St Bartholomew The Great

What St Bartholomew The Great does

St Bartholomew the Great (legally Great St Bartholomew, registered charity No. 1163024) is a Church of England parish church located in Smithfield, London, founded in 1123 by Rahere as part of an Augustinian priory and adjacent hospital. It is London's oldest surviving parish church and worships in continuous operation for over 900 years, surviving the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Great Fire of London, and the Blitz. The parish operates two churches: St Bartholomew the Great itself and St Bartholomew the Less (Britain's only church with a hospital — Barts Hospital — as its parish), both opened daily for worship, prayer, and visitors. Around 300 worshippers attend the average Sunday Choral Eucharist, rising to 600 at major services, with 700-1,000 additional weekly visitors exploring the historic site.

The core "products" are religious services (Said Eucharist, Choral Eucharist, Choral Evensong, Family Eucharist, livestreamed online worship), a professional octet choir supplemented by four choral scholars from Royal Holloway, the Rune Medieval Ensemble in Residence (2024-2026), an Artist in Residence programme (Elena Unger), a head verger-led guided tour operation, and school education programmes. Ancillary revenue lines include weddings (three liturgical options: 1662 BCP, 1928, Common Worship), christenings, venue hire (cloister 50-100 guests, main church up to 500), filming location hire (credits include Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sherlock Holmes, Napoleon, Mary & George), concerts and album sales, the Friends membership programme (£10-£45 tiers), charitable appeals, and capital campaigns (the £2.14M Eule Orgelbau organ project and £1M+ Repairing The Less campaign).

The revenue model is non-commercial: the church receives no funding from the Church of England or the UK government and relies entirely on donations (regular giving, one-off, legacy, Gift Aid, payroll), earned venue and filming income, and grants. Operating costs run at approximately £2,500 per day. Capital projects are funded through dedicated fundraising campaigns with named sponsorship tiers (pipes from £1,750 to £10,000; console at £100,000). Governance rests with a Parochial Church Council led by Rector Rev'd Marcus Walker (since 2018).

Name

St Bartholomew The Great

Legal name

Great St Bartholomew

Website

https://greatstbarts.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

St Bartholomew the Great is a 900-year-old Anglican parish church in Smithfield, London, delivering worship, professional choral music, weddings, venue hire, and filming services, funded by donations and earned income with no Church of England or government support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious services / Place of worship

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Group Travel (Church/Mosque/Temple) Organizers (THAKAHAH), Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Anglican parish church
• Heritage venue hire
• Filming location services
• Choral music programs
• Religious worship services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Regular Giving: The church relies heavily on voluntary contributions from congregation members and visitors to meet running costs of approximately £2,500 per day. Donation options include regular monthly giving, one-off donations, and legacy bequests.
2. Filming and Event Venue Hire: Revenue generated from hosting film, television, and music productions. The church has been featured in numerous productions including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sherlock Holmes, and Napoleon. Venue hire includes the main church, cloister, and St Bartholomew the Less.
3. Wedding and Christening Services: Fees from conducting wedding ceremonies and christening/baptism services with various service options including traditional Book of Common Prayer, 1928 Alternative Prayer Book, and Common Worship formats.
4. Venue Hire: The church and cloister are available for hire for concerts, carol services, receptions, and private dining. The cloister can host 80-100 standing and 50 seated guests; main church seats up to 500 people.
5. Friends Membership: Annual membership program offering benefits including free guided tours, special events, reserved carol service seats, and summer party. Membership costs £25 individual, £45 couples, £10 concessions.
6. Concerts and Music Events: Revenue from concerts featuring the professional choir, Medieval Ensemble in Residence (Rune), and other musical events. Album sales of 'This Spiritual House' recording.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St Bartholomew the Great operates as a traditional Anglican parish church offering regular worship services (Said Eucharist, Family Eucharist, Choral Eucharist, Choral Evensong), sacramental services (weddings, christenings, funerals), professional choral music programs, venue hire for concerts and private events, filming location rental for film and television productions, school educational visits, guided heritage tours, retreats and pilgrimages, and charitable outreach. It also runs a paid Friends membership program and dedicated fundraising campaigns for organ renewal and building repairs.

Product overview

St Bartholomew the Great operates as a traditional Anglican parish church offering religious worship services, music programs, venue hire, educational activities, and charitable outreach. The core offerings center on worship (services, sacraments, online streaming), choral music (professional choir, Evensong choir, medieval ensemble, artist residencies), venue hire for events and filming, school education programs, retreats and pilgrimages, annual events (Disputation, VE Day celebrations), and restoration campaigns (organ renewal, building repairs). The church also offers membership through the Friends of GSB program. The organization functions as a registered charity (No. 1163024) relying on donations, filming income, and venue hire revenue.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Worship Services Regular Sunday and weekday worship including Said Eucharist, Family Eucharist, Choral Eucharist, and Choral Evensong. Services use traditional Anglican liturgy (Cranmer, KJV Bible) and feature professional choral music. Selected services are livestreamed.
• Weddings Wedding ceremonies conducted at the church with three liturgical options: 1662 Book of Common Prayer, 1928 Alternative Prayer Book, and 2000 Common Worship. Professional choir accompaniment available.
• Christenings (Baptisms) Baptism ceremonies for children and adults, available as standalone services or within main Sunday services.
• Venue Hire Hire of the main church (240-500 capacity), Cloister (80-100 standing / 50 seated), Carol Services venue, and St Bartholomew the Less (100 capacity) for concerts, carol services, plays, receptions, and private dining. Licensed for alcohol with catering partnerships available.
• Filming Location

