Advice on attending an evensong service in London ....Sunday, June 16......thanks!
Posted by
Land of La
8718 posts
The above link makes note of churches holding evensong on your date.
If you choose Westminster Abbey or St Paul’s Cathedral best to go early to stand in line as countless other tourists will be wanting to attend like you.
If there is a church near your accommodation see if they have evensong.
St Brides on Fleet Street or the London Oratory near the V & A are two I like.
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
1832 posts
I always go to Westminster Abbey. On Sunday's it is earlier than during the week. Their website is very good. I would recommend going to it and looking around.
Posted by
Everett, WA
1290 posts
When we went in April, to Westminster Abbey, the "gatekeepers" were turning away people who wanted to go in. (The Abbey is not open to the public on Sundays) When I said we were there for Evensong, he waved us through. Apparently they are turning away tourists, and letting people who know they are coming to a service through (They were not telling people they could come in if they wanted to come to a service). Three years ago, I went to a 5:00 evensong during the week (The Sunday Evensong is at 3). and we had to wait in a line. The Abbey has closed by 5, so I guess they assume everyone is there for the service and they let you in about 10 minutes ahead of time. The nice part of going on Sunday was that we got there 35 minutes early, but they let us go in and be seated.
Posted by
SF Bay Area
311 posts
I always use this link for musical events and services:
http://www.london-city-churches.org.uk/cityevents.html
Note that it is only for churches in "the City", but we usually stay in Holborn. We have attended evensong at St Bride's, Westminster Abbey, and St Paul's (I've posted elsewhere that St Paul's was a zoo, w/people coming and going; I wouldn't do it again), and musical events and services at many other churches, including Temple Church and St Dunstan-in-the-West. One of the highlights of every trip is a lunchtime organ recital (usually free) somewhere in London. Enjoy!
Posted by
Land of La
8718 posts
@Laura. Many thanks for sharing the link.
I’m off to London for another Christmas and always enjoy finding a special time of the year musical event.
Posted by
SF Bay Area
311 posts
@Claudia, you're welcome!
We love visiting London in December! A few years ago we attended plainsong evensong at St Bride's, which was followed by Britten's A Ceremony of Carols (and then wine and mince pies). We enjoyed it so much I tried to time last year's UK trip around December 16th (when St Bride's had the same program), but I was playing in my own Christmas concert back home the same day, so we had to go before or after.
A funny story ... on this earlier trip, I was trying to take a short nap before the 6:30pm plainsong evensong/Britten service at St Bride's, but I had seen that there was also "said evening prayer in the crypt" at 5pm ... and that sounded so intriguing I gave up the nap idea, threw on some clothes, and scurried over to St Bride's. It made for a long but wonderful evening.
Also intriguing is the wide variety of Christmas carol services offered – from Austrian to Swahili to American-themed to French to bite-sized to ...
Posted by
OP
Pea Ridge
82 posts
Thanks, everybody!
Posted by
San Diego, CA, USA
472 posts
One more bit on St. Bride's: it's a beautiful small Christopher Wren building, & the professional all-adults choir is topnotch (we're professional musicians) & the repertoire terrific. That said, it's not the same experience as Evensong in a vast/ancient/atmospheric space. I'd lean towards Westminster, just 'cause it's so quintessential ("just"!). Maybe look at youtube videos to help decide what you'd most enjoy.
Have a great trip!
Vicki