St Edmund, King and Martyr

St Edmund, King and Martyr

Photo of the church today
Country England
Denomination Church of England
Architecture
Architect(s) Sir Christopher Wren
Style Baroque
For the 9th-century King of East Anglia, Martyr and Saint, see Edmund the Martyr.

St Edmund, King and Martyr is an Anglican church in Lombard Street, in the City of London dedicated to St Edmund the Martyr.[1]

Contents

History

In 1292, the church is first recorded as 'Saint Edmund towards Garcherche',[2] and it reappears in 1348 as 'Saint Edmund in Lombardestrete'. John Stow, in his Survey of London 1598, revised during 1603, refers to it also as St Edmund Grass Church.[3]

This medieval church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, and Sir Christopher Wren built the present building 1670-1679,[4] with a tower designed like a lighthouse ornamented at the angles by flaming urns in allusion to the Great Fire.[5] The position of the church is unusual as it is orientated with the altar at the north, instead of east.[6]

The essayist Joseph Addison was married here in 1716.[6] The church was restored in 1864 and 1880. It was damaged by bombing in 1917.[7]

It has housed the London Centre for Spirituality and its associated bookshop since 2001, but is still a consecrated Church.

The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.[8]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ "The London Encyclopaedia" Hibbert,C;Weinreb,D;Keay,J: London, Pan Macmillan, 1983 (rev 1993,2008) ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5
  2. ^ London Guide
  3. ^ "In and around Lombard Street". City of London Essays. http://www.londonessays.co.uk/page4.html. Retrieved 2009-04-11. 
  4. ^ "The Old Churches of London" Cobb,G: London, Batsford, 1942
  5. ^ "London:the City Churches” Pevsner,N/Bradley,S New Haven, Yale, 1998 ISBN 0300096550
  6. ^ a b "The Churches of the City of London" Herbert Reynolds 2008 ISBN 1409713768
  7. ^ "A biographical dictionary of British architects, 1600-1840" Yale 2008 ISBN 0300125089
  8. ^ Details from listed building database (199590) . Images of England. English Heritage. accessed 23 January 2009
  9. ^ Illustrated London News, week ending Saturday 9th July 1864

External links