Visitor Information

Exhibition Hours
Monday to Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 2-5pm

Please check the website on the day of your visit in case of occasional closing during these times. The information on this website is the most up-to-date we have, and no further information will be obtained by telephoning Dorchester Abbey.

Tickets available on the door
Adults £5, 16 yrs and under £2.50
Please note that during busy periods timed ticket entry will be in operation.

Getting to Dorchester Abbey
Click on the maps to the right for larger versions.

By car - For directions please click here. For a Google map click here. The Abbey has no car park. Please use the free public car park in Bridge End, directly opposite the Abbey. There is limited street parking but visitors are asked not to cause congestion or to inconvenience local residents.

By public transport - The nearest train stations are Didcot (8 miles) and Oxford (10 miles). Buses do stop on the village High Street, however, the service is infrequent. To plan your trip visit www.traveline.info

Eating & Drinking

Dorchester Abbey has a small tea room which is run by volunteers. It is open Bank Holidays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays 3pm- 5pm. For further details click here.

Alternatively, the village offers a good choice of cafes and restaurants, all on the main High Street and within walking distance of the Abbey:

Lily's Farm Shop and Tea Room - click here.

The White Hart Hotel - click here.

The George Hotel - click here.

The Fleur de Lys Hotel - click here.

Access

Disabled parking is available by arrangement, please call 01865 340 007 for details.

There is a ramp into the Abbey and a disabled toilet. Baby change facilities are also available.

Wheelchairs: Please note that motorised wheelchairs will not be able to access the Shrine Chapel where the exhibition is on display as the Abbey is an historic building and the doorway is unfortunately too narrow. A small number of works will be on display outside the Shrine Chapel. Two manual wheelchairs are available for loan on a first come first served basis, one is self-propelled.

Pushchairs and buggies are not permitted in the exhibition space due to the delicate nature of some of the objects on display.

Guide dogs and Hearing dogs are welcome.

There is no seating in the exhibition.

Schools and Colleges

The 'John Piper and the Church' exhibition in Dorchester Abbey represents an excellent 'once in a lifetime' opportunity to see works from a number of public galleries and museums throughout Britain, as well as many rarely seen examples from private collections. We have created an exciting and varied educational programme that seeks to explore Piper's work, interests, and the variety of techniques, media and approaches he adopted throughout his artistic career.

There is a wide range of activities on offer to and adaptable for Key Stage 1-5 pupils linked to the National Curriculum, GCSE and A level programmes. The available sessions aim to encourage students to engage aesthetically, historically and practically with the exhibition displays, the work of John Piper and Dorchester Abbey. We can also create bespoke visits and/or sessions at no additional cost.

There is an INSET session for teachers on the work of John Piper with a talk given by Joanna Cartwright of Bohun Gallery on Monday 23rd April at 1.30pm. We will also have available John Piper Education Packs, free to all teachers who attend the INSET or book a school visit.

For further details, to make a booking for the INSET or a school booking, or if you are able to offer voluntary assistance, please contact the Abbey Education Officer, Margaret Craig via email education@dorchester-abbey.org.uk or telephone 01865 343164.

To download an Education Leaflet as a PDF file click here or on the image on the right

Group Visits

The Abbey welcomes group visits to the exhibition and requests that a booking is made in advance. Please note that the exhibition space can only hold up to 35 people at any one time. To make a group booking please telephone the Abbey on 01865 340 007.

Evening Receptions

The exhibition will also be available for a limited number of evening receptions. These can be organised to suit the requirements of the visitors and will be priced accordingly. A typical timetable could be:

All receptions will include two talks (larger groups will be split into 2 and alternate)
- Dorchester Abbey, usually by The Revd Canon Sue Booys
- John Piper, by one of our panel of Piper experts (tbd as dates are confirmed)

Entry to the exhibition (£5) and a catalogue (£15) is included in the price of the reception. The catalogue is a collectable item which will include pictures of all the works and commentary from renowned Piper authorities on each aspect of his work and key influences.

Guests will be offered a choice of wine or soft drinks on arrival and also at the end of the evening (with meat and vegetarian canapés if served). Alternative dietary requirements can be catered for if we are informed in advance.

It is possible to organise dinner at the back of the Abbey for no more than 50 people following the viewing.

Please email Piper@dorchester-abbey.org.uk for more information.