St Sepulchre-without-Newgate

St Sepulchre-without-Newgate tickets: which one to buy

St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, officially the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, stands on Holborn Viaduct at the corner of Giltspur Street in the City of London, England, opposite the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, and entry is free when the church is open, usually on weekdays. It is the largest parish church in the City of London, and it is known as the National Musicians' Church, with memorials to musicians and a busy programme of concerts and recitals.

The church is a short walk from St Paul's Cathedral, Smithfield Market, St Bartholomew-the-Great, the Museum of London's area and the Postman's Park, with its memorial to heroic self-sacrifice, and the nearest stations are St Paul's, Farringdon and City Thameslink. Visitors interested in London's history, especially the grim stories of Newgate Prison, will find it rewarding. The church is active, with services and events, and visiting pauses during worship. Opening times are limited, so check before travelling. The church's lunchtime recitals are a pleasant break in a day of sightseeing in the City.

Visiting St Sepulchre-without-Newgate: what to see

A church stood here by the twelfth century, just outside the city's Newgate, and it was dedicated to the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, as crusaders set out from here. It was rebuilt in the fifteenth century, and its tower and porch date from that time. The church was badly damaged in the Great Fire of 1666, and it was restored, keeping the medieval walls and tower, although the interior was rebuilt in the style of the time. Its bells are the bells of Old Bailey in the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons. The church's history is tied to Newgate Prison across the road: an old handbell, the Execution Bell, displayed in the church, was rung outside the cell of condemned prisoners at midnight before their execution, and a bellman recited verses urging them to repent.

Captain John Smith, the English adventurer associated with the Jamestown colony in Virginia and with Pocahontas, is buried in the church, and a memorial window commemorates him. The Musicians' Chapel holds memorials and windows dedicated to musicians, including the conductor Sir Henry Wood, founder of the Proms, who learned to play the organ here and whose ashes lie in the chapel. The church also has a fine organ, and books of remembrance for musicians. The churchyard garden beside the church is a quiet green space, and the tower's clock faces look down on the Old Bailey across the street, where the prison once stood.

St Sepulchre-without-Newgate opening hours and the best time to go

The church is usually open on weekdays during the day, and it is often closed at weekends, except for services and events. Lunchtime recitals and evening concerts are held throughout the year. The City of London is quiet at weekends and busy with office workers on weekdays. The annual festival service of the Musicians' Chapel is held in November, around the feast of Saint Cecilia. Summer is pleasant for walking between the City's churches. Allow about half an hour for the church, and continue to St Paul's Cathedral. Check the church's events calendar for recitals before visiting.