Memorial of the month
Learn about the lives and legacies of those remembered in the Abbey and discover how people from all walks of life have ended up in the nation's church.
Join a member of staff at 10:30am every Tuesday and Thursday during visitor opening hours for a 10-minute talk about one of the thousands of memorials or graves that can be found around the Abbey. Please be aware this offer can be subject to cancellation at short notice.
These talks are available to those with a ticket to visit Westminster Abbey.
On 4th October 1979, a memorial to Captain James Cook, Sir Francis Drake, and Sir Francis Chichester was unveiled in the South Cloister of Westminster Abbey. Known as the Navigators' Memorial, it honours these three remarkable men, each of whom circumnavigated the globe by sea in different eras, leaving a legacy in the history of exploration.
Join a member of the Abbey team for a short 10-minute talk that will explore the stories behind the Navigators' Memorial and the significant feat of these three seafaring pioneers.
Talks will take place at 10:30am every Tuesday and Thursday, except Thursday 10th July, during visitor opening hours. We will meet in Poets’ Corner.
As a notable member of the British aristocracy during the 18th century, Mary was not only a significant heiress with a vast fortune but also a woman of diverse accomplishments. She developed considerable expertise in botany, a significant achievement in her time despite facing profound personal challenges, including a cruelly abusive marriage.
Join a member of the Abbey team in Poets' Corner for a short 10-minute talk exploring Mary Eleanor Bowes' story as an early pioneer for women's rights, particularly in the context of divorce and in the world of botany.
Talks will take place at 10:30am every Tuesday and Thursday during visitor opening hours. Look out for signage in the Abbey that will highlight the location of the talk.
