My photobook Bartlemas: Oxford’s hidden sanctuary has just been published by Argehane Books.
The details: 124 pp, 99 photographs, essay on medieval hospitals by Prof Ian Forrest. Available in paperback £20.00, or hardback, signed and numbered limited edition of 100 £35.00 (prices includes p&p in the UK). Orders taken now via my Contact page. If you live in the Oxford area you can buy the book in all the main bookshops.
Publication will be accompanied by an exhibition in the chapel 16-25 May 2026 to mark the 900 Anniversary of its foundation.
The tiny hamlet of Bartlemas can trace its origins to medieval times. The hospice and chapel were founded by Henry I in 1126 for the care of lepers, and for much of the ensuing nine centuries the site has functioned as a place for prayer and healing. Nowadays the working chapel is surrounded by playing fields, allotments and the edgelands of urban life, but its aura of spirituality, and aspects of its architecture, survive.
I have created images of Bartlemas and its surroundings over several decades. This book, published to commemorate the 900th anniversary of its founding, offers a visual testament to the enduring beauty of Bartlemas as well and to its impact on the locality and the wider city.
An essay on medieval Bartlemas by historian Ian Forrest complements the contemporary photographs, emphasizing how the influence of this ancient institution continues to resonate across the centuries.
Here is an article about the book by the blogger ‘The Oxford Sausage‘.
The Oxford Clarion describes it as ‘..a fascinating and beautiful study into the hamlet of Bartlemas.’
The Oxford Times said: ‘ ..[the] exhibition and accompanying book….. offers a visual testament to the areas enduring beauty and to its impact on the locality and the wider city.’ and The Tablet has given it a brief but charming write up too.
Advance review
‘A fascinating and moving exploration of an ancient place that harbours many histories. This is local work as a way of thinking about who and where we are. It’s rich with associative encounters between personal feeling and documentary evidence, past and present, trouble and refuge.’
Alexandra Harris. author The Rising Down: lives in a landscape
