Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace
4
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
83 reviews
Excellent
40
Very good
27
Average
14
Poor
0
Terrible
2
James W
LondonJames2050336 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
Went to an open garden afternoon and paid £5. Gardens in a terrible state. Over grown and full of weeds. Has the structure but can’t have had any gardeners for a couple of years. Had someone cutting the grass. Must have looked amazing in the past. I would be too embarrassed to let people see it in this state
Written August 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
odministrator
Thornton Cleveleys, UK330 contributions
May 2015 • Family
The attraction of a visit to Lambeth Palace is that it isn’t often open to the public. Tickets need to be booked in advance via Ticketmaster and are limited to specific days and times. Visitors enter through a distinctive 500 year old brick-built tower; other parts are older still, with the crypt chapel dating back 800 years.
Portraits of many of the 100+ Archbishops who have lived in the palace are displayed, all of them Catholic up until the Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England. The tours are conducted by experienced guides and begin with a video introduction from Archbishop Justin, the present Archbishop of Canterbury.
Periods of destruction and rebuilding, notably after the English Civil War and World War II have resulted in a mix of very old and relatively modern buildings. There is presently an extensive programme of conservation and preservation, as a consequence of which the Great Hall and Library were unavailable to view during our visit, and other areas are also excluded from the tour. Mobile phones and photography are both prohibited indoors.
Whilst other great historic sites in and around London such as Westminster Abbey and Hampton Court attract huge numbers, a visit to Lambeth Palace gives you access to a much more exclusive experience, in its time visited by Henry VIII and Queen Victoria as well as being home to every Archbishop of Canterbury since the time of King John and Magna Carta.
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Portraits of many of the 100+ Archbishops who have lived in the palace are displayed, all of them Catholic up until the Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England. The tours are conducted by experienced guides and begin with a video introduction from Archbishop Justin, the present Archbishop of Canterbury.
Periods of destruction and rebuilding, notably after the English Civil War and World War II have resulted in a mix of very old and relatively modern buildings. There is presently an extensive programme of conservation and preservation, as a consequence of which the Great Hall and Library were unavailable to view during our visit, and other areas are also excluded from the tour. Mobile phones and photography are both prohibited indoors.
Whilst other great historic sites in and around London such as Westminster Abbey and Hampton Court attract huge numbers, a visit to Lambeth Palace gives you access to a much more exclusive experience, in its time visited by Henry VIII and Queen Victoria as well as being home to every Archbishop of Canterbury since the time of King John and Magna Carta.
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Written June 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rosebug
beds3,932 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
Having passed Lambeth Palace many times over the years and admired those lovely little windows, when I heard that there were occasional tours I happily bought tickets. On arrival there was a very large party of around 60, one other couple and another group of four. There was some confusion and time lost as the large group were sorted into two groups and one half put with the rest of us. I mention the time lost because thereafter our tour was regularly punctuated by our guide saying "but we're short on time today so we must move on". The tour lasted 90 minutes and you only get to see a fraction of the palace but the highlight was the chapel and the beautiful, unusual stained glass windows and we did get to briefly see the private gardens. I'm glad I went because now my curiosity has been sated but the group was too large, the tour narrative too dry and the time too tight for it to rate any more than average.
Written June 27, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MrsMiggins46
Warlingham205 contributions
Jun 2013 • Solo
I booked a ticket via Ticketmaster (£10 plus £2.50 booking fee). When I turned up at 10:15 there were no signs or any information for the tour - Thankfully I confirmed on web site that you need to turn up at the main gate next to the Garden Museum 10 minutes before scheduled to start and had to reassure the other members of the tour this was the right entrance.
You're shown into a room where a 5-10 min video is played narrated by the previous archbishop (Rowan Williamson). Tour begins with a introduction in the courtyard where the first shock of the trip happens - you find out that the medieval facade that's wetted your appetite all these years is just that, a frontage with most of the interior ripped out by the Victorians and replaced by a pretend Tudor building. We were due to see the library which a couple on the tour had come especially to see only the find out that the BBC were filming and we, the paying public were not sufficiently a priority to allow filing to stop for 10 minutes as we passed through. Some nice galleries of painting and some interesting stories, then to the guard room which is used as a function room at the palace (would have been nice if the wine stained tablecloths had been removed). OK room filled with paintings but told none of the characters sufficiently interesting to want telling their background story. Then to the state rooms which are nothing special. Ceilings are replicas, furniture mediocre, painting minimally interesting (told a painting could have been a Titian but it wasn’t). Finally the chapel which was a 1950s restoration disaster. The ceiling was destroyed in the war and when replaced it looked as if it was filled with frescos drawn by 6 year olds.
We were shown out into the garden but you only get about 10 minutes and can’t explore.
All in all, for £12.50 it’s not a bad hour and a half of your time, the façade and the courtyards are pretty but don’t expect interiors of the standard of Hampton Court or Penshurst Place. The tour guide was sweet and interesting.