Quantifiable outcome

• 900+ years of continuous worship and community service
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eule OrgelbaucoreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2025Internationally renowned organ building firm based in Bautzen, Germany, commissioned to build a bespoke pipe organ for St Bartholomew the Great. This will be only the second Eule organ in the UK, following their acclaimed instrument at Magdalen College, Oxford. The organ is scheduled for completion in March 2028 with over 5,000 pipes.
• JC JourneysminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Travel partner organizing the Nicaea 1700 pilgrimage (June 2025) marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. The pilgrimage visits sites of the seven Ecumenical Councils across Asia Minor.
• Culture MileminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Eleven Twenty Three contemporary art exhibition (2023), celebrating the church's 900th anniversary.
• The Worshipful Company of Painter-StainersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Eleven Twenty Three contemporary art exhibition (2023).
• Royal Holloway, University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing four choral scholars who join the professional choir ensemble for Sunday morning services during academic terms. Supports professional development for young vocalists.
• Rune (Medieval Ensemble)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRune is appointed as Medieval Ensemble in Residence for a two-year residency (2024-2026), presenting concerts, discussions, and liturgical explorations. Ensemble of five musicians dedicated to medieval music.
• Brighton Early Music FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly music organization that helped establish the Rune ensemble through their Live! Young Artist Scheme. Also supported by the Continuo Foundation.
• Whitechapel MissioncoreOthersAnnual charity partner serving the homeless since 1876. Church volunteers cook and serve breakfast (350+ people daily), conduct Christmas carol collections, and organize Advent appeals with donations of clothing and hygiene products.
• Barts Hospital (Barts Health NHS Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt Bartholomew the Less is Britain's only church with a hospital as its parish. Provides chaplaincy and spiritual care services to patients, staff, and visitors. The church has remained open throughout COVID as a sanctuary.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• All Hallows by the Tower: City of London parish church claiming to be the oldest in the City, with heritage tourism, concerts, weddings and school visits. Comparable as a competing historic City parish competing for the same visitor and wedding market.
• St Martin-in-the-Fields: London church at Trafalgar Square famous for ticketed concerts, the work of its charitable arm (St Martin-in-the-Fields Charity) supporting homeless people, and a strong venue-hire / commercial events operation. Highly comparable operating model combining worship, music, charity and venue hire.
• Westminster Abbey: London's other iconic historic place of worship and a Royal Peculiar with continuous worship for over 1,000 years. Directly comparable as a heritage church combining daily worship, venue hire, ticketed events, concerts, school visits and substantial donation/legacy income.
• Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford: Historic English cathedral with a world-renowned choir, significant filming heritage (Harry Potter, Brideshead Revisited) and concert programming. Comparable for the combination of medieval architecture, professional choral tradition and film location revenue.
• Christ Church Spitalfields: Grade I listed Hawksmoor church in London's East End with active parish life, professional-grade concerts and a strong heritage tourism draw. Comparable as a historic City-fringe parish leveraging a single landmark building for worship and commercial hire.
• Temple Church: Historic City of London church with strong filming credentials (notably as a courtroom in The Da Vinci Code and other productions) and a professional choir. Closely comparable for the combination of medieval architecture, City of London location and film location revenue stream.
• St Paul's Cathedral: Major London Anglican cathedral offering worship, concerts, venue hire, school programmes, tourism and a comparable film-footprint (e.g. royal weddings, Royal Mass). Closely parallels St Bart's mix of heritage asset, professional music, commercial hire and donation-driven operations.
• Southwark Cathedral: Historic Anglican cathedral in London with professional choir, concerts, venue hire, weddings, school education programmes and active charitable outreach. Closely matches St Bart's operating model as a working heritage parish with significant commercial hire and music programming.

Broad incumbents

• Westminster Cathedral: Mother church of Roman Catholics in England and Wales, located adjacent to Westminster Abbey. Comparable as a major London heritage venue for worship, concerts, school visits and tourism, though operated as a cathedral rather than a parish and denominationally distinct.

Regional players

• St Mary Aldermary: City of London Wren-era church with active worship, small-scale concerts and venue hire. Comparable as another historic City of London parish competing for similar weddings, visitors and occasional filming enquiries within the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-bartholomew-the-great

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about St Bartholomew The Great