Discover the stories, treasures, and hidden corners of one of England’s greatest medieval churches – from the Monks of Tewkesbury Abbey to secret marks, tombs, tributes, and more – all at Tewkesbury Abbey’s Heritage Open Days.
Tewkesbury Abbey are pleased to once again be able to offer events and activities as part of Heritage Open Days. Our main day of activity will take place on Saturday 19 September within the festival dates of 11 to 20 September.
Saturday 19 September
This is our main day of activity for Heritage Open Days, with the main highlight being three types of tours, with six tours running in total across the day. Due to restrictions on numbers for each tour tickets do need to be booked in advance. Full details of the tour and the days activities are below.
Historic Abbey Precincts Tour at 12pm and 2pm
Find out more about the Monks of Tewkesbury on one of the Historic Abbey Precinct Tours.
Tewkesbury Abbey was founded in 1087 by nobleman Robert FitzHamon, but the building of the present Abbey did not start until 1102. Built to house Benedictine monks, the Norman Abbey was near completion when consecrated in 1121.
Dr Ellie March will guide the tour around parts of the town which formed the precincts of the Monastery of Tewkesbury Abbey. Talking about the locations of the buildings and features of the monastery which were lost at the dissolution, as well medieval life and the life of the monks during that time.
Dr Ellie March gained her PhD from Exeter University with the title, ‘Tewkesbury Abbey: An Interdisciplinary Study of the Benedictine Medieval Monastery and its Material Culture’ (2023).
Apotropaic Marks Tour at 11am, 1pm and 3pm
Come along to Tewkesbury Abbey and see the wide variety of marks which were used to protect people from evil.
Explore Tewkesbury Abbey in a different way, viewing apotropaic (evil averting) marks around the Abbey, including spaces only accessible on tours – the south stairs and lantern chamber.
The tour will be run by Brian Hoggard who runs the website www.apotropaios.co.uk, is author of Magical House Protection: The Archaeology of Counter-Witchcraft (Berghahn 2019) and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
Tombs, Trees and Tributes Tour at 4pm
Take in the wonderful grounds of the Abbey of a summer afternoon and join us for a tour of the Abbey’s trees, tombs and tributes.
From ancient yews to memorials and remarkable tombs, this outdoor tour uncovers layers of history in the churchyard.
Free children’s activities
Children are welcome to visit the Abbey’s children’s area, located in the Nave, where we will have a range of colouring sheets and a supply of the Heritage Open Day explorer activity sheets. The knitted monks will also be on display – children can explore and learn about the Tewkesbury Abbey monks.
Knitted monks display – 11 to 20 September
Tewkesbury Abbey’s knitted medieval monks return to the Abbey to showcase this year’s theme of ‘Everyday Lives’. In 2021 the Abbey celebrated the 900th Anniversary of its consecration and several years previous the challenge was issued to the knitters of the parish, congregation and any one interested, to knit 900 monks.
This year will see the return of some of the 900 medieval monks showing how the Abbey was run 900 years ago including hospitaller monks, monks working in the Scriptoruim, building walls and much more.
This display is free to all and no booking is required. As a working Abbey this display will not be viewable on the dates/times below:
- All Sundays from opening until 12:30pm.
- Saturday 12 September from 2pm.
- Friday 18 September 12pm to 3pm.