Inside St Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield

I was walking through Smithfield the other day and took shelter from the sun in the churchyard of St Bartholomew the Great. I noticed that the church was open so decided to pop inside for a look around this majestic historic building.

St Bartholomew the Great was founded in 1123 by a courtier of Henry I called Rahere. Depending on how you judge such things it’s the oldest church in London that has held continuous services. All Hallows by the Tower is built on the site of a 7th Century Saxon church and there was a church of similar age where St Paul’s Cathedral stands today. 

Rahere was an intriguing character being listed as variously a jester, minstrel, and a cleric. He was listed as a canon of St Paul’s cathedral in 1115. He embarked on a pilgrimage to Rome following the White Ship disaster in 1120 when the heir to the throne of England sank on a ship along with 300 nobles, barons, and sailors. The only survivor was said to be a butcher from Rouen. There’s a great novel about this incident called, The White Ship.

Rahere developed a fever during his pilgrimage and in the grip of his illness vowed to build a church for a poor in London if he recovered. On his journey back to London he had a vision of the Apostle Bartholomew who commanded him to build a church upon the ’Smooth field’, Smithfield.

You can see a gold statue of St Bartholomew called Exquisite Pain, created by the artist Damien Hirst, that is currently on loan to the church. 

Exquisite Pain by Damin Hirst, St Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield

King Henry I supported the building of the St Bartholomew the Great church, priory and hospital (which includes the chapel, St Bartholomew-the-Less) which started in 1123. The church was only partially complete at the time of Rahere’s death in 1145. He still resides in the church in a tomb that was rebuilt in 1405.

The Priory was dissolved in 1539, and the nave of the church was demolished. The rest of the church and priory were mostly preserved. The Elizabethan style timbered porch was the main entrance to the priory. The 17th century tower contains 5 medieval bells.

St Bartholomew the Great is famous for its appearances in a number of films – most notably Four Weddings and a Funeral and Shakespeare in Love.

This is part of my ongoing YouTube series on the Churches of the City of London

The East-West Passage – Stratford to the City via Bethnal Green

Fresh off the train from Ramsgate into Stratford International I needed to stretch my legs so set off Westwards. Cutting down beside the Copper Box Arena and along the Lea Navigation towpath I crossed onto the Hertford Union Canal – which connects the Lea Navigation to the Regent’s Canal.

I emerged onto Roman Road as the sunset started to light up the blocks of flats above the shops. I follow the ancient London to Norwich route through Globe Town and Bethnal Green to the junction with Shoreditch High Street, itself the Roman Ermine Street striking north through the Hertfordshire countryside and beyond continuing north through Lincoln to York. On the other side of this two millenia old confluence is the narrow lane, Holywell Street associated with the Shoreditch Holy Well and the Holywell Priory, although the site of the Holy well has been reported as being in nearby Bateman’s Row.

I’m sucked into the belly of the Barbican, escaping across the modern A1 North Road and down Long Lane through Smithfield. I always get the shivers passing across the ‘Smooth Field’ as this is where my namesake, John Rogers the Martyr was burnt at the stake on 4th February 1555.

John Rogers Martyr

My feet lead me to the road that links me to the place of the my birth, the A40, and where John Rogers the Martyr was vicar at St. Sepulchre. I pay my respects to the great heretic then head for the Central Line at Chancery Lane.