Narnia Goes to Church
Door Jam: September 22, 2025
The Door Jam is a place to squeeze in articles about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, their work, adaptations of their fantasy worlds, news from other franchises, and interesting articles. Unless otherwise stated, I’m not endorsing (or criticizing) any of these but merely sharing them with you.
Recently, Netflix’s Narnia has been filming out on the London streets and in a U.K. soundstage, but Greta Gerwig’s film recently set up camp in the oldest parish church in London.
According to their website, St. Bartholomew’s the Great has been worshipping Christ in their London location for more than 900 years.
Recently, they’ve also provided on-location filming for several movies, ranging from Avengers: Age of Ultron and Transformers: The Last Knight to Amazing Grace and What’s Love Got to Do With It. Narnia is seemingly the latest to join the list.
The church’s website said the building was closed due to filming from Sept. 9-17 (though they were open for prayer throughout that time). Narnia Web reported The Magician’s Nephew was that film.
What could the location be used for in Narnia? Since almost everything happens away from our world, there’s no scene in The Magician’s Nephew (or any other Narnia book) where people go to church. But, of course, Gerwig may have one of the London-based characters visit the church. Digory could go to pray for his mother.
Judging by the look of the building, however, it could easily pass for Charn. The fact that the church was shut down for a week for filming suggests it was something more extensive than a brief church prayer scene.
If there were a little more decay and crumbling structures, this picture of the church in Country Life looks exactly how I picture Jadis’ world.
The odd futuristic look of Jadis’ outfit when riding around London would argue against this classic aesthetic for Charn. But again, we don’t have any context for the costume worn by the stunt person.
With The Magician’s Nephew providing the opportunity for the characters to travel to other worlds, there also the possibility this was from some place entirely different or even in Narnia itself. No buildings in Narnia are mentioned in this story, but it could be a flash forward to King Frank and Queen Helen in Cair Paravel.
Sources:
Not Safe But Good
C.S. Lewis quote of the week
We forgive, we mortify our resentment; a week later some chain of thought carries us back to the original offense and we discover the old resentment blazing away as if nothing had been done about it at all. We need to forgive our brother seventy times seven not only for 490 offenses but for one offense.
Tumnus’ bookshelf
Books by or about Lewis or Tolkien
Demonstrating Lewis’s wide range of interests, Present Concerns includes nineteen essays that reveal his thoughts about democratic values, threats to educational and spiritual fulfillment, literary censorship, and other timely topics, offering invaluable wisdom for our own times.
Present Concerns by C.S. Lewis (ebook): $1.99 (85% off), paperback: $9.41 (41% off)
Other books on sale:
Poems by C.S. Lewis (ebook): $0.99 (86% off), paperback: $11.99 (20% off)
The Allegory of Love by C.S. Lewis (ebook): $1.99 (83% off)
English Literature in the Sixteenth Century (Excluding Drama) by C.S. Lewis (ebook): $1.99 (87% off), hardcover: $14.11 (-65%)
The History of the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (ebook): $1.99 (91% off)
The Fellowship Of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (ebook): $1.99 (83% off), paperback: $10.82 (46% off), hardcover: $18.99 (-37%)
Behind the Wardrobe
Sneak peek at the bonus articles
For paid subscribers below, another Oscar-winner could be joining Narnia, Netflix potentially using the Narnia-IMAX deal for other movies, Lewis and Jewish people, cultural apologetics, an ode to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, uses Lewis’ words to reflect on Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Tolkien’s perspective on technology and politics, a Tolkien signed book in English and Elvish, and more.
