Dorchester Abbey
Dorchester Abbey
4.5
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Dorchester Abbey is a significant historic building, having been a place of worship, witness and pilgrimage for more than a millennium. It has a unique C13th sculptural stained glass Jesse Window, an C11th lead font and C14th wall paintings. A Museum and Tea Room is open from April to September. Tours available (see website for more details).
Duration: < 1 hour
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Best nearby
Restaurants
30 within 3 miles
Attractions
55 within 6 miles
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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.
Popular mentions
4.5
193 reviews
Excellent
123
Very good
61
Average
6
Poor
3
Terrible
0
lazenlondonuk
London Uk298 contributions
Jun 2020
Ok the Abbey is big not as big as some but The Abbey and surrounding graveyard IS Dorchester and closed currently.
Ive been to Dorchester a number of times even hitch hiking here as a boy.And Ive never really formed a firm impression of the place.On the surface it looks very picturesque cluttered even.It was Roman in some way but that fact has meant that
all manner of tourists hikers and the like and especially day tripper cars from The London side of Dorchester frequent the busy roads to come here and theres precious little-especially currently-for them to 'do'.
Houses over built anything Roman long ago as did private fishing lakes and fenced off areas of supposed 'temples'cursuses and villas.Nothing to see now.
Round the back of the village you can walk along a long narrow barbed wire flanked corridor through a private field with kissing gates unpassable for bicycles
to some kind of grass dunes at the river again barbed wire fenced off supposedly ancient.
Thats about it.You will be often walking single file thru cow pats to let hikers pass by.
But there is a good view of the hills opposite across the unpassable River Thames where all the ancient action is.
The local cottage owners tinkering in their gardens look thoroughly upset at the constant stream of hordes past their front gardens.
There may be the odd tea shop when it reopens.
Its all a bit depressing really leaving one rather underwhelmed.
Ive been to Dorchester a number of times even hitch hiking here as a boy.And Ive never really formed a firm impression of the place.On the surface it looks very picturesque cluttered even.It was Roman in some way but that fact has meant that
all manner of tourists hikers and the like and especially day tripper cars from The London side of Dorchester frequent the busy roads to come here and theres precious little-especially currently-for them to 'do'.
Houses over built anything Roman long ago as did private fishing lakes and fenced off areas of supposed 'temples'cursuses and villas.Nothing to see now.
Round the back of the village you can walk along a long narrow barbed wire flanked corridor through a private field with kissing gates unpassable for bicycles
to some kind of grass dunes at the river again barbed wire fenced off supposedly ancient.
Thats about it.You will be often walking single file thru cow pats to let hikers pass by.
But there is a good view of the hills opposite across the unpassable River Thames where all the ancient action is.
The local cottage owners tinkering in their gardens look thoroughly upset at the constant stream of hordes past their front gardens.
There may be the odd tea shop when it reopens.
Its all a bit depressing really leaving one rather underwhelmed.
Written June 12, 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.
Theresa R
Crewkerne, UK6 contributions
Jan 2024 • Solo
I popped in on my way home as a break.
Lovely historic abbey with prone knights’ tombs, a modern installation and beautiful windows.
Out of season, so no one about but I was able to get information from their website and a leaflet.
Lovely historic abbey with prone knights’ tombs, a modern installation and beautiful windows.
Out of season, so no one about but I was able to get information from their website and a leaflet.
Written February 3, 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.
Tracey
Forster, Australia438 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Lovely place to visit
Set in old English village where some of the midsomer murders series where filmed
Set in old English village where some of the midsomer murders series where filmed
Written March 14, 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.
Michael O
Nottingham, UK186 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
Whilst staying at a nearby Hostelry, we ventured forth into this Twelfth Century Gem which has been a Parish church since the reformation.
It was the epicentre of the Dorchester Festival which is ongoing throughout May and is worth visiting.
It was the epicentre of the Dorchester Festival which is ongoing throughout May and is worth visiting.
Written May 9, 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.
