St Bartholomew-the-Great
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The Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great, sometimes abbreviated to St-Barts-the-Great, is a medieval church in the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
's
Diocese of London The Diocese of London forms part of the Church of England's Province of Canterbury in England. It lies directly north of the Thames, covering and all or part of 17 London boroughs. This corresponds almost exactly to the historic county of ...
located in Smithfield within the
City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...
. The
building A building or edifice is an enclosed Structure#Load-bearing, structure with a roof, walls and window, windows, usually standing permanently in one place, such as a house or factory. Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, a ...
was founded as an Augustinian
priory A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. They were created by the Catholic Church. Priories may be monastic houses of monks or nuns (such as the Benedictines, the Cistercians, or t ...
in 1123. It adjoins
St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 by Rahere, and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by ...
of the same foundation. St Bartholomew the Great is named to distinguish it from its neighbouring smaller church of St Bartholomew the Less, founded at the same time within the precincts of St Bartholomew's Hospital as a
chapel of ease A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church architecture, church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently, generally due to trav ...
. The two
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
es were reunited in 2012 under the
benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...
of Great St Bartholomew. Today the buildings house a lively and growing parish with services taking place in both buildings throughout the week.


History


Medieval Priory

The church was founded in 1123 by Rahere, a
prebendary A prebendary is a member of the Catholic Church, Catholic or Anglicanism , Anglican clergy, a form of canon (priest) , canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in part ...
of
St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...
and an Augustinian
canon regular The Canons Regular of St. Augustine are Catholic priests who live in community under a rule ( and κανών, ''kanon'', in Greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religiou ...
. While at the Vatican, Rahere dreamed that a winged beast came and transported him to a high place, then relayed a message from "the High Trinity and...the court of Heaven" that he was to erect a church in London's Smithfield. Rahere travelled to
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and was informed that the area in his vision – then a small cemetery – was royal property, and could not be built upon. Henry I, however, granted title of the land to Rahere upon hearing his divine message. Rahere started construction on the building with the use of servants and child labourers, who collected stones from all over London. The priory gained a reputation for curative powers, with many sick people filling its aisles, notably on 24 August ( St Bartholomew's Day). Many miracles were attributed to occur within and without the walls of the building, including "a light sent from heaven" from its first foundation, and especially miraculous healings; many serious disabilities were claimed to be cured after a visit. Many of these cures were undertaken at the church hospital, the still existing
St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 by Rahere, and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by ...
.


Dissolution

The last Prior was Robert Fuller, the
Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
of Waltham Holy Cross. He was favoured by King
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...
, having been invited to attend the christening of Prince Edward, and did not oppose the dissolution of the Priory. While much of the hospital survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries, about half of the priory's church was ransacked then demolished in 1543. Having escaped the
Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through central London from Sunday 2 September to Wednesday 5 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old London Wall, Roman city wall, while also extendi ...
of 1666, the surviving parts of the church fell into disrepair. During Canon Edwin Savage's tenure as rector, the church was further restored at the cost of more than £60,000. The surviving building had comprised part of a priory adjoining St Bartholomew's Hospital, but its
nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...
was pulled down up to the last bay but the lofty crossing arches and
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
survive largely intact from the Norman and later Middle Ages, enabling its continued use as a parish church. The church and some of the priory buildings were briefly used as the third Dominican
friary A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...
(Black Friars) of London, refounded by Queen
Mary I of England Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain as the wife of King Philip II from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She made vigorous ...
in 1556 and closed in 1559. Part of the main entrance to the church remains at West Smithfield, nowadays most easily recognisable by its half-timbered, late 16th-century, Tudor
frontage Frontage is the boundary between a plot of land or a building and the road onto which the plot or building fronts. Frontage may also refer to the full length of this boundary. This length is considered especially important for certain types of ...
built on the older (13th-century) stone arch. This adaptation may originally have been carried out by the Dominican friars in the 1550s, or by the post-Reformation patron of the advowson, Lord Rich, Lord Chancellor of England (1547–51). From this
gatehouse A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the most ...
to the west door of the church, the path leads along roughly where the south
aisle An aisle is a linear space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, in buildings such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, parliaments, courtrooms, ...
of the nave formerly existed.


