comparisons between the evensong at St. Paul's and Westminster?

Can you return at 5 p.m. for the evensong and get back in?

Thank you.

I’ve never gone to the one at St. Paul’s, but the one at Westminster Abbey is about the same as the one in Canterbury.

The first time I went to Westminster Abbey, I was too late to get an audio guide. So I wandered around and ended up in the courtyard - forget what it's called. I happened to be outside the entrance to the room where the choir boys practiced. I got to to watch them behaving like typical adolescents until they disappeared into a doorway. A few minutes later, these same adolescents were making the most beautiful music I could imagine.

No one came up to me to say that the Abbey was closing. I listened for as long as I could - had to meet friends for dinner - and made my way out, completely satisfied.

You could get lucky and have the same experience.

Thank you all for sharing your great experiences...much appreciated!

Promise to think of each of you on that evening.

We have attended evensong at both – Westminster Abbey about 10 years ago, and St Paul's last summer. Of the two, I much preferred Westminster Abbey, b/c they closed and locked the doors at 4:55pm, and the service was calm and beautiful. Perhaps even transcendent. Whereas at St Paul's (at least in summer) people were constantly coming and going throughout the entire service, which was distracting at best, and dangerous at worst – I felt like I needed to hold my backpack (not set it down on my seat, or under the seat) during the entire service b/c someone could easily slip into the row behind us, grab my backpack during one of the many portions where the audience/congregation is standing, and duck out of the church very easily. At Westminster no one was allowed to move about. I ended up putting my backpack on or under the seats in the row in front of us, but that wasn't ideal, either, b/c people were coming and going to sit in that row, also, plus with jet lag I couldn't help nodding off!

(There was nothing super-important in my backpack, of course – passport was in the hotel, and phone and credit card were on my person – it would just be a pain to lose it. I don't know what the odds of theft are, but there are warning signs at St Paul's, plus I was distracted from enjoying the service when I noticed how easy it would be for someone to slip in and out.)

Trayla, we had a similar experience in Oxford. I even got a few seconds of video of the boys rehearsing (sounding like angels), then spilling out of the practice room like normal young boys, being hushed by the choir directors, and walking in an orderly, silent line past the groups of tourists. I even made myself learn how to make an iMovie b/c the juxtaposition of the clips needed audio to be effective ;-)

I toured the Abbey last week. Our Verger tour guide told us that anyone who was interested in attending Even Song should stand outside the West Entrance to the Abbey about 15 minutes prior to the service starting. They would be let in and seated.

Great question. I'm getting ready to book our tour and also wanted to include the Evening Song. Thanks for all of the responses.

Many thanks folks about St. Paul's vs Westminster. Depending on the day I'm not sure how things will work out.

How long does Evensong last at Westminster Abbey?

From the time they let you in, it’s just under an hour. The service itself, is about 45 minutes.

Alexandra if I'm not mistaken, and there's a joke somewhere me, then it's about 45 minutes.

One of my favorite Churchill quotes, regarding the RAF: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

We did both St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey a year ago. They were both wonderful experiences. Since we're Episcopalian, we felt right at home.

I recall that they ushered out the tourists, then had a line for Evensong.

Four weeks from now we'll be back at Westminster Abbey. My wife is being inducted into the Florence Nightingale Society. The ceremony will be held in Westminster Abbey. We are taking extra luggage because she will be dressed in her full academic regalia, including her robe, stoles and silly hat.

I recall that they ushered out the tourists, then had a line for
Evening Song.

Please note that the service is called Evensong, never Evening Song.

Please note that the service is called Evensong, never Evening Song.

Fixed. I knew better.

Thank you everyone!