It is amazing to learn that this year is the 468th anniversary of the celebration of View Day at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and I was delighted to have been invited by the Chair of Barts Charity and the Chair of Barts Health NHS Trust to this year’s event.
The evening commenced with choral evensong at the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great. This is one of London’s oldest churches having been in continuous use as a place of worship since at least 1143. The architecture is amazing and it survived the Great Fire in 1666, the bombs dropped in Zeppelin raids during World War I and the Blitz in World War II. It was interesting to read that the church has been featured in a number of award-winning films including Four Weddings and a Funeral and Shakespeare in Love. Choral evensong was beautifully sung by a small choir and the Rector’s sermon was highly thought provoking.
Following the service we processed to the Great Hall in St Bartholomew’s Hospital for a reception. The Hall is decorated with portraits and dedications to the early contributors to the redevelopment of The Hospital. Most striking is the portrait of Henry VIII at the West end of the room, hands on hips and glaring down at all who enter. The Walls are lined with the names of the benefactors that supported the Hospital from its re-foundation onwards. The names run from 1546 until 1905, at which point space apparently ran out! The amazing ceiling is decorated with gold leaf. Magnificent surroundings for a glass or two of wine and delicious canapés not forgetting of course the interesting speeches about the work of Barts Charities! A brief tour to see the new robotics and a beautifully decorated room for cancer patients who have undergone chemo-therapy rounded off the visit.
No comments:
Post a Comment