Date/Time: Saturday, 2nd December 2023 at 19:30
Location: St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 4JJ
Price: £32 per person for those aged 65 and over, otherwise £35 per person
Event Organiser: Pete Wells. 7, Wayfaring Court, Safflower Lane, Romford RM3 0LQ
The Carols by Candlelight concert offers a full evening of music, carol singing, and festive readings, with enchanting performances of festive music including a few favourites for you to join in with. You’ll leave full of the joys of the season and ready to start your celebrations with family, friends and loved ones.
The choir will sing much loved classics Sussex Carol, O Holy Night and The Holly and the Ivy, alongside audience carols for brass and organ for all to join in with including Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, In the Bleak Midwinter and Once in Royal David’s City.
There is no official reference to a church on the site of St Martin’s until Norman times, when in 1222 a dispute was recorded between William, Abbot of Westminster, and Eustace, Bishop of London on the Bishop’s authority over the church. The Archbishop of Canterbury decided in favour of the abbot and St Martin’s, then surrounded by fields, appears to have been used by the monks of Westminster.
In around 1542, Henry VIII, as ruthless with the monks as with his wives, built a new church and extended the parish boundaries to keep plague victims from being carried through his palace. This was enlarged in 1607 at the cost of Prince Henry, the son of King James I. This church was pulled down in 1721 to be replaced by the current building.
The present church was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1726. It has become one of the most significant ecclesiastical buildings in the English-speaking world. In the 19th century, whilst planning Trafalgar Square, John Nash created Church Path and the range of buildings to the north. St Martin’s has always been at the heart of London, offering continued service amidst an ever-changing city.
St Martin’s has always been innovative in response to changing needs. From London’s first free lending library to the first religious broadcast, St Martin’s has broken new ground in defining what it means to be a church.
Additional Booking Information
Please specify the number of standard price tickets (required for those under 65) in response to the additional booking information as follows:
- 0 – no under 65 tickets
- 1 – one under 65 ticket
- 2 – two under 65 tickets
Please note that the online booking form and booking receipt email will show concessionary prices only. When the event organiser requests payment he will specify the required amount, including the uplift for any standard tickets you have requested.
Booking Cut-Off
Apologies for the short notice, but due to the popularity of this event all bookings must be received by 18:00 on Friday 13th October.
Event Booking
Please note that all bookings are subject to our Event Booking Rules.
The standard, printable event booking sheet is downloadable here.