For those seeking Book of Common Prayer worship in London, St James Garlickhythe offers one of the most complete and consistent programmes in the capital. The Prayer Book is not treated as a relic of the past or a sentimental throwback — it is embraced as a living, deeply enriching foundation for our Christian worship. It is simply what we do.

We are part of the family of churches under the oversight of the Bishop of Fulham, and are affiliated with the Prayer Book Society.

A brief history of the Book of Common Prayer

The Book of Common Prayer was originally published in 1549; it was largely the work of the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer and was a product of the Reformation then taking place in England. In the Middle Ages, services were in Latin, and required a collection of books — the Missal for the Mass, the Breviary for the daily round of prayer, as well as books for pastoral services like Baptisms and Weddings. The spirit of the Reformation pushed towards a simpler form of liturgy, and for services and the Bible to be in a language that the people could understand.

Cranmer drew on many sources — the old Latin Sarum Use, liturgical experiments in parts of Catholic Europe, and the worship of the early Church. The result was a single book containing all the services necessary for the life of a parish church, conducted from then on in English.

Its reception was turbulent. There were riots in the West Country, and a second more radical edition appeared in 1552, before the Latin Rite was briefly restored under Mary I. Elizabeth I revived the English book with modifications designed to reassure traditionalists. In the 17th century some of the earlier rituals were restored, which led in turn to the publication of a Scottish Prayer Book in 1637, to the Civil War, and ultimately to the abolition of both Prayer Book and monarchy.

From 1645, clergy were forbidden to use the Prayer Book. Yet even in Puritan London there were those who held firm. The Rector of St James refused to abandon the beloved liturgy, and when he was deposed for this in 1647, his parishioners continued to pay him a pension. Even then, St James valued the Book of Common Prayer.

When Charles II was restored in 1660 the Prayer Book was revived, and after much deliberation a revised edition was published in 1662. It was a characteristically Anglican compromise — one that the more radical Puritan clergy could not accept, and they broke away to become the first Non-Conformists. But the 1662 Prayer Book remained the official liturgy of the Church of England until the late twentieth century, when modern alternatives were introduced.

With the rise of modern liturgies after the Second World War, some believed the Prayer Book was in terminal decline. But there has been a remarkable revival. Prayer Book services are increasingly popular, not least amongst younger people who find in its language and cadences something that contemporary worship rarely offers. Along with the Authorised Version of the Bible and the works of Shakespeare, the Book of Common Prayer stands as one of the greatest works of English literature — taken around the world and translated into numerous languages.

And with the exception of those thirteen years of suppression, St James Garlickhythe has, since 1558, known no other liturgy.

We would love to welcome you to a service. No prior knowledge of the Prayer Book is needed — a service book will guide you through everything.