Later history

In the early 1720s, at the suggestion of
Governor of Pennsylvania The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a Typography, typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star (heraldry), heraldic star. Computer scientists and Mathematici ...
Sir William Keith Bt, the American polymath and patriot
Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...
worked as a typesetter in a printer's shop in what is now the Church of St Bartholomew-the-Great. The
Lady chapel A Lady chapel or lady chapel is a traditional British English, British term for a chapel dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus, particularly those inside a cathedral or other large church (building), church. The chapels are also known as a Mary chape ...
at the east end had been previously used for commercial purposes and it was there that Benjamin Franklin worked for a year as a
journeyman A journeyman is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that field as a fully qualified employee ...
printer. The north
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform ("cross-shaped") cruciform plan, churches, in particular within the Romanesque architecture, Romanesque a ...
was also formerly used as a blacksmith's forge.Parts of the site was occupied by squatters in the 18th century. In 1888, new parish school rooms, with basement rooms for youth clubs and a soup kitchen, were built on part of the former burial grounds. The works were funded by in part by the rector, Sir Borradaile Savory. The foundation stone was laid on 5 July 1888 by the Duchess of Albany.


Restoration

From 1889, the church was extensively restored under the direction of architect Sir Aston Webb.This programme of works saw the restoration of the Lady Chapel and fragmentary south transept and a new flint-faced north transept. The scars at the West end where the demolished nave had once joined was given a new flint-faced facade. The restored south transept was opened by
Frederick Temple Frederick Temple (30 November 1821 – 23 December 1902) was an English academic, teacher and Clergy, churchman, who served as Bishop of Exeter (1869–1885), Bishop of London (1885–1896) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1896–1902). Early ...
,
Bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...
, on 14 March 1891; and the south transept in February 1893 in the presence of the
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second child ...
,
Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, queen-consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 Januar ...
(Princess of Wales), Edward White Benson (
Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...
) and other dignitaries. The Priory Church was one of the few City churches to escape major damage during
the Blitz The Blitz (English: "flash") was a Nazi Germany, German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, for eight months, from 7 September 1940 to 11 May 1941, during the Second World War. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940, a co ...
. Charitable distributions in the
churchyard In Christian countries, a churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church (building), church, which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language and in both Scottish English and Ulster S ...
on
Good Friday Good Friday, also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, or Friday of the Passion of the Lord, is a solemn Christian holy day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary (Golgotha). It is observed during ...
continue a tradition established when twenty-one sixpences were placed upon the gravestone of a woman stipulating that the bequest fund an annual distribution to twenty one widows in perpetuity, with hot cross buns nowadays being given not only to widows but others. The Priory Church was designated a
Grade I listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
building on 4 January 1950. In April 2007 it became the first Anglican parish church to charge an entrance fee to tourists not attending a
worship Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity or God. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition of a God. An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, ...
,though this was discontinued and the church is open free of charge weekdays.


United Benefice

For a few years the rector of St Batholomew the Great church was simultaneously
priest-in-charge A priest in charge or priest-in-charge (previously also curate-in-charge) in the Church of England is a priest in charge of a parish who is not its incumbent; they will normally work on a short-term contract and have less freedom to act within the ...
of the nearby St Bartholomew the Less, though the latter retained its own
Parochial church council A parochial church council (PCC) is the executive committee of a Church of England parish and consists of clergy and churchwardens of the parish, together with representatives of the laity. It has its origins in the vestry committee, which looke ...
(PCC) and churchwardens. On 1 June 2015 the parishes of both churches were dissolved and replaced with the new united
benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...
of Great St Bartholomew. The Rector of the former parish of St Bartholomew the Great became Rector of the united benefice and the parish boundary follows precisely those of the two former parishes. A single
Parochial Church Council A parochial church council (PCC) is the executive committee of a Church of England parish and consists of clergy and churchwardens of the parish, together with representatives of the laity. It has its origins in the vestry committee, which looke ...
and churchwardens are responsible for both buildings. The parish church is St Bartholomew the Great, while St Bartholomew the Less is a
chapel of ease A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church architecture, church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently, generally due to trav ...
within the
parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
, the latter bering part of an eucumenical and inter-faith ministry to the patients and staff at the Hospital.


