...is so rich in history, that even a shortish walk from London Bridge to the Bank of England yielded up four major Wren/Hawksmoor churches. The story of each has many layers...Saxon, Medieval, and then the Reformation...and the 17th century and the Great Fire...and then the Blitz... Many churches survived the Blitz - in 1940/41 the bombs were not such as to pulverise a church to dust although obviously much damage was done. What is odd is that a fire that roared up in one street could leave another nearby virtually unscathed...
Most Londoners don't know enough about the City, and don't know the story of even famous churches like this one or this one (which I particularly like because of its sword-rests, so convenient if one happened to be wearing a sword and needed to put it down...) or this one, despite its association with a famous singing rhyme...
I spent part of Monday exploring the City churches with a colleague, and putting together info. on the history. The essential point is that the story is so much richer than most guide-books say...London's Christian history goes back to Roman times, and there are glorious Saxon saints to discover...and the great religious communities that suffered under Henry VIII... Watch for news of forthcoming Catholic History Walks...
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As well as St. Mary Woolnoth in the city there are five other major churches by Nicholas Hawksmoor in the London area, in Bloomsbury and Greenwich and three in the Stepney area - all of extraordinary interest and distinction, showing him to be one of our most outstanding architects. Your readers might like to explore them: they will be richly rewarded.
Next time, do drop in and see us at St Edmund the King in Lombard Street - home of the London Centre for Spiritual Direction. Here we are trying to renew interest in this ancient Christian ministry and visitors (virtual or in the flesh) are always welcome. http://www.lcsd.org.uk
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