St Bartholomew-the-Less

St. Bartholomew-the-Less

Exterior of St Bartholomew-the-Less
Country United Kingdom
Denomination Church of England
Administration
Parish St Bartholomew the Less
Diocese Diocese of London

St Bartholomew-the-Less is an Anglican church in the City of London. It is the official church of St Bartholomew's Hospital[1] and is located within the hospital grounds.

Contents

History

The present church is the latest in a series of churches and chapels associated with the hospital over the past 800 years. Its earliest predecessor, known as the Chapel of the Holy Cross, was founded nearby in 1123 before moving to the present site in 1184.[2] At the time of the Reformation it became the parish church of the hospital and was given its present name. Its suffix, "the less", was given to distinguish it from its much larger neighbour, St Bartholomew-the-Great.

The church's tower and west end are 15th century, with two of its three bells dating from 1380 and 1420. They hang within an original medieval bell frame, believed to be the oldest in the City of London. George Dance the Younger created a new octagonal interior in 1793[3] within the shell of the medieval church. The body of the church was completely rebuilt by Thomas Hardwick in 1825, with Dance's plan being retained.[4] The church suffered some bomb damage during the London Blitz of World War II but this was repaired and the church reopened by 1951.

St Bartholomew's interior is small but surprisingly light and airy, chiefly due to Dance's addition of high windows in the church's lunettes. Its form is that of an octagonal Gothic vault fitted into a square by the means of adding open triangular chapels in the corners.[5] The plastered roof is an iron construction, installed by Hardwick after the original timbers rotted.

The church was designated a Grade II* listed building on 4 January 1950.[6]

Notable people associated with the church

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Betjeman, John (1967) The City of London Churches Andover: Pitkin ISBN 0853721122
  2. ^ Hibbert, C; Weinreb, D. & Keay, J. (1983) The London Encyclopaedia. London: Pan Macmillan, 1983 (rev 1993, 2008) ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5
  3. ^ Bradley, Simon & Pevsner, Nikolaus (1998) London: the City Churches. London: Penguin Books (reissued by Yale University Press, New Haven, 2002 ISBN 0300096550)
  4. ^ Tucker, T. (2006) The Visitors Guide to the City of London Churches. London: Friends of the City Churches ISBN 0955394503
  5. ^ Cobb, Gerald (1942) The Old Churches of London. London: Batsford
  6. ^ Details from listed building database (199825) . Images of England. English Heritage. accessed 24 January 2009

External links