Tribute to the memory of Sir Christopher Wren by Charles Robert Cockerell , showing an array of Wren's churches from around London imagined togetherSir Christopher Wren was 33 years old and near the beginning of his career as an architect when the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed many of the city's public buildings, including 88 of its parish churches. Wren's office was commissioned to build 51 replacement churches and St Paul's Cathedral . Many of these buildings survive to this day; others have been substantially altered or rebuilt. Some others were completely or partially destroyed during the German Blitz of 1940–41; others were demolished for different reasons.
Churches in the City of London
Many of Wren's churches were demolished as the population of the City of London declined in the 19th century and more were destroyed or damaged during the Blitz.
Survived in original form
Image
Name
Location
Date
Listing
Coordinates
St Benet Paul's Wharf Queen Victoria Street , Queenhithe , City of London 1677–83
Grade I (1950)
51°30′42.01″N 0°5′57.38″W / 51.5116694°N 0.0992722°W / 51.5116694; -0.0992722
St Clement Eastcheap Clement's Lane, Candlewick , City of London
1683–87
Grade I (1950)
51°30′40.77″N 0°5′12.81″W / 51.5113250°N 0.0868917°W / 51.5113250; -0.0868917
St Edmund, King and Martyr Lombard Street , Langbourn , City of London 1670–79
Grade I (1950)
51°30′44.62″N 0°5′10.68″W / 51.5123944°N 0.0863000°W / 51.5123944; -0.0863000
St James Garlickhythe Garlick Hill, Vintry , City of London
1676–83
Grade I (1950)
51°30′39.99″N 0°5′37.54″W / 51.5111083°N 0.0937611°W / 51.5111083; -0.0937611
St Margaret Lothbury Lothbury , Coleman Street Ward and Broad Street Ward , City of London 1686–90
Grade I (1950)
51°30′52.91″N 0°5′19.92″W / 51.5146972°N 0.0888667°W / 51.5146972; -0.0888667
St Margaret Pattens Eastcheap , Billingsgate , City of London 1684–87
Grade I (1950)
51°30′38.75″N 0°4′58.74″W / 51.5107639°N 0.0829833°W / 51.5107639; -0.0829833
St Martin, Ludgate Ludgate Hill , Farringdon Within , City of London 1677–84
Grade I (1950)
51°30′50.55″N 0°6′6.99″W / 51.5140417°N 0.1019417°W / 51.5140417; -0.1019417
St Mary Abchurch Abchurch Lane, Candlewick , City of London
1681–86
Grade I (1950)
51°30′42.02″N 0°5′18.05″W / 51.5116722°N 0.0883472°W / 51.5116722; -0.0883472
St Mary Aldermary Queen Victoria Street , Cordwainer , City of London 1679–82
Grade I (1950)
51°30′46″N 0°05′36″W / 51.51278°N 0.09333°W / 51.51278; -0.09333
St Michael's Cornhill Cornhill , Cornhill , City of London 1669–72
Grade I (1950)
51°30′47.50″N 0°5′7.68″W / 51.5131944°N 0.0854667°W / 51.5131944; -0.0854667
St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Churchyard, Castle Baynard , City of London
1675-1711
Grade I (1950)
51°30′49″N 0°05′53″W / 51.51361°N 0.09806°W / 51.51361; -0.09806
St Peter upon Cornhill Cornhill , Cornhill , City of London 1677–84
Grade I (1950)
51°30′47.7″N 0°5′4.5″W / 51.513250°N 0.084583°W / 51.513250; -0.084583
St Stephen Walbrook Walbrook, Walbrook , City of London
1672–79
Grade I (1950)
51°30′45.46″N 0°5′23.71″W / 51.5126278°N 0.0899194°W / 51.5126278; -0.0899194
Substantially altered before the Blitz
Substantially rebuilt after the Blitz
The Blitz in 1940–1941 damaged nearly all the churches in the City of London and many were nearly destroyed leaving just the outer walls and tower. However most of them were rebuilt to Wren's original design.