JarvisBoots
Marlow, UK42 contributions
May 2018
Abbey buildings are well preserved - and the small museum inside has really interesting items. The setting is lovely, and the main museum and tea shop in the building next door are worth a visit. Note: if you are there are the right time, the tea and home made cake from the tea shop are excellent (and great value)!
Written May 29, 2018
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.
shane😁😁
Northamptonshire, UK14,693 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
We entered at 8-30 am this morning and had the abbey to ourselves.The museum was closed however we managed to read up on some informative leaflets inside the building explaining a bit about the abbey.There are beautiful stain glass windows and the building is cleaned by helpful volunteers.Free to enter and worth a look....visited Oct 27th 2017
Written October 28, 2017
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.
Marie S
London, UK125 contributions
Aug 2014 • Business
We recently decorated the Abbey for a wedding. We then have to go back after the service on Sunday and remove the flowers and all our equipment. This took quite some time but once finished we realized that the tea room was open. I cannot tell you what a joy it was. It was like stepping back in time, lovely ladies raising money for the church all donate their time a cakes. Delicious and made our trip every better. Thank you all. I think the tea room is only open 2.30pm - 5.00pm on the weekends but please check if you are visiting.
Written September 8, 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.
wendiedouglas
Portsmouth, UK36 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
Nice Abbey, not something we would normally visit but we fell across it. It was lovely, the stones on the floor were interesting and the flowers just beautiful. The gardens are nice, full of bees and butterfly's
Written August 19, 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.
Margaret151151
Cardiff, UK2,304 contributions
Mar 2014 • Couples
I didn't know this lovely place existed until we stayed in the village. It is a tranquil place, full of history, dating back to 635AD as a place of worship (the first cathedral in Saxon Wessex!) but an important site from as long ago as 4000BC. In particular look out for the C12 lead font, the lovely East window and beautiful carving in the Jesse window to its left. I also loved the highly ornate carved canopies and roundels to the right of the altar. The people's chapel contains a C14th wall painting of the crucifixion. Look out for the effigy of the cross-legged knight and the sleepy monks on the corbel in the centre of the nave. Don't forget to look at the tombstones on the floor too, especially Sarah Fletcher's who died from "excessive sensibility"! I also admired the more modern additions: the beautifully designed and wrought altar frontal and the lovely tapestry kneelers. In the Cloister Gallery there is an award-winning exhibition of medieval carved stone from the site (and a toilet at the far end!), and outside a traditional herb garden. Often concerts are held in the Abbey. Check online for listings. I gather that it has also been used in the Midsomer Murders series!
The Abbey is open every day from 8am-6pm, but is an active parish church, so check for service and event times. Pick up a Welcome leaflet (also online) for detailed information on what to find and where. There is also a smartphone audiotour available (see website). Unfortunately when we visited, the museum and tea rooms hadn't opened for the summer (April-Sept); we look forward to finding out more on our return visit to the village later this year.
The village too is full of beauty and history. Leaflets are available on line (look out for An Historic Dawdle through Dorchester) and there are walks along the Thames Path and through the picturesque countryside, too.
The Abbey is open every day from 8am-6pm, but is an active parish church, so check for service and event times. Pick up a Welcome leaflet (also online) for detailed information on what to find and where. There is also a smartphone audiotour available (see website). Unfortunately when we visited, the museum and tea rooms hadn't opened for the summer (April-Sept); we look forward to finding out more on our return visit to the village later this year.
The village too is full of beauty and history. Leaflets are available on line (look out for An Historic Dawdle through Dorchester) and there are walks along the Thames Path and through the picturesque countryside, too.
Written April 6, 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.
john11hartley
Fittleworth, UK76 contributions
May 2021
Once inside the scale of the building becomes apparent - more like the cathedrals & abbeys of northern France than what we are familiar with in England. For me the Jesse window was the stand-out feature, and what I had really come to see, but lots of other interest - the great East window, and more stained glass.
Written June 2, 2021
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.
I would like to know whether guided tours of the Abbey are available.I organise visits for a group of 52 NADFAS members and although I have not yet visited myself your website has interested me.
Regards
Valerie Douglas
Written March 29, 2016
Yes! Contact the Parish Office: 01865 340007
Written July 2, 2016
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