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St Giles-without-Cripplegate
St Giles' Church-without-Cripplegate Barbican London.jpg
The west tower of St Giles-without-Cripplegate
Location London, EC2
Country England
Denomination Church of England
Website http://www.stgileschurch.com
History
Founded 1394
Architecture
Heritage designation Grade I listed building
Style Perpendicular Gothic
Administration
Parish St Giles' with St Luke's
Diocese London

St Giles-without-Cripplegate is an Anglican church in the City of London. You can find it on Fore Street, right inside the modern Barbican complex. The church's name, "without Cripplegate," means it was built outside the old London Wall near the Cripplegate gate.

The church is named after St Giles, who is known as the patron saint for people with disabilities or illnesses. This church is special because it's one of the few medieval churches in the City of London that survived the terrible Great Fire of London in 1666.

A Look at the Church's Past

There was a church here even before the current one. An Anglo-Saxon church stood on this spot in the 11th century. By 1090, a Norman church had taken its place.

Building the Church We See Today

The church you see now was rebuilt in 1394. It was designed in the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular during the time of King Richard II. The stone tower was added much later, in 1682.

Surviving Fires and Bombs

St Giles-without-Cripplegate has faced serious damage from fire three times. It was badly burned in 1545 and again in 1897. The church also suffered a lot during the Blitz in the Second World War. German bombs completely destroyed the inside of the church.

But St Giles was rebuilt! Workers used the original plans from the 1545 reconstruction to restore it. In 1954, a new set of twelve bells was made for the church. Another bell was added in 2006. The old pews, altar, and font (a basin for baptisms) came from a nearby church, St Luke Old Street. They were moved to St Giles when St Luke's closed and the two church areas joined together in 1959.

Tower of Church of St Giles, Cripplegate, and Old Houses in Fore Street, 1884 by Philip Norman
Tower of Church of St Giles, Cripplegate, and Old Houses in Fore Street, 1884 by Philip Norman

Because of its history and importance, the church was named a Grade I listed building on January 4, 1950. This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected.

Famous People Connected to St Giles

Many interesting people from history have connections to St Giles-without-Cripplegate. Some were buried here, while others were married or had their children baptised here.

Chancel of the Church of Saint Giles-without-Cripplegate (01)
The chancel of the Church of St Giles Cripplegate

Exploring the Church's Inside

St Giles-without-Cripplegate has many interesting features inside. Here's a quick guide to some of them:

St Giles Cripplegate Plan
Interior of St Giles Cripplegate
North Aisle of the Church of Saint Giles-without-Cripplegate (East-Facing View - 01)
The north aisle of the church
  • John Milton's Burial Place: The famous writer John Milton was buried here in 1674.
  • The Altar: This altar came from St. Luke's, Old Street. It was moved here in the 1960s.
  • The East Window: This beautiful window was designed by the Nicholson Studios. It follows the look of the church's original medieval window.
  • Historic Treasures: You can see a display cabinet that holds many historic items from Cripplegate.
  • John Foxe's Burial Place: The author of "The Book of Martyrs" is buried in the church.
  • Plaque for Sir Martin Frobisher: A special plaque remembers Sir Martin Frobisher, the famous explorer and sea captain.
  • Statue of John Milton: There is a statue of John Milton created by Horace Montford.
  • The Organ: The church's organ also came from St. Luke's, Old Street.
  • Busts of Famous Authors: You can see busts (sculptures of heads and shoulders) of Daniel Defoe (who wrote "Robinson Crusoe") and John Milton.
  • Busts of Cromwell and Bunyan: There are also busts of Oliver Cromwell and John Bunyan, who wrote "Pilgrim's Progress."
  • The West Window: This window shows the coats of arms (symbols) of important people like the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, Milton, Cromwell, and Frobisher.
  • The Font: The font used for baptisms also came from St. Luke's Church.
  • The Cripplegate Window: This window celebrates 100 years of The Cripplegate Foundation, a charity.
St Giles-without-Cripplegate - Nave with Organ
View of the nave looking west.

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