You can visit Worth Abbey, although the grounds and buildings are not open to the public.

Visiting the Abbey Church

The Church is open every day for personal visits. You can come for a time on your own, or you can attend a service. For the times of services, click here. To attend a service, simply take an order of service and sit in the main body of the church. Please note that monastic prayer is not suitable for small children.
For special information for visiting Worth Abbey in connection with BBC TWO's 'The Monastery' and 'The Big Silence' programmes, click on the appropriate link.

For a day

If you would like to bring a group for a day retreat, please contact the Church Administrator or see The Open Cloister, which runs a number of day and evening events

For a few days

Joining a group retreat

Although we are mainly Roman Catholic, we welcome everyone - we hope to have something to offer to anyone seeking God in the uncertainties of human life. While most monasteries have a 'Monastery Guest House' in which to offer hospitality (see below under 'Individual Retreats for Men'), at Worth we also have an organisation called 'The Open Cloister' that offers retreats as well as hospitality to groups as well as individuals, for both men and women. There is an extensive programme of residential retreats - see the section of this website on The Open Cloister Programme, and explore the 'weekend' and 'weekday' pages as well as special retreats for the young and families. All guests staying for a few days share the monastic timetable in the church. Unlike most other "Retreat Centres", you will be coming, not just to a pleasant building, but also to share in the experience of a living, working Christian community.

Individual Retreats

Small groups (families, men, women or mixed) as well as individual women retreatants are invited to stay in Compass House on a self-catering basis. Contact the Bookings Secretary of The Open Cloister.

Individual Retreats for Men

Individual men may stay in the 'Monastery Guest House' and eat with the monks in the monastic refectory. This facility is not run by The Open Cloister, but by the Monastery Guestmaster, Fr Alexander. Please see HERE.

For a lifetime

See Becoming a Monk

(For directions, see Travel to Worth Abbey)