Is Westminster Abbey a Catholic church?
Updated October 27, 2026
Quick answer
No. Westminster Abbey is a Church of England church, and was a Catholic Benedictine monastery only until it was dissolved in 1540. Today it is a Royal Peculiar, answerable to the monarch rather than to any bishop, and the Catholic church with Westminster in its name is Westminster Cathedral, on Victoria Street.
The confusion is understandable. The Abbey was Catholic for nearly six centuries, its worship is in the Anglo-Catholic tradition according to Wikipedia, and two different great churches in Westminster carry the same place name. The Abbey's official name is the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster.
Church of England, not Catholic
Westminster Abbey is Anglican, part of the Church of England. It began as a Catholic Benedictine monastery, founded around 960 according to the Abbey's history page, and it stayed Catholic until Henry VIII dissolved the monastery on 16 January 1540. Wikipedia records that the last Benedictine monks were ejected in 1559, and Elizabeth I refounded the Abbey by a charter dated 21 May 1560. Wikipedia lists its denomination as Church of England, previously Roman Catholic, and its churchmanship as Anglo-Catholic, which describes the style of worship, not loyalty to Rome.
A Royal Peculiar: it answers to the monarch
The Abbey is a Royal Peculiar, which means it answers to the Sovereign rather than to an archbishop or bishop. Its own history page says it is governed by a Dean and Chapter, subject only to the Sovereign and not to any archbishop or bishop. Elizabeth I's 1560 charter made it a Collegiate Church with the monarch as its Visitor. The Abbey also says it receives no regular funding from the Crown, the Church of England or the government, so it lives on its own income, which includes sightseeing tickets at £32 for an adult.
Not a cathedral, and why
The Abbey is not a cathedral because it has no bishop's seat. A cathedral is the church that holds a bishop's throne, and the Abbey, as a Royal Peculiar, sits outside any diocese. It did hold a bishop briefly: in 1540 Henry VIII made it the cathedral of a new Diocese of Westminster, which was dissolved in 1550. Wikipedia adds that it then counted as a second cathedral of the Diocese of London until 1556. Since 1560 it has been neither a cathedral nor a parish church. The name Abbey is a survival from its monastic past.
The Catholic Westminster Cathedral nearby
The Catholic church you may be thinking of is Westminster Cathedral. It is the mother church of the Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster and the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster, on Victoria Street. It is far younger than the Abbey: built between 1895 and 1903 to a design by John Francis Bentley, in a neo-Byzantine style, almost entirely of brick, and consecrated in 1910. Its style is nothing like the Abbey's Gothic. The Westminster Abbey vs Westminster Cathedral page sets out the differences.
What that means for services
Services at the Abbey follow the Church of England. Choral Evensong follows the traditional pattern of the Book of Common Prayer, and the usual daily round includes Morning Prayer, Holy Communion and Evensong, with Matins and a Sung Eucharist on Sundays. Everyone is welcome at every service, whatever their faith, and services are free, through the Great West Door. Catholic visitors who want Mass should go to Westminster Cathedral instead. Times at the Abbey change at short notice, so check the Abbey's service listing for your day before you plan around one.
Frequently asked questions
What religion is Westminster Abbey?
Christian, Church of England. It was a Catholic Benedictine monastery until 1540 and has been Anglican since Elizabeth I refounded it in 1560.
Is Westminster Abbey Catholic or Protestant?
Protestant, in the sense that it belongs to the Church of England. Its worship is in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, but it is not in communion with Rome.
Who owns Westminster Abbey?
It is governed by its Dean and Chapter and answers to the monarch as a Royal Peculiar. It receives no regular funding from the Crown, the Church of England or the government.
Can Catholics attend services at Westminster Abbey?
Yes. The Abbey says everyone is welcome at its services, which are free and unticketed.
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