Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue Address
West Smithfield City of London, EC1A 9DS, United Kingdom
A service of readings from Dickens, together with carols he would have heard and known.

Many of the images we are familiar with in our Christmases today come to us from the Victorian era, and are associated with the works of Charles Dickens, and especially his book, A Christmas Carol. This service uses readings from that magnificent work, as well as other writings by Dickens relating to the season, and reminds us of his special interpretation and understanding of Christ. Meantime, the music for both choir and congregation is taken from the sources that were available in his lifetime, so that we both hear his words and sing the carols that he would have known. Even the Bidding Prayer and the Blessing are derived from the great man’s own writings. “God bless us, every one!” A special feature of this service is that we are joined by descendants of Charles Dickens, who contribute to the readings.

There is no cost to attend this service and there are no tickets, but we advise you to arrive in good time to avoid missing out. Doors open at 5:30pm.

Members of the Friends and of the church’s stewardship schemes are welcome to reserve seats at this service.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

St Bartholomew the Great

London's oldest parish church, with an excellent liturgy, a professional choir, and a vibrant congregation drawn from across London. Join us in person or online!

At the heart of the Smithfield area, with its Hospital, pubs, restaurants, and market, is a church built when Henry I, son of William the Conqueror, was King of England. It survived the Great Fire of 1666 and the bombs dropped in Zeppelin raids in World War I and during the Blitz in World War II.

Today the Church has a reputation not only for wonderful Romanesque architecture, but also for traditional formal worship, marvellous music and intelligent preaching. It has also appeared in a series of award-winning films including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, The End of the Affair, Amazing Grace, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and The Other Boleyn Girl. It has also appeared in a number of television programmes including Madame Bovary, The Real Sherlock Holmes, Spooks, and The League of Gentlemen Christmas Special.

Get in touch

Marcus Walker

Great St Bartholomew Parish Office
Church House
Cloth Fair
London

EC1A 7JQ

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Dickensian Carols

Occurring
for 1 hour
Venue
St Bartholomew the Great
Address
West Smithfield City of London, EC1A 9DS, United Kingdom

A service of readings from Dickens, together with carols he would have heard and known.

Many of the images we are familiar with in our Christmases today come to us from the Victorian era, and are associated with the works of Charles Dickens, and especially his book, A Christmas Carol. This service uses readings from that magnificent work, as well as other writings by Dickens relating to the season, and reminds us of his special interpretation and understanding of Christ. Meantime, the music for both choir and congregation is taken from the sources that were available in his lifetime, so that we both hear his words and sing the carols that he would have known. Even the Bidding Prayer and the Blessing are derived from the great man’s own writings. “God bless us, every one!” A special feature of this service is that we are joined by descendants of Charles Dickens, who contribute to the readings.

There is no cost to attend this service and there are no tickets, but we advise you to arrive in good time to avoid missing out. Doors open at 5:30pm.

Members of the Friends and of the church’s stewardship schemes are welcome to reserve seats at this service.

Mulled wine, mince pies, and other refreshments are available in the Cloister after this service – please do come and join us!

Safeguarding

The parish of Great St Bartholomew is committed to the safeguarding of children, young people and adults. We follow the House of Bishops guidance and policies and have our own Parish Safeguarding Officer(s), PSOs. The Diocese of London’s safeguarding pages contain vital links and information including contacts for the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor (DSA) who advise our PSOs. If you are concerned that a child or adult has been harmed or may be at risk of harm please contact the DSA. If you have immediate concerns about the safety of someone, please contact the police and your local authority Children or Adults Services.

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St Bartholomew the Great Charity No. 1163024