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Lacock
Country house with monastic roots, once home to William Henry Fox Talbot, inventor of the photographic negative
Lacock, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2LG
Opening times for 21 December 2024
Asset Opening time Abbey grounds 10:00 - 16:00 Car park 10:00 4pm/dusk if earlier Abbey rooms Great Hall Only 10:30 - 15:45 Abbey cloisters 10:15 - 15:45 Fox Talbot Museum 10:00 - 16:00 Courtyard tea-room 11:00 - 15:00 Stables café 10:00 - 16:00 Shop 10:00 - 16:00 Second-hand bookshop 10:00 - 15:30 The Abbey rooms are closed for winter from 1 November - 1 March, excepting the Great Hall which re-opens for Christmas from 23 November - 31 December
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Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £16.50 £15.00 Child £8.30 £7.50 Family £41.30 £37.50 1 adult and up to 3 children £24.80 £22.50 Group Adult £14.30 Group Child £7.20 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Bookshop
The second hand bookshop is located within the historic courtyard.
Plant shop
Plants, pots and decorative garden ware can be found by Visitor Reception on entrance to the abbey.
Café
The Stables Cafe in the village sells light lunches, snacks, hot drinks and cakes and is open weekdays and weekends.
Shop
The National Trust gift shop can be found in a beautiful listed building on Lacock's picturesque High Street, selling gifts and souvenirs as well as a range of local artisan products. Find a range of photography books and souvenirs in The Fox Talbot Museum.
Car park
Tea-room
The tea-room in the courtyard sells light snacks, hot drinks and cakes. Please check opening times before travelling.
Dogs allowed
Dogs are permitted in the abbey grounds on short leads between September 1 - March 31 only.
Toilet
There are toilets located within the courtyard in the abbey grounds, and by the Stables Cafe in the village.
Blue Badge parking is available in the Hither Way car park. There is an accessible toilet in the courtyard and a RADAR accessible toilet in the village. Access to the Abbey includes steps and uneven floors.
Accessible toilet
Level access/terrain
Level access to shop
By road
3 miles south of Chippenham. M4 exit 17, signposted to Chippenham (A350). Follow A350 (signposted Poole/Warminster) until you reach Lacock.
Parking: Parking available in the Hither Way car park. Please display a parking ticket from the machines: members need to show a membership card, while non-members need to pay £5 either with cash or using the PayByPhone app. Once parked, follow the signs 200 yards to entrance.
On foot
Surrounding network of footpaths, including route beside Wiltshire & Berkshire Canal
By train
Melksham 3 miles; Chippenham 3½ miles
By bus
Faresaver X34/Chippenham to Frome (passing Melksham train station, close Chippenham train station and close Trowbridge train station) Search for Lacock timetables here: http://www.faresaver.co.uk
Plan your car-free visit with Good Journey and enjoy a free regular size hot drink when you show your bus ticket.
By bicycle
NCN4, 1 mile You can find bike racks in the car park, adjacent to the Red Lion.
Directions for groups
Travelling by coach? Follow the brown signs or enter Hither Way, Lacock. There are five coach spaces in the main visitor car park, coaches park for free. A closer drop-off point is available on request - please email lacock@nationaltrust.org.uk. Parking is restricted on busy days and Bank Holidays. No parking or dropping off on village streets.
Planning your visit
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Visiting Lacock Abbey with your dog
Lacock Abbey is a two pawprint rated place. Discover where you can go with your dog, what facilities are available for them and how to get the most from your visit.
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Group visits to Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot Museum and Village
Find out what you need to know about bringing a group to Lacock, from planning a school visit to coach parking and more.
Highlights
House
A country house with monastic roots and original medieval cloister, once home to William Henry Fox Talbot, photographic pioneer.
Garden
The garden at Lacock combines meandering paths through woodland and parkland with a historic Rose Garden, orchard and William Henry Fox Talbot's Botanic Garden.
Museum and gallery
The Fox Talbot Museum explores the history of photography, and Lacock's role within it, and hosts changing photography exhibitions.
Lacock village
A quintessential English village little changed in 200 years with streets lined with timber-framed houses and independent shops.
Stables Café
Inside and outside seating, serving drinks, light lunches and takeaway snacks and ice cream.
Shopping
Lacock's National Trust High Street Shop sells a range of beautiful gifts, including home and garden ware, food and drink as well as locally produced artisan products.
Tithe Barn
A 14th-century tithe barn in Lacock village.
