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Visitor Notice

The abbey church is currently undergoing a programme of conservation and repair work to ensure the continued preservation of the monument. This could affect your visit as we need to restrict access to some areas due to health and safety concerns.

Thank you for your patience and support during this time.

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Overview

Gothic masterpiece became a Romantic symbol of the sublime

Catch up with our Tintern Abbey video series as we interview our Inspector of Ancient Monuments Will Davies...

Tintern Abbey is a national icon — still standing in roofless splendour on the banks of the River Wye nearly 500 years since its tragic fall from grace.

It was founded in 1131 by Cistercian monks, who were happy to make do with timber buildings at first. Abbot Henry, a reformed robber, was better known for his habit of crying at the altar than for his architectural ambitions.

A simple stone church and cloisters came later. But then, thanks to the patronage of wealthy Marcher lords, the white-robed monks began to think bigger.

In 1269 they began to build a new abbey church and didn’t stop until they’d created one of the masterpieces of British Gothic architecture. The great west front with its seven-lancet window and the soaring arches of the nave still take the breath away.

So grateful were the monks to their powerful patron Roger Bigod that they were still handing out alms on his behalf in 1535. But by then King Henry VIII’s English Reformation was well underway.

Only a year later Tintern surrendered in the first round of the dissolution of the monasteries — and the great abbey began slowly to turn into a majestic ruin.

How to visit

•    purchase your admission tickets on arrival 
•    view our opening times and prices below
•    check Welsh Government health & safety advice before visiting.

More about Tintern Abbey


Opening times

Daily 9.30am–5pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Daily 9.30am–6pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Daily 9.30am–5pm

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Daily 10am–4pm*

Last admission 30 minutes before closing

Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January

*Please note: during extreme weather conditions we may need to close monuments at short notice, please check our social media channels before visiting to ensure the site is open and safe to visit.

Facebook @CadwWales | Twitter @cadwwales


Prices & Tickets

Category Price
Member - Join now
Free
Adult
£8.70
Family*
£28.20
Disabled and companion
Free
Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students
£6.10
Seniors (Aged 65+)
£8.10

*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children 

All children under 5 receive free entry.

Blue Light Card holders receive 10% off admission (not available online).
 


Facilities

Access guide icon Baby changing icon Bike storage icon Pay and Display car park icon Dogs welcome icon Exhibition icon Gift shop icon Guidebook icon Holiday accommodation icon Drone policy icon No smoking icon Picnic tables icon Portable hearing icon School visits icon Toilets icon Venue hire icon Water refill station icon

Please read our accessibility guidance for information on how to plan your visit.

Tintern Abbey — Access Guide

Toilets available with baby changing facilities.

Bike storage area available in car park or close to the monument.

There is a large shared car park near the abbey entrance with approx. 55 spaces; including 5 dedicated disabled spaces

There is dedicated coach parking and an overflow car park with 25 spaces

Pay & Display car park — £5 and card only — car parking charge refunded on any spend of £5 or more and to Cadw members

Dogs on leads welcome to access ground floor levels of the site.

On-site exhibition within monument.

Gift shop at this site offering a range of products and guidebooks.

Site guidebook available to purchase online and in selected visitor centres.

Cadw holiday accommodation is available to hire close to this site.

Click here for more details.

Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance

Smoking is not permitted.

Picnic benches and /or tables are available for visitor use.

 

A portable induction loop is available.

To book your free self-led education visit to this site, go to our self-led education visits section.

While you're there, check out our free learning resources to help with your time travel adventure!

 

Visitor toilets are available at this site.

This site is available to hire for events, filming and exhibitions.

Water refill station available at this site.


Directions

Road
From Cardiff M4, J23, M48, J2, A466. From London M4, J21 to M48.
Rail
7km/4mls Chepstow, Cardiff - Chepstow/Gloucester.
Bus
300mtrs/325yards, route No 69, Chepstow - Monmouth.
Bike
NCN Regional Route 32 (250mtrs/276yards).

Postcode NP16 6SE.

For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.


Contact us

Telephone 03000 252239

Email
TinternAbbey@gov.wales

Address
Tintern Abbey,
Tintern, NP16 6SE

For contractors, educational visits and deliveries please ring 01291 689251
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.