Features


The Clock Tower

The brick clock tower was constructed in the South West corner of the truncated church in 1628. It has a small timber cupola and houses the earlier ring of pre-Reformation bells that were cast between 1500 and 1514.


Rahere Monument

Immediately to the North of the high altar is the monument to founder Rahere. This is in a mixture of the
Decorated Gothic English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed a ...
and
Perpendicular Gothic Perpendicular Gothic (also Perpendicular, Rectilinear, or Third Pointed) architecture was the third and final style of English Gothic architecture developed in the Kingdom of England during the Late Middle Ages, typified by large windows, four-ce ...
styles. A painted effigy lies on top of the tomb under an elaborate canopy. It is unclear whether it is the resting place of Rahere's remains, or his monument, since it was constructed c.250 years after his death in 1144.


Oriel window

The interior
Oriel Window An oriel window is a form of bay window which protrudes from the main wall of a building but does not reach to the ground. Supported by corbels, bracket (architecture), brackets, or similar cantilevers, an oriel window generally projects from an ...
was installed in the early 16th century by Prior William Bolton, allegedly so that he could keep an eye on the
monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
s. The Prior's lodgings were adjacent to the South of the church. The symbol in the centre panel is a crossbow "bolt" passing through a "tun" (or barrel), a
rebus A rebus ( ) is a puzzle device that combines the use of illustrated pictures with individual letters to depict words or phrases. For example: the word "been" might be depicted by a rebus showing an illustrated bumblebee next to a plus sign (+ ...
or pun on the name of the prior.
William Camden William Camden (2 May 1551 – 9 November 1623) was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of ''Britannia'', the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland that relates la ...
wrote:
It may be doubtful whether Bolton, Prior of St Bartholomew, in Smithfield, was wiser when he invented for his name a bird-bolt through his Tun, or when he built him a house upon Harrow Hill, for fear of an inundation after a great conjunction of planets in the watery triplicity


Lady Chapel

Said to be 'newly built' in 1336, this extends to the E of the choir, with a crypt under its E end. The building was in secular use after the Dissolution of the Priory and divided into workshops and houses. Re-acquired by the parish in the late nineteenth century it was restored by Sir Aston Webb to something close to its original appearance, with much original stonework surviving.


Monastic Buildings

Very little evidence of the monastic buildings now survives above ground. Three bays of the semi-derelict c.15 cloister were restored and extended by a further five bays in replica in the 1920s as a war memorial the new work using the surviving medieval footings. The approximate footprint of the cloister quadrangle was recreated as a grassed area when adjoining buildings were redeveloped in 2019. The approximate extent of the monastic enclosure is defined by the modern street of Bartholomew Close and Cloth Fair. The principal remaining area of the churchyard is a raised garden on Cloth Fair laid out by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association's landscape gardener Fanny Wilkinson in 1885.


Associated organisations

St Bartholomew the Great is the adopted guild church of various City livery companies who host services there throughout the year: the Worshipful Company of Butchers (one of the seven oldest livery companies), the
Worshipful Company of Founders The Worshipful Company of Founders is one of the Livery Company, Livery Companies of the City of London, England. The Founders, or workers in brass and bronze, were incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1614. The Company is Trustee of charities ...
(whose Hall is beside the church), the
Worshipful Company of Haberdashers The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, is an ancient merchant guild of London associated with the silk and velvet trades. History and functions The Haberdashers' Company received its first ro ...
(incorporated 1448, one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies) whose Hall is on the opposite side of West Smithfield, the Worshipful Company of Fletchers, the Worshipful Company of Farriers (incorporated 1674), the Worshipful Company of Farmers (incorporated 1955). More recent companies with a connection to the church are:
Worshipful Company of Information Technologists The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, also known as the Information Technologists' Company, is one of the livery company, livery companies of the City of London. The company was granted livery status by the Court of Aldermen on ...
(incorporated 1992), the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers (incorporated 2004), the Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers (incorporated 2005), the Company of Public Relations Practitioners (incorporated 2000). The Priory Church served as the
chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...
of the
Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor (ISKB) was formed in 1908 in the United Kingdom and in 1912 received royal recognition, with Royal assent given by HM King George V for the Society to be called The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor. It ...
before the establishment of the Society's permanent chapel in
St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...
in 2005.