You're shown into a room where a 5-10 min video is played narrated by the previous archbishop (Rowan Williamson). Tour begins with a introduction in the courtyard where the first shock of the trip happens - you find out that the medieval facade that's wetted your appetite all these years is just that, a frontage with most of the interior ripped out by the Victorians and replaced by a pretend Tudor building. We were due to see the library which a couple on the tour had come especially to see only the find out that the BBC were filming and we, the paying public were not sufficiently a priority to allow filing to stop for 10 minutes as we passed through. Some nice galleries of painting and some interesting stories, then to the guard room which is used as a function room at the palace (would have been nice if the wine stained tablecloths had been removed). OK room filled with paintings but told none of the characters sufficiently interesting to want telling their background story. Then to the state rooms which are nothing special. Ceilings are replicas, furniture mediocre, painting minimally interesting (told a painting could have been a Titian but it wasn’t). Finally the chapel which was a 1950s restoration disaster. The ceiling was destroyed in the war and when replaced it looked as if it was filled with frescos drawn by 6 year olds.
We were shown out into the garden but you only get about 10 minutes and can’t explore.
All in all, for £12.50 it’s not a bad hour and a half of your time, the façade and the courtyards are pretty but don’t expect interiors of the standard of Hampton Court or Penshurst Place. The tour guide was sweet and interesting.
Written June 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Natalie
London, UK501 contributions
May 2019
Lambeth Palace is visually stunning, from the palace (home to the Archbishop of Canterbury)grounds and beautiful garden, you would think it comes under the category of a “British heritage site”.
I was taken on a tour of the grounds and the rooms are beautiful, the intricate stain glass windows within the chapels are stunning, and it’s clear that their maintenance team have worked hard to maintain and restore its gothic architecture.
I was taken on a tour of the grounds and the rooms are beautiful, the intricate stain glass windows within the chapels are stunning, and it’s clear that their maintenance team have worked hard to maintain and restore its gothic architecture.
Written May 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
scuttle
Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK114 contributions
Aug 2015
A hidden gem. Excellent informed and friendly staff; excellent food from the young cooks;awesome collection of gardening tools, ephemera; housed in a magnificent church with a walk in baptism font as well as having the tombs of captain Bligh ( Mutiny on the Bounty) and John Tradescant ( top 17th century gardener to royalty) with an epitaph written by John Aubrey and the burial place of Ann Boleyn's mother. It's also near to Lambeth Walk. Visit now as I understand it will be TEMPORARILY shut from 0ctober 2015 for about 16 months for a massive upgrade.
Written August 1, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
flaneur40
New York City, NY1,694 contributions
Nov 2014 • Solo
From the outside it is a typical Tudor palace and the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury when he is in London. That's pretty much all you will see. If you want to see the inside of similar structures, then try Fulham Palace and/or Hampton Court Palace. But the reason to walk here via the Albert Embankment on the south side or down through Westminster on the north and over the Lambeth bridge, is the view you get of Parliament and Big Ben. Just pick a bench at around sunset and watch the clock face become ever-brighter as darkness overtakes the City. Then have a walk down to a great barge bar called Tamesis and onto Vauxhall bridge and a great little vegetarian restaurant called Bonnington Cafe.
Written November 21, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JacktarToronto
Toronto46 contributions
Oct 2013 • Couples
Lambeth Palace is another one of those London attractions that is not well publicized and not typical of the usual tourist destinations. The London home of the Archbishops of Cantebury, it is a hidden gem. The main gate on the southbank of the Thames, just west of the Houses of Parliament hides a historic property of unexpected size not apparent from the street. We had to buy advance admission through Ticketmaster UK at acost of 10GBP/person for a timed entry only on specific days. We chose to have our tickets held for us at the gate rather than trust the mail. You need to be patient when dealing with Ticketmaster as their reps are more adept at booking concerts than historic properties. The tour is guided by knowledgable Lambeth Palace staff and takes about 1hour. Look for the friendly dog who patrols the grounds and who will want to share his toy with you. The whole experience is well worth the price of admission. And for that needed cup of tea, try the little cafe on the Thames directly across the street from the main gate.
Written October 20, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alister M
Glasgow, UK47 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Exceptional historical location to visit, we had an excellent visit with an exceptionally knowledgable guide.
Great place to visit if you wish to expand your historical knowledge of this great capital landmark
Thankyou.
Great place to visit if you wish to expand your historical knowledge of this great capital landmark
Thankyou.
Written February 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear 135alisterm,
Thank you very much for your review and we're delighted you had such a wonderful visit!
Many thanks,
Conor
Lambeth Palace
Written April 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
theharrogatelady
Harrogate, UK1,648 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
We walked past here to enjoy a riverside walk in New Year’s Day. We saw lots of the palace and the gardens from the riverside. It was really interesting to see the residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Written January 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear theharrogatelady,
Thank you very much for your review. If you're ever interested in having a full guided tour of Lambeth Palace, we regularly hold dates which are available via Universe at:
https://www.universe.com/explore?query=lambeth%2520palace&loc=London%252C%2520UK&ll=51.5073509%252C-0.1277583
Many thanks,
Conor
Lambeth Palace
Written April 6, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hi, I've bought tickets for the Lambeth Palace Tour. Please would you tell me where to find the entrance & meet the guide.
Written July 10, 2019
Do I need to print my guided tour ticket or can I show it on my phone on the day?
Written June 9, 2018
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