Christmas Carols...

Wednesday evening marked my first Christmas Carol service for the season (I have two more scheduled in over the coming days...one can never attend too many Carol services in my opinion, particularly when they are held in gorgeous old churches lit by candlelight). Wednesday's service was held at St Bartholomew's the Great, in Smithfield London, located next to one of the hospitals at which I work. The annual service helps to raise money for the hospital's charity, which supports various clinical services in the hospital.

The church was founded in 1123 as an Augustinian priory and has been in constant use as a place of worship sine 1143. The extensive history of the church is easy to see in its spectacular architecture. The church is also frequently used as a setting for film and television - including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, Elizabeth the Golden Age, and Amazing Grace.


Here are two additional pictures so you can see the beauty of the church (better than I was able to capture it from my pew in the nave)...

Image via Daily Mail


Image via

After the service, all of the guests repair to the Great Hall in the hospital for mulled wine and mince pies (my first for this year!)

The hospital was also founded in 1123, by the prior of the abbey. The North Wing of the hospital in which the Great Hall is located was built in 1732 and is renowned for its Hogarth murals. The walls are decorated with plaques which list the various benefactors of the hospital over many years. And isn't the ceiling beautiful? Here is a close-up...

And so you can see how lovely this space is, here a few more images...

Image via

The Hogarth Murals - Image via

So, the Carols and minced pie have worked their magic - I'm now filled with festive spirit! I hope you are all enjoying these last days as Christmas approaches...