Song returns to Tintern Abbey
Imagine hearing the sound of monks singing again beside the soaring arches of Tintern Abbey. For over 400 years, the Cistercian monks who lived there gathered every day to sing Vespers, following the rule of Saint Benedict. On Sunday, the 13th of September 2026 at 3pm, that ancient tradition will come alive once more.
The Friends of Our Lady of Tintern, whose Chair is the Right Reverend Dominic Walker OSB, warmly invite everyone to this ecumenical celebration of Sung Vespers. After last year‘s service had to be cancelled because of severe storms, we are especially looking forward to gathering again.
Because restoration work is currently taking place within the Abbey, the service will be held immediately beside the Abbey on the Riverside. Thanks to the generous support of CADW, we will be able to worship as close to the Abbey Church as possible while the conservation work continues.
We are delighted that the Most Reverend Cherry Vann Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Monmouth, will be with us, and that the sermon will be preached by The Right Reverend Brendan Thomas OSB. We are also thrilled to welcome the Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey, together with the Newport Cathedral choir, whose music will help re-create something of the beauty and spirituality that once filled the Abbey each day.
The Friends of Our Lady believe that Tintern Abbey is far more than a spectacular historic monument. It is sacred ground, a centre of pilgrimage, where generations of Christians sought God in prayer and where worship still has its rightful place. The statue of Our Lady of Tintern is a reminder of the Abbey‘s rich Christian heritage and of the faith that has shaped this valley through the centuries.
Whether you come for the music, the history, the beauty of the Abbey or simply for a moment of peace and reflection, you will receive a warm welcome. Everyone is invited and there is no charge to attend or to park. Please bring a picnic chair or rug.
Before and after the service, visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase the Friends limited edition 2027 calendar, which regularly sells out, together with a selection of beautiful greeting cards featuring artwork by talented local artists. Every purchase helps support the friends in preserving Tintern Abbey as a living place of worship and pilgrimage.
We hope many people from Tintern and beyond will join us. For one afternoon, the ancient song of Vespers will once again echo through the Abbey, reminding us that while Tintern Abbey is one of the world‘s great historic monuments, it is also, and above all, a place where the worship of God continues.