London’s oldest parish church.
Founded 1123
900 Years of English History in one building
A Victorian depiction of Prior Rahere’s vision of St. Bartholomew.
A more recent archiepiscopal visit from Stephen Cottrel, the Archbishop of York, at ‘Evensong in the City.’
The Tudor Gatehouse (and the 13th century archway underneath) mark where the Southern Entrance to the Nave would have been, prior to the Dissolution.
The Lady Chapel of St Bartholomew the Great, where Benjamin Franklin’s printing workshop once lived.
William Hogarth (1697-1764), The Good Samaritan, The Hogarth Staircase, St Bartholomew’s Hospital. The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us of our duty to care for the poor and the needy. Our founder, Prior Rahere, is depicted in this painting too, in the bottom right tableau.
Hugh Grant looking down the aisle of St Bartholomew the Great.
A Church for the Ages
~1-70AD
LIFE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW
St Bartholomew appears in the Bible as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is believed that he was present for the Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. After the Holy Spirit bestowed his gifts upon the disciples at Pentecost, St. Bartholomew is thought to have taken the Gospel to Asia Minor, Northwestern India, and Armenia. The last is where he is thought to have died, being skinned alive for his faith in Christ.
1123
FOUNDATION
The Jester in the court of King Henry I, Rahere, founded the Church and the Hospital after a near death experience and a vision from St.Bartholomew instructing him to do so. A list of the Priors and Parish Priests of St Barts, since Prior Rahere, can be found here.
Before 1180
APPARITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY TO CANON HUBERT
One of the miracles recorded in the Book of the Foundation relates the story of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Canon Hubert, one of the Austin Canons resident in the Priory. She berated the Canons for their laxity in devotion to her and her son. On the back of this, a much larger Lady Chapel was built at the East End of the Church.
1250
ARCHIEPISCOPAL VISITATION
The Archbishop of Canterbury arrived to demand taxes from the Priory, and despite being welcomed with a liturgical procession, responded with violence. When the Archbishops robes tore, it was revealed that he was wearing chainmail. The sub-prior and many Canons were wounded in the fight.
1401-1611
SMITHFIELD MARTYRS
Smithfield was a site of execution, and during the Reformation was the site of many martyrdoms. As many as 45 Protestants were burned alive at Smithfield, on the orders of Queen Mary I. There is now a memorial plaque in Smithfield in memory of those Protestants who were martyred.
1539
DISSOLUTION
With Henry VIII’s dissolution of the Monasteries, the priory was dissolved in 1539, the nave was demolished, and the rest of the estate sold to Royal Courtier Richard, Lord Rich.
Much of the estate was flogged off, but the priory survived in the form of a Parish Church, which it remains to this day.
1666
THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
St Bartholomew the Great survives the Great Fire of London because the old walls of the Priory act as a firebreak before the flames could reach the church.
1724
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
After arriving in London, a young Benjamin Franklin finds work in a printing workshop, which once was the Lady Chapel of the Priory until the restoration. This was bought back by the Church in 1885, and is used as our Lady Chapel once again.
1763
JOHN WESLEY PREACHES AT ST BARTS
After many City of London Churches were closed to him, the founder of Methodism found St Barts to be more hospitable. He wrote that he found St Barts “As much of real religion as was ever was preached there”. We hope that this can still be said to be true!
1822
CHURCH CLOSES THE PARISH WORKHOUSE
The Churchwardens, and the Church Vestry, were responsible for the provision of the poor in the parish and decided to close the workhouse to preserve the dignity of those in poverty as taught by Christ.
1939-45
THE GREAT SURVIVES WWII
As The Blitz rages on, the Church Curate, the Rev’d Newell Wallbank, kicks incendiary bombs from the Church roof, therefore saving the Church from bomb damage.
1994
FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL IS FILMED AT GREAT ST BARTS
Hugh Grant is (almost) married in this Church!
2023
THE PARISH CELEBRATES ITS 900TH ANNIVERSARY
On March 25th 2023, The Church celebrated exactly 900 years since the laying of the foundation stone of St Bartholomew’s Priory and and Hospital.
The Damien Hirst Statue Exquisite Pain on display in The Great depicts the brutal end of St Bartholomew.
Our Lady of Smithfield, as depicted in the Lady Chapel of St Bartholomew the Great.
A depiction of the burning of Anne Askew, protestant martyr, 1546. St Bartholomew the Less can be seen in the background.
Just on the edge of Smithfield, round the corner from both churches, you can find the ‘Golden boy of Pye Corner’ . In the words of the inscription on the statue ‘This Boy is, in Memory, put up for the late Fire of London Occasion’d by the Sin of Gluttony 1666.’
The Lady Chapel of St Bartholomew the Great, where Benjamin Franklin’s printing workshop once lived.
View of Little Britain showing V1 bombing damage, just feet away from St Bartholomew the Great.
A photograph from our service commemorating the 900th anniversary of St Barts.
Tom Holland
“St Bartholomew the Great will celebrate its 900th birthday in 2023. There is much to celebrate. It has survived the Black Death, the Great Fire of London and the Blitz.
W.G. Grace worshipped in it; Deborah Mitford got married in it; Hugh Grant was filmed getting (almost) married in it. As much as any building in London, it bears witness to what T.S. Eliot called the pattern of timeless moments. It is a precious place indeed.”