St Margaret’s, Westminster

St Margaret's, Westminster tickets: which one to buy

Saint Margaret's Church stands in the grounds of Westminster Abbey, between the Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, and it is known as the parish church of the House of Commons. Entry is included with a Westminster Abbey ticket, and the church is also open for services, which are free. Many visitors pass it on the way to the Abbey without realising it is a separate church.

Walking tours of Westminster include it along with the Abbey, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Parliament Square and Whitehall. The church is used for weddings of politicians and prominent people, and for memorial services. Opening hours are limited, and the church may close for events. Westminster station is a few minutes' walk away. Security staff may check bags at the Abbey entrance, so allow time before visiting the church.

Visiting St Margaret's, Westminster: what to see

A church has stood here since the twelfth century, built by the Benedictine monks of the Abbey so that local people could worship separately. The present church was built between 1486 and 1523 in the Perpendicular Gothic style, and it was restored several times. It became the parish church of the House of Commons in 1614, when members chose to worship here rather than in the Abbey. The east window holds Flemish stained glass made in the early sixteenth century, originally commissioned to celebrate the engagement of Catherine of Aragon and Prince Arthur. Sir Walter Raleigh, executed in 1618, is buried near the altar, and a window commemorates him. The poet John Milton and Samuel Pepys were married here, as was Winston Churchill in 1908.

The church also holds memorials to William Caxton, the first English printer, who is buried in the churchyard. The church's interior is bright, with a wooden roof and clear glass in many windows, and the walls are covered with monuments and brasses to members of parliament and local families. A window commemorates the poet John Milton, and another honours the printer Caxton. The organ is used for concerts. The churchyard, between the church and the Abbey, holds old gravestones. The church was badly damaged by bombs in 1941 and repaired afterwards, and the tower was restored in the eighteenth century. Modern stained glass by John Piper was added in the south aisle in 1967.

St Margaret's, Westminster opening hours and the best time to go

The church is open on weekdays when the Abbey is open, and on Sundays for services. Westminster is busy all year, especially in summer and when parliament is sitting. The Remembrance season in November brings a Field of Remembrance in the churchyard, with thousands of small crosses planted by veterans and families. Christmas carol services are held here. Early morning is the quietest time to visit Westminster. Allow about fifteen minutes for Saint Margaret's, and combine it with the Abbey and a walk past the Houses of Parliament. The Jewel Tower, a fourteenth-century remnant of the Palace of Westminster, stands across the road and is open to visitors.