Visit St Margaret's and Westminster Cathedral

*** Please check this page closer to the time in case there are any last-minute changes (last update: 25 September) ***

Our visit will start at St Margaret’s, ‘parish church of the House of Commons’, next to Westminster Abbey. The church is associated with many famous people - for instance, Sir Walter Raleigh is buried under the high altar - and has a window reputedly part of Catherine of Aragon’s dowry.  We will not have an official tour but Ann will have information to share about the building. Please bring some cash to make a donation to the church.

There will then be some free time to spend as you wish.  For example, you can have a leisurely lunch (there are plenty of eateries in the area. NB the cathedral's cafe is down a narrow windy flight of stairs) or bring a picnic. If you like organ music, there is a free half-hour recital in the Cathedral at 1.15pm. Or for £5 (concession rate, buy a ticket in the cathedral bookshop) you can take the lift up the Cathedral's 200-foot bell tower and admire the views (you can also do this after our guided tour).  

We will meet up again at Westminster Cathedral entrance at 2.25pm for a tour with an official guide starting at 2.30pm. The Cathedral is the Mother Church for Catholics in England and Wales. Started in 1895 it is in a neo-Byzantine style with lots of mosaics and marbles. 

Travel

We will travel by train to Blackfriars (9.47 Baldock, 9.50 Letchworth, 9.55 Hitchin) then take the tube to Westminster. When you have bought your LALG ticket (not the train ticket) please email Ann and say where you will be joining the train, or if you will meet us at the Cathedral.  Please be careful which ticket you buy - you can buy an off-peak return but we will miss the 4pm deadline for some types.

Meet at the ticket barrier when we get off the train at Blackfriars. We will then take the tube to Westminster station, from where it is a 10-minute stroll to St Margaret's. There is nowhere to have a proper coffee stop but there are public toilets in Westminster station (pay by card, no prices given) and some take-away shops.

Westminster Cathedral is about a kilometre from the church: the 2 buildings are at opposite ends of Victoria Street. You can walk or get the bus.

Afterwards, the organiser will escort you to Victoria tube station, almost opposite the cathedral, from where you can return home or spend the evening in London. 

Tickets

Tickets can be booked here,  £5pp, LALG members only. (To buy one, log onto the LALG website then click on the link at the beginning of this section.  Make sure you click through the pre-authorisation screen and then the registration (payment) screen - you will get a reference number when your payment has gone through. Don't worry if your card company asks for £0 authorisation - the correct amount will show on the next LALG screen and will be the amount you finally approve and will be deducted. You will also get a confirmation email.)  All money will go to the Cathedral.

Please remember that a refund will not be given if you drop out for any reason unless someone from the waiting list (if we have one) takes your place.