London: St Bride’s Egg Rolling

Where:	London at St Bride's Church, Fleet Street
When:	Easter Sunday
Time:	6 am

While there are plenty of locations around the country with leisurely egg rolling on Easter weekend, at St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, their Easter Sunday Egg Rolling is a special event. Following the kindling of the Easter Fire at 6 am and the dawn service which begins in darkness, the congregation makes its way into the road outside and competes to roll hard-boiled eggs along it, dodging the early traffic all the while. The rolled eggs are both symbols of new life and of the rolled stone at the Tomb, and the winner is the competitor who rolls their egg the furthest . A prize (in chocolate egg form) is awarded to the successful roller, and a free breakfast is offered to all following the competition. The clergy and choir start the eggs rolling, then members of the congregation follow. The rolling must take a break now and then to allow the traffic to pass, and afterwards the road is littered with the remains of the eggs.

Helpful Hints

In 2025 Easter Sunday will be on 20th April. Some eggs may be provided, but visitors are encouraged to bring their own.

St Bride’s Church has a long association with the press from its situation in Fleet Street, and is known as the journalists church, as well as the church with the spire that has inspired countless wedding cakes (pun intended…). The ancient crypt is often open to visitors.

Click here for the church website: https://www.stbrides.com

and here for the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/stbrideschurch

Thanks to Peter Mason for drawing my attention to this event and for the photo from 2018!