London wedding photographer at St. Etheldreda's Church

St. Etheldreda's Church wedding photographer London

St. Etheldreda's Church, 14 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6RY Tel: 020 7405 1061  

Sitting in the heart of the City of London in Ely Place, next to the gold, silver and diamonds of Hatton Garden stands St Etheldreda's Church a place of peace and tranquility and a spiritual sanctuary of the Middle Ages. The oldest Catholic church in England, it was the town chapel of the Bishops of Ely from 1250 to 1570 sitting in a palace of substantial grounds and it was then one of the most important and influential places in London.

St. Etheldreda's Church - a brief history

Princess Etheldreda was born in 630 and was an important member of the ruling family of the Kingdom of East Anglia. After confrontation with King Egfrith she fled to Ely where she founded a religious community and built a grand church on the ruins of a former one.

The present church was built in 1290 and with the calling of Parliament in the mid 13th Century the Bishops of Ely required a residence in London and so the Bishop of Ely set out to build a magnificent palace. From 1316 onwards the palace was added along with orchards, vineyards gardens and agricultural land spreading over some 58 acres and Medieval chronicles describe the wonderful fields of saffron and strawberries that grew there, indeed the latter was directly referred to in Shakespeare's Richard lll by the Duke of Gloucester to the Bishop of Ely.

In the Great Fire of London in 1666 under an arch of fire a mile long London lost many of its churches and houses however when it reached St Etheldreda's Church the wind changed direction and it was saved though by the time the fire had finished two thirds of London had been destroyed. The next hundred years however saw the palace let run to ruin and in 1772 after a sale of the property all the buildings apart from the chapel were demolished and the present day Ely Place was built in 1775 along with modernisation of the church.

The area around St Etheldreda's Church provided much material for Charles Dickens it becoming notorious for it's slums and poverty. The Artful Dodger took Oliver Twist to Saffon Hill, Ely's former saffron fields nearby to which was Fagan's Den. The chapel was sold in 1873 and with centuries of past building work removed much of the ancient 13th Century features were restored and are there to be admired today.
 

Wedding photography at St. Etheldreda's Church and The Crypt

For the history appreciating wedding photographer this great historical London wedding venue has a lovely range of wedding photography opportunities starting from the long flagstone corridor that leads into the Church from the main door in Ely Place.

Then of course there is the wonderful Chapel itself. As well as the many coats of arms plaques and inscriptions that can be found on these ancient walls there is the stunning stained glass window which provides a wonderfully bright and colourful backdrop for the wedding ceremony and the wedding photographs throughout. In addition, the organist and choir allowing, there is access to the balcony at the back.

For the group wedding photographs there is sufficient room in front of the church and for some more personal and romantic wedding photos of the Bride and Groom there are a number of gardens nearby that we know that provide a wonderful breathing space for the couple to help them relax and unwind before heading back to the evening celebrations.

The wedding breakfast and reception can be held in the dark and atmospheric Crypt a few metres away which with its candle lit interior provides plenty of interesting reportage wedding picture opportunities.
 

St. Etheldreda's Church wedding photographer testimonials

Hi Richard and Steve and Tina , Neil and I (or should I say 'my Husband and I') would like to say a massive thank you for Saturday...people have commented on how brilliant you both were (the words brilliant, fantastic and exceptional in reference to you both was used several times). You made our day extra special and relaxed and we are truly thankful. We both loved that you both have a sense of humour, our guests did too, so many wedding photographers are dull and lifeless, but you and Steve couldn't have been further away from that stereotype. We can't stress enough how pleased we are with you both and of course our wonderful wedding photographs. Karriane & Neil Marking, Bishops Stortford, Herts – St. Etheldreda's Church & Crypt, 14 Ely Place, London

St. Etheldreda's Church, 14 Ely Place, London, EC1N 6RY Tel: 020 7405 1061 
For more information and to check our availability for your wedding day at St. Etheldreda's Church contact us today