Film, television, radio & videos

The church was the location for the fourth wedding service in the film ''
Four Weddings and a Funeral ''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' is a 1994 British romantic comedy film directed by Mike Newell. It is the first of several films by screenwriter Richard Curtis to star Hugh Grant, and follows the adventures of Charles (Grant) and his circle of ...
'' (1994) and of scenes in other films: '' Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'', ''
Shakespeare in Love ''Shakespeare in Love'' is a 1998 period romantic comedy film directed by John Madden, written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, and produced by Harvey Weinstein. It stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Joseph Fiennes, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, B ...
'', the 1999 film version of
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a re ...
's 1951 novel '' The End of the Affair'', ''
Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn written in 1772 and published in 1779 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is possibly the most sung and most recorded hymn in the world, and especially popular in the Unit ...
'' (2006), '' Elizabeth: The Golden Age'' (2007), '' The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2008), ''
Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a Detective fiction, fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a "Private investigator, consulting detective" in his stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with obser ...
'' (2009), ''
Richard II Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward, Prince of Wales (later known as the Black Prince), and Joan, Countess of Kent. R ...
'' of ''The Hollow Crown'' (2012), ''
Snow White and the Huntsman ''Snow White & the Huntsman'' is a 2012 American fantasy film, fantasy action film, action-adventure film, adventure film based on the German fairy tale "Snow White" compiled by the Brothers Grimm. Produced by Roth/Kirschenbaum Films, Roth Films ...
'' (2012), '' Testament of Youth'' (2014), '' Avengers: Age of Ultron'' (2015) and '' Transformers: The Last Knight'' (2017). It was also used in ''
Taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
''. It was used by
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as a stand-in for
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
in its " royal wedding" advertisement (2011). It has also been the location for six
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
s of Libera. The
BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...
programme '' Choral Evensong'' has been livecast from the church, including a 2023
Evensong Evensong is a church service traditionally held near sunset focused on singing psalms and other biblical canticles. It is loosely based on the canonical hours of vespers and compline. Old English speakers translated the Latin word as , which ...
service to celebrate the 900th anniversary of the foundation. Since 2021 the principal church services are simulcast on the parish YouTube channel and remain available online for two months.


Rectors

Edward A. Webb's history of St Bartholomew-the-Great provides an account of each rector up to W. F. G. Sandwith. *1544–1563 John Deane (founder of Sir John Deane's Grammar School) *1565–1569 Ralph Watson *1570–1579 Robert Binks *1580–1581 James Stancliffe *1582–1586 John Pratt *1587–1605 David Dee *1605–1644 Thomas Westfield (as Bishop of Bristol from 1642) *1644– John Garrett *–1663 Ralph Harrison *1663–1709 Anthony Burgess *1709–1717 John Pountney *1719–1738 Thomas Spateman ( Prebendary of St Paul's) *1738–1760 Richard Thomas Bateman *1761–1768 John Moore *1768–1814 Owen Perrot Edwardes *1814–1819 John Richards Roberts *1819–1883 John Abbiss *1884–1887 William Panckridge *1887–1906 Sir Borradaile Savory *1907–1929 William Fitzgerald Gambier Sandwith *1929–1944 Edwin Sidney Savage *1944–1979 Newell Eddius Wallbank ( Prebendary of St Paul's) *1979–1991 Arthur Brown *1991–1993 David Lawson *1995–2016 Martin Dudley *2018–present Marcus Walker Several rectors served as
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
of Sion College: Thomas Westfield (1631, 1632), Thomas Spateman (1732), Owen Perrot Edwardes (1785), Sir Borradaile Savory (1905).


