While a Christian chapel by its origins, The Chapel of St Michael’s Within welcomes attendees of all faiths. The chapel is open every day as a place for quiet reflection, for prayer, or for simply looking around. There remains a Chaplain and Verger on site, providing pastoral and spiritual care to our residents, staff, and the general public.
Monday 11.00am
Contemplative Prayer
Tuesday 8.30am
Breathe and Begin
Sunday 12 noon
Holy Communion or Morning Prayer
For further information and details of services and events, please contact the Chaplain jacky.wise@stjohnsbath.org.uk
Ordained in 2009, our Chaplain, Reverend Jacky Wise, served a two-year curacy in South Cheshire, and before moving to Bath, was Associate Vicar in a large parish on the Wirral for eight years. Since moving to St John’s, Jacky has been involved in co-leading a small monastic community called Still Waters which is based in our Chapel St Michael’s Within.
Jacky has two children of her own, as well as two stepchildren, and a cat named Poppy. She is passionate about hospitality, running and baking, and will often bring in cakes for St John’s staff to enjoy.
Jacky can be contacted on on 01225 486411 or by emailing jacky.wise@stjohnsbath.org.uk
Early medieval hospitals, like St John’s, were places of refuge for people, and they often had chapels dedicated to a saint whose name was then given to the institution. At our Chapel Court almshouse, the original Norman chapel was dedicated to St John the Baptist, hence our charity’s name.
St John’s Chapel of St John the Baptist was rebuilt in 1717, becoming the first Georgian chapel in Bath. There was a close association with the nearby parish church, the original St Michael’s Within, and when the latter was demolished after falling into disrepair in the 19th century, St John’s chapel was rededicated to St Michael. It then took over the title of the ‘Chapel of St Michael’s Within’. The ‘within’ part of the name indicates that the chapel was situated within the medieval city walls (and therefore thought to be free from plague).
Two striking features of the chapel, dating back to the 16th century, are the timber bell tower built around 1580 and the clock on the eastern gable, one of the earliest public clocks in Bath. The box pews of the original church would have allowed for 60 worshippers, with almshouse residents expected to attend morning and evening prayers each day.
Refurbished most recently by St John’s in 2011 to improve comfort and access, the chapel remains an important historic feature in Bath’s city centre.
