English Heritage

What you need to know

We've made some changes to help keep you safe, and things might be a little different when you visit. Here's everything you need to know.

• Do we need to Book?

  Advance booking is now essential. We have introduced limits on visitor numbers to help keep everyone safe, and you won’t be able to visit without your booking confirmation. If you’re a Member, your ticket will be free, but you still need to book in advance. Make sure you've read our ticketing FAQ before you book.

  Book Tickets

  Booking FAQs

• What parts of the site are open?
  • Abbey and grounds - All outdoor spaces will be open as usual.
  • Museum - The museum is closed. 
  • Café - Take away food and drink will be available. 
  • Shop - The shop is closed. 

• What changes have you made to your facilities?
  • Toilets - The toilets will be open. 
  • Car park - Please note that the Abbey car park is for visitors to the Abbey only, you will not be able to park if you are not entering the Abbey. 

  Plan your Visit

• Visiting Rievaulx Abbey after 16 May

  Rievaulx Abbey's interior spaces will open on 17 May, in line with government guidelines. At Rievaux this includes the café and the museum. 

  
  The café will open with indoor and outdoor seating, and it will also offer takeaway. The shop will also open.

  
  Face coverings are required within all of our interior spaces.
  We have additional Covid-secure measures in place including social distancing, enhanced cleaning and limits on visitor numbers.

   

• Keeping you Safe

  We've made a number of changes to help keep you safe. Although things might be a little different when you visit, you’ll still be able to enjoy exploring the places where history really happened. And you’ll still be given a warm and safe welcome by our friendly – if socially distant – staff and volunteers.

  You can visit our reopening page for information on general safety measures we've taken to help keep you safe.

  General Safety Information

• Do I need to wear a face covering?

  Face coverings must be worn in all indoor areas. We won't be able to provide you with a face covering, so please come prepared so you don't miss out.

• I still have questions.

  The answers to all frequently asked questions can be found on our FAQ page.

  Read our FAQs