5. WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
STATIONS: Westminster and St, James's Park, both on the District Railway, are respectively 3 minutes to the north-east and 7 minutes to the west. - All OMNIBUSES plying down Whitehall are convenient for the Abbey, e.g. Nos. 3, 11, 12, 24, 29, 32, 53, 59, 77, 88. - TRAMWAYS as for the Houses of Parliament.
ADMISSION. Except on Sunday and during the hours of services, Westminster Abbey is open free to visitors. On Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and Christmas Day it is open for service only. As there are daily services at 8, 9.30 (for the boys of Westminster School only), 10, and 3, the available hours for visitors in summer are from about 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from about 4 to 5, 5.30, or 6 p.m. In winter visitors are not admitted after 3 p.m. On Sunday the services are at 8, 10.15, 3, and (in summer) 6.30 p.m. The Chapels and Ambulatory are open free on Monday, but on other days visitors obtain tickets (6d. each) from a verger in the Poets' Corner, and are conducted in parties starting every quarter of an hour from the south gate of the Ambulatory. From the same verger tickets are obtained for the room with the Wax Figures, 3d. on Monday, 6d. on other days; and for the Norman Undercroft, daily 3d. The Chapter House is open daily, but the Chamber of the Pyx is open on Tuesday and Friday only (both free). Free Recitals (string quartettes, etc.) are given in the Abbey on Thursday (6 p.m.).
The usual ENTRANCE to the Abbey is by the North Porch, and our description of the interior begins there; but those who first examine the exterior of the church may find it convenient to enter by the small door in the east aisle of the south transept (Poets' Corner), reached by a paved way between the Chapter House and the Choir, then visit the chapels of the ambulatory, and afterwards turn their attention to the free parts of the church.
GUIDE BOOKS (scarcely necessary) are sold at the entrance. The best for the average visitor is the Westminster Abbey Guide, by Mrs. A. Murray Smith and Lady Birchenough.
OFFICIAL GUIDES may be engaged within the church: 6/ per hr. for 1-4 persons, including admission to the chapels, the wax figures, etc.; 10/ per hr. for 4-8 persons.