Music


Organ

St Bartholomew the Great had an
organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...
installed by John Knopple in 1715, superseded by an organ in 1731 by Richard Bridge. In 1886, this was replaced by the organ from
St Stephen Walbrook St Stephen Walbrook is a church in the City of London, part of the Church of England's Diocese of London. The present domed building was erected to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren following the destruction of its medieval predecessor in the ...
re-installed by William Hill. Modifications were made in 1931 by Henry Speechly & Son, in 1957 by N.P. Mander and in 1982–83 by the firm of Peter Wells. Specifications of this organ are detailed on the National Pipe Organ Register. but it is considered unplayable. The church is currently using a
Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...
digital organ for services, pending the commissioning of a new instrument.


Choirs

Unusually for a
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
, the Priory Church Choir comprises professional singers, directed by Rupert Gough. A
choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
of amateur singers, the Rahere Singers, sing for some
service Service may refer to: Activities * Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty * Civil service, the body of employees of a government * Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a ...
s.


Organists


Director of Music

In 2009 the roles of Organist and Director of Music were divided into two posts. *
Nigel Short Nigel David Short (born 1 June 1965) is an English Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, columnist, coach and commentator who has been the FIDE Director for Chess Development since September 2022. Short earned the title of grandmaster at the ...
2009–15


Organist and Director of Music

In 2015 the roles of
Organist An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ (music), organ. An organist may play organ repertoire, solo organ works, play with an musical ensemble, ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumentalist, instrumental ...
and Director of Music were recombined. * Rupert Gough, 2015–present


Sub-organist

* Ben Horden, January 2016May 2017 * James Norrey, 2017–present


Notable burials and monuments

* Francis Anthony * Sir George Hastings * John Hovyngham * Sir Rice Mansel * Sir Walter Mildmay * Prior Rahere


Notable people

* Sir John Betjeman Poet Laureate took a flat overlooking the church in Cloth Fair and considered the church to have the finest Norman interior in London.
John Betjeman Sir John Betjeman, (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architect ...
, ''The City of London Churches'', Andover: Pitkin, 1967. .
* 11th Duke of Devonshire and the Hon Deborah Mitford celebrated their wartime marriage here in 1941. * W. G. Grace, cricketer was a member of the congregation here *
William Hogarth William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraving, engraver, pictorial social satire, satirist, editorial cartoonist and occasional writer on art. His work ranges from Realism (visual arts), realistic p ...
, artist was baptised here * William Peryn (died 1558), Catholic theologian and Prior of St Bartholomew * Sir William Wallace in 2005 a memorial service was held for on the 700th anniversary of his
execution Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in ...
in nearby Smithfield, organised by the historian David R. Ross.


Folklore

The ghost of Rahere is reputed to haunt the church, following an incident during repair work in the 19th century when the tomb was opened and a sandal removed. The sandal was returned to the church but not Rahere's foot, and Rahere since then, as a "shadowy, cowled figure appears from the gloom, brushes by astonished witnesses and fades slowly into thin air. Rahere is said to appear every year on the morning of July the 1st at 7 am, emerging from the Vestry".


See also

* Sir John Deane's College * St Bartholomew the Less Church * List of churches and cathedrals of London * List of English abbeys, priories and friaries serving as parish churches


Footnotes


References


Further reading

*


External links


Official website

''St Bartholomew's Priory, Smithfield, Records; The parish: descendants of Rich and the advowson''

Friends of City Churches website

The Records of the priory and parish church
Two volumes of records, first published by E. A. Webb in 1921. Full-text, as part of British History Online.
Rahere's Garden: The History & Personalities of St Bartholomew the Great

Photo essay and history of the priory

Bell's Cathedrals: The Priory Church of St Bartholomew-the-Great, Smithfield
from
Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg (PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the oldest digital li ...

360 Panorama of Lady Chapel, St Bartholomew-the-Great, Smithfield

360 Panorama inside St Bartholomew-the-Great, Smithfield
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smithfield, Saint Bartholomew The Great 1123 establishments in England 12th-century church buildings in England Diocese of London Smithfield, London Anglo-Catholic church buildings in the City of London Grade I listed churches in the City of London Christian monasteries established in the 1120s Reportedly haunted locations in London Monasteries dissolved under the English Reformation Church of England church buildings in the City of London