Tintern Abbey
Visitor Notice
Please note, our visitor toilets are currently out of order due to an external water fault. During this time, portable toilets have been installed on site and public toilets are available in the cream cottage behind the car park coach bays. Follow the signs.
Conservation action at Tintern Abbey
From Monday 8 April 2024, all visitors will be offered a 10% discount on admission prices.
This is due to scaffolding being erected around the Gothic church to enable us to reach and carry out essential repairs to the weathered and crumbling sandstone on the church’s upper walls, allowing future generations to enjoy visiting this magnificent site.
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 or book online to save 5%*
- view our opening times and prices below
- check Welsh Government health & safety advice before visiting.
*Booking online guarantees the best price for your visit.
You can book tickets up to 24 hours in advance.
Online ticket prices include a 5% discount and are non-refundable.
Gallery
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Opening times & prices
Opening times
| 1st March - 30th June | 9.30am-5pm |
|---|---|
| 1st July - 31st August | 9.30am-6pm |
| 1st September - 31st October | 9.30am-5pm |
| 1st November - 28th February | 10am - 4pm |
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Last admission 30 minutes before closing Closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January |
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Prices
| Category | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Members - Join now |
Free
|
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| Adult |
£9.40
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| Family* |
£30.20
|
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| Disabled and companion |
Free
|
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| Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students** |
£6.50
|
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| Seniors (Aged 65+) |
£8.40
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*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children. All children under 5 receive free entry. **Student photo ID card is required to be shown on entry Blue Light Card holders and HM Armed Forces & Veterans receive 10% off individual admission (not available online). From Monday 8 April 2024 prices shown include a 10% reduction. This is due to scaffolding being erected around the Gothic church to enable us to reach and carry out essential repairs to the weathered and crumbling sandstone on the church’s upper walls, allowing future generations to enjoy visiting this magnificent site.
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| Category | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Members - Join now |
Free
|
|
| Adult |
£9.00
|
|
| Family* |
£28.80
|
|
| Disabled and companion |
Free
|
|
| Juniors (Aged 5-17) / Students** |
£6.30
|
|
| Seniors (Aged 65+) |
£8.10
|
|
|
*Admits 2 adults and up to 3 children. All children under 5 receive free entry. **Student photo ID card is required to be shown on entry Blue Light Card holders and HM Armed Forces & Veterans receive 10% off individual admission (not available online). From Monday 8 April 2024 prices shown include a 10% reduction. This is due to scaffolding being erected around the Gothic church to enable us to reach and carry out essential repairs to the weathered and crumbling sandstone on the church’s upper walls, allowing future generations to enjoy visiting this magnificent site.
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Visitor information
Access guide
Please read our accessibility guidance for information on how to plan your visit.
Bike storage
Bike storage area available in car park or close to the monument.
Pay and Display car park
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 welcome
Dogs on short leads welcome to access ground floor levels of the site.
EV charging points
Portable hearing
A portable induction loop is available.
Toilets
Please note, our visitor toilets are currently out of order due to an external water fault. During this time, portable toilets have been installed on site and public toilets are available in the cream cottage behind the car park coach bays. Follow the signs.
Walking difficulty
Terrain: Level 1 – Accessible
Exhibition
On-site exhibition within monument.
Gift shop
Gift shop at this site offering a range of products and guidebooks.
Holiday accommodation
Cadw holiday accommodation is available to hire close to this site.
Picnic tables
Picnic benches and /or tables are available for visitor use.
Venue hire
This site is available to hire for events, filming and exhibitions.
Drone policy
Please read our policy information about flying drones at Cadw monuments: read the guidance
No smoking
Smoking is not permitted.
School visits
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!
Health & Safety
The car park is positioned directly adjacent to a fast-flowing river, which on occasions does breach its banks, be mindful during bad weather.
The abbey is positioned next to a small holding, chickens may occasionally enter the site.
The site is relatively flat but will contain some areas that can become slippery and wet when the weather is poor.
Ruinous low profiling walls and exposed water drains around the abbey may cause trips, be mindful when walking across the site.
Please do not climb upon the monument, this may cause serious injury.
Guardrails have been installed to prevent access to any areas of the site that we have deemed as dangerous or to prevent falls in specific areas.
Please do not climb over or through any fixed installation.
As with all ruinous monuments there is always a risk of stone fall, we are undertaking an extensive conservation project at Tintern, and areas of concern are cordoned off. Please refrain from entering any areas closed to the public. This is for your safety.
There are several wild plants and flowers, although these are great pollinators, they may be poisonous to visitors and animals, we strongly advise you not to touch or allow dogs to eat any vegetation.
Please watch our health & safety film before visiting Cadw sites.
Iechyd a Diogelwch / Health and Safety
Please report any anti-social behaviour such as climbing, setting fires, graffiti etc. to CadwAccidentsReports@gov.wales
Directions
Address
Tintern, NP16 6SE
For contractors, educational visits and deliveries please ring 01291 689251
Rydym yn croesawu galwadau’n Gymraeg / We welcome calls in Welsh.
Telephone 03000 252239
Email TinternAbbey@gov.wales
Postcode NP16 6SE
what3words: ///raven.prone.proposes
For further information, please contact: Traveline Cymru on 0800 464 0000 or National Rail Enquiries on 03457 48 49 50.