Image
Name
Location
Date
Listing
Comment
Coordinates
St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe Queen Victoria Street , Castle Baynard , City of London 1685–95
Grade I (1950)
rededicated in 1961
51°30′44.44″N 0°6′4.89″W / 51.5123444°N 0.1013583°W / 51.5123444; -0.1013583
St Andrew, Holborn Holborn Viaduct , Farringdon Without , City of London 1686–87
Grade I (1950)
re-opened in 1961
51°31′2.10″N 0°6′24.14″W / 51.5172500°N 0.1067056°W / 51.5172500; -0.1067056
St Anne and St Agnes Gresham Street , Aldersgate , City of London 1676–87
Grade I (1950)
rededicated in 1966
51°30′59″N 0°5′47″W / 51.51639°N 0.09639°W / 51.51639; -0.09639
St Bride's Church Fleet Street , Castle Baynard , City of London 1670–84
Grade I (1950)
rededicated in 1957
51°30′50″N 0°6′21″W / 51.51389°N 0.10583°W / 51.51389; -0.10583
St Lawrence Jewry Gresham Street , Cheap , City of London 1670–86
Grade I (1950)
restored in 1957
51°30′55″N 0°05′33″W / 51.5152°N 0.0925°W / 51.5152; -0.0925
St Mary-le-Bow Cheapside , Cordwainer , City of London 1670–83
Grade I (1950)
reconsecrated in 1964
51°30′50″N 0°05′37″W / 51.51389°N 0.09361°W / 51.51389; -0.09361
St Michael Paternoster Royal College Hill, Dowgate , City of London
1686–94
Grade I (1950)
restored in 1966–8
51°30′40.22″N 0°5′31.76″W / 51.5111722°N 0.0921556°W / 51.5111722; -0.0921556
St Nicholas Cole Abbey Queen Victoria Street , Bread Street Ward , City of London 1671–81
Grade I (1950)
reconsecrated in 1962
51°30′43″N 0°5′48″W / 51.51194°N 0.09667°W / 51.51194; -0.09667
St Vedast Foster Lane Foster Lane , Cheap , City of London 1670–97
Grade I (1950)
restored by 1962
51°30′53.56″N 0°5′46.08″W / 51.5148778°N 0.0961333°W / 51.5148778; -0.0961333
Tower remaining
These churches were destroyed in the Blitz or demolished in the 19th century. Only their towers remained with perhaps a short section of the outer wall. They are no longer working churches.
Image
Name
Location
Date
Listing
Comment
Coordinates
St Mary Somerset Upper Thames Street , Queenhithe , City of London 1686–94
Grade I (1950)
Body of the church demolished in 1871. Tower surrounded by small garden
51°30′40.92″N 0°5′48.80″W / 51.5113667°N 0.0968889°W / 51.5113667; -0.0968889
St Olave Old Jewry Ironmonger Lane , Walbrook , City of London 1670–79
Grade I (1950)
Body of the church was demolished in 1887. Tower is part of an office building.
51°30′52.15″N 0°5′28.70″W / 51.5144861°N 0.0913056°W / 51.5144861; -0.0913056
Christ Church Greyfriars Newgate Street, Farringdon Within , City of London
1677–91
Grade I (1950)
Destroyed in the Blitz. The ruins are a public garden, the tower is private residence
51°30′56.94″N 0°5′56.93″W / 51.5158167°N 0.0991472°W / 51.5158167; -0.0991472
St Alban's, Wood Street Wood Street , Bassishaw , City of London 1682–87
Grade II (1950)
Destroyed in the Blitz. The tower is private dwelling
51°30′59.69″N 0°5′38.95″W / 51.5165806°N 0.0941528°W / 51.5165806; -0.0941528
St Augustine Watling Street Watling Street, Bread Street Ward , City of London
1680–87
Grade I (1950)
Destroyed in the Blitz. Tower part of St Paul's Cathedral Choir School
51°30′48.52″N 00°05′49.00″W / 51.5134778°N 0.0969444°W / 51.5134778; -0.0969444
St Dunstan-in-the-East St Dunstan's Hill, Billingsgate , City of London
1698
Grade I (1950)
Rebuilt in 1817–21, but destroyed in the Blitz. Ruins are a public garden
51°30′34.82″N 0°4′57.80″W / 51.5096722°N 0.0827222°W / 51.5096722; -0.0827222
Stones re-used
Demolished due to the Union of Benefices Act (chronological order)
The population of the City of London declined sharply in the 19th century, and the Union of Benefices Act 1860 reduced the number of parish churches. The surplus churches were demolished.
