Hidden away behind Westminster Abbey is a 465-year-old private school that occasionally allows the public to tour its buildings and grounds.
There has been a school at Westminster Abbey since at least the 1340s, although the current one dates its foundation to 1560, and parts of the buildings they use date back to the original tenth-century Anglo-Saxon abbey at Westminster.
Today, it’s one of those private schools that educate the children of the rich and powerful, but when they’re away, we mere mortals are also allowed in for a look.
Most tours will include stops at Ashburnham House, Little Dean’s Yard, School, and Dr Busby’s Library, but routes may vary depending on the weather, and they may need to restrict access if rooms are in use. The tours routinely involve climbing at least two flights of stairs.
Tours of Westminster School are released periodically, and they will be holding two tours on Tuesday 18th August 2026.
Tours cost £12.50.
The entry is via Deans Yard, which is the covered archway in the “car park” at the front of Westminster Abbey.
(Note – these are tourist tours, if you’re a prospective parent, they have open days instead.)