Inside London’s Oldest Church - St Bartholomew the Great (4K)

A visit to St Bartholomew the Great in Smithfield - the oldest place of continuous worship in London.
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 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 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.

The artist Damien Hirst created a gold statue of St Bartholomew called Exquisite Pain that is currently on loan to the church.

King Henry I supported the building of the church, priory and hospital of St Bartholomew 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.
Music
Debussy_ Suite Bergamasque, CD 82_ III. Clair de lune - Mira Ma
https://share.epidemicsound.com/ftphix (affiliate link)