Image
Name
Location
Date
Comment
Coordinates
St Benet Gracechurch Gracechurch Street , Bridge , City of London 1681–87
demolished in 1868
51°30′42″N 0°5′6″W / 51.51167°N 0.08500°W / 51.51167; -0.08500
St Mildred, Poultry Poultry, Walbrook, City of London
1670–77
demolished in 1872
51°30′49″N 0°5′24″W / 51.51361°N 0.09000°W / 51.51361; -0.09000
St Antholin, Budge Row Watling Street , Cordwainer , City of London 1678–84
demolished in 1875
51°30′45″N 0°05′31″W / 51.51250°N 0.09194°W / 51.51250; -0.09194
St Michael Queenhithe Upper Thames Street , Queenhithe , City of London 1676–86
demolished in 1876
51°30′40″N 0°5′42″W / 51.51111°N 0.09500°W / 51.51111; -0.09500
All Hallows Bread Street Bread Street, Cordwainer , City of London
1681–98
demolished in 1878
51°30′47″N 0°05′42″W / 51.5131°N 0.0951°W / 51.5131; -0.0951
St Dionis Backchurch Fenchurch Street , Langbourn , City of London 1670–77
demolished in 1878
51°30′43″N 0°5′2″W / 51.51194°N 0.08389°W / 51.51194; -0.08389
St Matthew Friday Street Friday Street, Bread Street Ward , City of London
1682–85
demolished in 1885
51°30′49″N 0°5′44″W / 51.51361°N 0.09556°W / 51.51361; -0.09556
St Mary Magdalen Old Fish Street Old Change, Bread Street , City of London
1683–87
demolished in 1893
51°30′45″N 0°5′51″W / 51.51250°N 0.09750°W / 51.51250; -0.09750
All-Hallows-the-Great Upper Thames Street , Dowgate , City of London 1677–84
demolished in 1894
51°30′36″N 0°05′25″W / 51.5100°N 0.0902°W / 51.5100; -0.0902
St Michael Wood Street Wood Street , Cripplegate , City of London 1670–75
demolished in 1897
51°30′56″N 0°5′41.5″W / 51.51556°N 0.094861°W / 51.51556; -0.094861
Demolished for other reasons (chronological order)
Image
Name
Location
Date
Demolition
Reason
Coordinates
St Christopher le Stocks Threadneedle Street , Walbrook , City of London 1670–71
demolished in 1782
to provide space for the extension of the Bank of England
51°30′51″N 0°05′19″W / 51.5141°N 0.0886°W / 51.5141; -0.0886
St Michael, Crooked Lane Miles's Lane, Candlewick , City of London
1687
demolished in 1831
wider approaches were needed for the rebuilt London Bridge
51°30′39″N 0°05′14″W / 51.51070°N 0.087280°W / 51.51070; -0.087280
St Bartholomew-by-the-Exchange Bartholomew Lane, Walbrook , City of London
1675–83
demolished in 1840
to provide space for the widening of Threadneedle Street
51°30′50″N 0°05′14″W / 51.51376°N 0.0873°W / 51.51376; -0.0873
St Benet Fink Threadneedle Street , Cornhill , City of London 1670–75
demolished between 1841 and 1846
to improve the site of the Royal Exchange
51°30′50″N 0°5′10″W / 51.51389°N 0.08611°W / 51.51389; -0.08611
St Michael Bassishaw Basinghall Street , Bassishaw , City of London 1675–79
demolished in 1900
judged structurally unsafe in 1892
51°31′0.1″N 0°5′30″W / 51.516694°N 0.09167°W / 51.516694; -0.09167
St George Botolph Lane Botolph Lane, Bridge, City of London
1671–76
demolished in 1904
judged structurally unsafe and closed 1901
51°30′38″N 0°5′7″W / 51.51056°N 0.08528°W / 51.51056; -0.08528
Destroyed in the Blitz
These churches were destroyed in the Blitz and their ruins demolished afterwards.
Interior refurbished by Christopher Wren
Churches built outside the City of London
These churches were outside the area of the Great Fire of London .
Image
Name
Location
Date
Listing
Comment
Coordinates
St Anne's Church, Soho Dean Street , Soho , City of Westminster 1677–85
Grade II (1958)
The body of the church by Wren and William Talman was destroyed in the Blitz and later totally demolished; the preserved tower was built by S. P. Cockerell in 1801–03
51°30′45″N 0°07′56″W / 51.5124°N 0.1323°W / 51.5124; -0.1323
St Clement Danes Strand , City of Westminster 1680–82
Grade I (1958)
Destroyed in 1941; reconsecrated in 1958 after the Blitz.
51°30′47″N 0°06′50″W / 51.513107°N 0.113898°W / 51.513107; -0.113898
St James's Church, Piccadilly Piccadilly , St James's , City of Westminster 1676–84
Grade I (1958)
Destroyed in 1940; restored in 1947–54 after the Blitz
51°30′31″N 0°8′12″W / 51.50861°N 0.13667°W / 51.50861; -0.13667
Chapel of the Royal Hospital Chelsea
Royal Hospital Road , Chelsea , Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea 1682–87
Grade I (1969)
Wren designed the rest of the Hospital, as well.
51°29′11″N 0°9′28″W / 51.48639°N 0.15778°W / 51.48639; -0.15778
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