What to expect when you visit Lacock

What your visit will look like

To keep everyone safe, we have social distancing measures in place which mean your visit may be slightly different than what you're used to:

• We are open for pre-booked visits only. If you arrive without a booking, you will be turned away.
• There is a sign-posted, one-way route around the abbey grounds and cloister. Please follow the signs.
• Toilets, including accessible toilets, are open by the Stables cafe (in the village) and in the abbey courtyard. We will be cleaning these throughout the day and may need to close them temporarily.
• The Stables cafe is open, seving takeaway hot and cold drinks, light snacks and ice cream (there's even doggie ice cream available!), but with no indoor seating.
• In line with government guidance, you will need to wear a face covering in both the Stables cafe and the cloister, please bring one with you.
• The abbey rooms, Fox Talbot Museum, greenhouse, Courtyard tea-room and High Street shop remain closed.
• You're welcome to picnic in the abbey grounds, but please take your rubbish home with you.

You can take a photo of the one-way route map at visitor reception, or download a copy below.

Parking at Lacock

Please follow the road signs and park in the Hither Way car park as usual, not on the village streets.

You don't need to pre-book your parking space, but please use the car park machines (which are cleaned throughout the day) to scan your National Trust membership card or pay by phone.

Arriving at Lacock

After parking your car, follow the one-way route 220 yards (200m) to visitor reception.

At visitor reception, please show your ticket to the National Trust team. If you're a member, you'll also need to show your membership card.

In order to maintain social distancing, please arrive at visitor reception within your 30-minute timeslot. Sadly, if you're more than 10 minutes late, we won't be able to guarantee you entry. Your entry will be at the discretion of Lacock's staff and will be based on visitor numbers and the ability to maintain social distancing.

Once you have arrived, you're welcome to stay in the abbey grounds until closing time.

Staying safe

To help keep everyone safe, please follow social distancing and government guidance when you visit, and look out for signs while you're here that will explain any changes to how you can access different parts of the site.

In line with government guidance, you will need to wear a face covering in both the Stables cafe and the cloister, please bring one with you.

If you're showing any of the symptoms of coronavirus, or if you've been in contact with anyone that has the virus in the last 14 days, please don't visit.

Bringing a dog?

Assistance dogs only are allowed in the abbey grounds, but there are dog-friendly walks around the village and surrounding countryside.

We'd recommend these routes...

Accessibility

The one-way route around the abbey grounds is mostly acessible to buggies and wheelchairs. The Rose Garden, orchard and pond paths are unsurfaced, so alternative routes are clearly signposted to help you avoid these areas if you need to.

The cloister is not accessible to buggies, wheelchairs or mobility scooters. An alternative route is clearly signposted.

Assistance dogs are welcome across the site.

Accessible toilets are available in the abbey courtyard and by the Stables cafe (in the village). The toilet by the Stables cafe requires a RADAR key.

We have 2 mobility scooters and 3 manual wheelchairs available to hire, for free, for your visit. You are also welcome to bring your own. In order to gurantee that one is available for your visit, we strongly recommend booking in advance. To book, please call Lacock's visitor reception team on 01249 730459.

Further access information is available in our access statement:

Booking your ticket

How to book

All visitors must book a ticket in advance, including members. Entry and parking is free for members, but please bring your membership card with you. Non-members will need to pay in advance.

• Please book one ticket per person, except for children aged 5 or under as they don’t need a ticket.
• You’ll need to choose a 30-minute arrival time for the day you want to visit.
• The timeslot is for your arrival time only 
• Tickets are for your use only and are not available for resale
• We'll send your booking confirmation by email. Please make sure you fill in your correct email address when you book to ensure you receive your confirmation email.

Every Friday we'll release new bookings for visits the following week. You can book up to 18 hours before a timeslot. 

Due to limited spaces, we’re asking that you only book once a week to allow others a chance to visit.

Help support key workers

To say thank you to our nation's key workers and all they have done for us, we're encouraging visitors to keep the first and last slots of each day free for key workers to use. While we are unable to 'reserve' these slots exclusively for key workers, we hope you will join us in thanking them by leaving these times free. If you or someone in your group are a key worker, please take the opportunity to book these early and late timeslots.