St Bartholomew-the-Less
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Missing image St_barts_the_less_exterior.jpg Exterior of St Bartholomew-the-Less |
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St Bartholomew-the-Less is an Anglican church in the City of London. It is the official church of St Bartholomew's Hospital and is located within the hospital grounds.
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. 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 reside 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 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. The church suffered some bomb damage during 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. The plastered roof is an iron construction, installed by Hardwick after the original timbers rotted.
Famous people associated with the church
- Inigo Jones, architect: baptised 1573
- Thomas Bodley, founder of Bodleian Library: buried 1613