Arbroath Abbey grounds and exterior are currently open 10am to 4pm, 4 days per week (Friday – Monday).

Arbroath Abbey’s visitors centre was nearing completion in time for the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath when lockdown measures meant that work had to stop prematurely. As a result, the visitor centre will remain closed until the completion of the refurbishment.

Given these restrictions, entry to the abbey grounds will be free of charge until further notice.

Read the Declaration of Arbroath in the abbey in which Scotland’s nobility proclaimed their independence from England around 1320. Or listen to your voice in the sacristy, which has one of the longest echoes in the country. The abbey was founded in 1178 by King William the Lion, who was buried here. You can learn more about the famous declaration in the visitor centre.

Accessibility additional info

The visitor centre has step-free access and a platform lift to the first floor. There are large viewing windows and a virtual reconstruction of the abbey with an induction loop. Most of the Abbey is relatively level with grass and gravel surfaces. The nave and cloister have step-free access. The sacristy has two stone steps down into it. The lower gatehouse range has an audio-visual display with ramped access. The abbot’s house displays are reached via a stone spiral stair on several levels with a handrail from the first floor. The ground floor is accessed down a narrow ramp. There is an adapted toilet on site.