Things to see and do
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Discover the history of photography at the Fox Talbot Museum
Learn about the history of photography at the Fox Talbot Museum, with a collection spanning photographic developments up to the present day.
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Visiting the garden at Lacock Abbey
Lacock Abbey's peaceful garden is a place to relax. Discover the Botanic Garden, greenhouse, orchard and woodland along with the sounds of nature at this green natural setting.
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Exploring the village at Lacock
Explore the historic streets of Lacock, a quintessential English village with timber-framed cottages and local shops. With its central grid of four streets, Lacock today looks much as it did 200 years ago.
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Family-friendly things to do at Lacock
Seasonal blooms, activity trails, medieval architecture and photographic discovery: have a fun-filled adventure at Lacock Abbey. Watch the gardens come to life, explore the nature and wildlife of the season and have a day of play in the parkland during the summer holidays. Explore the abbey rooms and discover the window with a unique link to the invention of photography, find out more in the Fox Talbot Museum and feel inspired by the latest exhibition.
Spotlight events
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RPS International Photography Exhibition
Celebrate Lacock Abbey's connection to photographic creativity and invention with the most recent exhibition to be hosted by the Fox Talbot Museum. The International Photography Exhibition is the longest running exhibition in the world. Run by the RPS, it encourages photographers and image makers of all ages, new, emerging and established photographers worldwide to submit work to the open call. This exhibition at the Fox Talbot Museum has been curated in collaboration with the RPS, with a selection from the last three years' editions of the exhibition.
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Christmas at Lacock
The lights will be twinkling at Lacock once more for Christmas 2024. The Community Christmas Tree festival returns to set the Cloister glittering with twinkly lights and handmade decorations. The Great Hall will be decked out in traditional decorations. Mother Christmas will be settling down to read another Christmas story, and you'll be able to post a letter in the Christmas post room and pose for a picture in the sleigh parked in the Courtyard.
Top trails
Trail
Lacock village walk
This easy walk takes you around the beautiful medieval village of Lacock, with quaint cottages, a ford for little toes to splash in and views of English countryside along the way.
Trail
Lacock pleasure garden walk
Let us guide you through Lacock village and over the remains of a long forgotten water garden. Witness some impressive views of the Abbey, not seen from within the Abbey grounds.
Trail
Lacock Lovers Walk trail
Discover the medieval village of Lacock, Wiltshire on this manageable circular stroll, which passes charming cottages, crosses a ford, and heads along the so-called Lovers Walk.
Eating and shopping
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Eating and shopping at Lacock Abbey
The Stables café is ready to welcome you for refreshments, while the High Street Shop stocks a wide range of gifts and souvenirs.
Places to stay
2 High Street
In the centre of Lacock village, this 15th-century cottage is packed full of charm and makes a cosy base for exploring Lacock Abbey and the countryside nearby.
Fishlock's Cottage
A simple cottage for two, in the heart of Avebury’s prehistoric ramparts and stone circles.
Upcoming events
Event
Community Christmas Tree Festival
The cloister is all a-glitter with the magic of nature at Christmas.
Event
International Photography Exhibition
Be captivated by artworks from the world's longest running photography exhibition, selected for Lacock in collaboration with the Royal Photographic Society.
Event
Storytime with Mother Christmas
Meet Mother Christmas for Storytime in the Lacock festive grotto. A cosy, magical experience to delight young visitors and get everyone excited for Christmas.
About Lacock
The Abbey, located at the heart of the village within its own woodland grounds, is a country house of various architectural styles, built upon the foundations of a former nunnery. Visitors can experience the atmosphere of the medieval rooms and cloister court, giving a sense of the Abbey's monastic past.
The museum celebrates the achievements of former Lacock resident, William Henry Fox Talbot, famous for his contributions to the invention of photography.
History
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History of Lacock Abbey
In its 800 years of history, Lacock has been an Augustinian abbey, a Tudor family home, a birthplace of photography, and a film and TV location.
Art and collections
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Treasures to see at Lacock Abbey
Three prized items in the collection at Lacock have been included in a special National Trust publication. Discover why they are so unique and where you can find them.
Our work
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Our work at Lacock Abbey
Discover some of the behind-the-scenes work carried out at Lacock Abbey, including how the high ceilings are dusted and how the Victorian clock is kept ticking.
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Lacock Abbey and Village stars on-screen
Discover why the Abbey’s medieval Cloisters and the village’s timber-framed houses have made the perfect location for many TV and film productions.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Lacock.