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December 18, 2005
St Mary-le-Bow for a carol service
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the annual Carol Service of the Worshipful Company of Fire Fighters in St Mary-le-Bow in London. This is one of Sir Christopher Wren's churches, entirely rebuilt after being fire bombed and destroyed in the Blitz, with the reconstruction following Wren's original floor plan and decoration exactly. The famous bells were also damaged in the Blitz, but were recast and restored along with the church which was completed and rededicated in 1961. At that service the famous "Great bell of Bow" once again rang out and another generation of Cockney's could claim to have been born "within sound of Bow Bells".
The service itself was well attended by the Freemen, Liverymen and Masters of the Company and our guests, with the Bromley Ladies Barbershop Choir - despite their name a full choir of ladies voices - accompanying our congregational carols and performing a number of choir carols for us. As a new Freeman I was asked to read the first of the lessons chosen for the occassion - the Annunciation from St Luke's gospel - and this was followed by a lesson read by a new Liveryman (I have to serve for another two years before I can become one) and that in turn followed by a lesson read by a new "Clerk of Court".
Wine and mince pies followed the service and we had time to catch up with old friends, renew acquaintances, make new ones and generally share the fellowship that goes with our profession.
St Mary-le-Bow is an interesting building for a variety of reasons, for one, it has two pulpits - called Ambos when doubled - and is almost square in plan. The organ, a magnificent instrument, is mounted on a gallery at the West end and the layout reflects very much the churchmanship of the early reformation years in England. The Wren Church replaced a Norman one, the crypt of which is still there, having been restored. It is the crypt chapel which gives rise to the name of the church, for it has Norman "Bow" arches supporting the floor above. It is in this chapel that the Court of Arches meets to elect new Bishops and to confirm the choice of Archbishops of York and Canterbury.
The Court of Arches is a council of ecclesiastics which includes the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishop of Winchester, London and several other of the more ancient Sees. Technically, they may "elect" a Bishop, but the final assent comes from the Crown itself.
All in all, if one is visiting London, a little detour down Cheapside to visit this beautifully restored and historic church is well worth the effort.
Posted by The Gray Monk at December 18, 2005 11:35 AM
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