Bermondsey history week

As part of their special history week, five classes of Key Stage 1 children ('the infants', in old money) from St James's School have been visiting the church to find out about its history.

First up, they viewed the Communion Silver from 1829, given to the church when it was built in the days when Bermondsey was a country village on the banks of the Thames, frequented by merchants  from the City of London.

At the end of the visit we descended to the Crypt (above) and learnt how it was used as an air raid shelter in wartime, and how the Vicar used to lead the people sheltering there in the third collect for Evening Prayer, very appropriate in the circumstances.

It goes like this: 'Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord, and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night for the love of thy noly Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.'

Earlier we ascended to the third floor, Pauper's Gallery, where less well-off members of the congregation, who couldn't afford the pew rents on the ground floor, were accommodated.

Fortunately, these days all the seats in St James's are free.

In the Pauper's Gallery, just under the church roof