Facilities at St Augustine's Abbey

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  Parking

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  No parking on site. The nearest carpark is located opposite (parking charges apply at all times and are not managed by English Heritage). For longer visits, the Park and Ride carparks at Wincheap or New Dover Road are recommended.

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  Food And Drink

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  The gift shop sells a variety of hot and cold drinks, snacks, sweets and ice creams.
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  Picnic Area

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  You are welcome to bring a picnic to eat in the grounds. There are benches throughout the Abbey ruins as well as seating and tables outside the museum building.
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  Shop

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  Shop sells a large range of English Heritage gifts and books, plus a selection of light refreshments.
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  Toilets

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  Male, female and disabled toilets are situated inside the museum.
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  Dogs

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  Dogs on leads are welcome in the Abbey Grounds.

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  Museum

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  Museum contains artefacts and stone carvings found at the Abbey during excavations. There is a wide range of objects covering many centuries, including a skeleton and the costumes worn by actors playing King Ethelbert and Queen Bertha of Kent in a celebration of St Augustine's arrival in Kent. There is a short video which gives brief details of the different phases of building on the site accompanied by reconstructions.
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  Exhibition

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  The exhibition follows the story of the abbey and its inhabitants from St Augustine's mission to England to the excavations of the site in the last century.
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  Gardens

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  The ruins of the abbey and its buildings are set in peaceful grounds. While the majority of the site is only accessible by grass paths there are some gravel pathways within the complex of the ruins. There is also a beautiful view from the Campanile mound on the site which overlooks the abbey and Canterbury Cathedral is just visible in the distance.

  There is plenty of room for children to explore but parents should be aware that the ruins are hazardous with some sheer drops. No ball games allowed. Please do not climb on the ruins.

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  Audio Tours

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  Audio tour is included in the admission price. It describes the history of the site from St Augustine's arrival in Kent and the founding of the monastery, to the Dissolution under Henry VIII, the abbey's decline and then its revival in the 19th century.
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  Family Friendly

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  Baby Changing Facilities

  Baby changing facilities are available.

  Push Chairs Allowed

  Push chairs are welcome. However, please note that the rough terrain and steps in some parts of the site can make access difficult.
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  International

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  Foreign Language Audio Tours

  The audio tour is available in French and Japanese.
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  Commercial Photograph And Filming

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  English Heritage welcomes all photographers to our sites and we hope you will share your pictures with us on Flickr and Facebook. We do have some restrictions at certain locations, so if photography is your main reason for visiting, please call the site ahead of your visit to check if any parts of the site are restricted. We are keen to promote the use of our sites to location managers. If you are interested please go to (Filming Locations) for more information and contacts. English Heritage does not permit drone flying from or over sites in our care, except by contractors or partners undertaking flights for a specific purpose, who satisfy stringent CAA criteria, have the correct insurances and permissions, and are operating under controlled conditions.