St Giles-without-Cripplegate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Giles-without-Cripplegate |
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The west tower of St Giles-without-Cripplegate
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| Location | London, EC2 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| 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, located on Fore Street within the modern Barbican complex. When built it stood without (that is, outside) the city wall, near the Cripplegate. The church is dedicated to St Giles, patron saint of lepers, beggars and the handicapped. It is one of the few medieval churches left in the City of London, having survived the Great Fire of 1666.
History
There had been a Saxon church on the site in the 11th century but by 1090 it had been replaced by a Norman one. In 1394 it was rebuilt in the perpendicular gothic style. The stone tower was added in 1682.
[1545] The xii day of September at iiii of cloke in the mornynge was sent Gylles church at Creppyl gatte burnyd, alle hole save the walles, stepull, belles and alle, and how it came God knoweth.
The church has been badly damaged by fire on three occasions: In 1545, in 1897 and during an air raid of the Blitz of the Second World War . German bombs completely gutted the church but it was restored using the plans of the reconstruction of 1545. A new ring of twelve bells was cast by Mears and Stainbank in 1954, and this was augmented with a sharp second bell cast in 2006 by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The historic pews, altar and font come from the nearby St Luke Old Street, and were transferred to St Giles when it closed and the parishes were amalgamated in 1959.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
Layout of the church
- John Milton buried here in 1674
- The altar from St. Luke's, Old Street, which was dismantled in the 1960s due to subsidence.
- The east window. Designed by the Nicholson Studios, following the pattern of the original medieval window.
- Sedilia (where the priest sat) and piscina of the medieval church.
- Display cabinet containing the historic treasures of Cripplegate.
- John Foxe, author of "The Book of Martyrs" is buried here.
- Plaque commemorating Sir Martin Frobisher, explorer and sea Captain.
- Bust of John Speed, map maker and historian.
- Statue of John Milton by Horace Montford
- The organ. From St. Luke's, Old Street
- Bust of Daniel Defoe, author of "Robinson Crusoe" and John Milton.
- Busts of Oliver Cromwell and John Bunyan, author of "Pilgrim's Progress".
- Portrait of Dr. William Nicholls, the first Rector of St. Luke's Church and Vicar of St. Giles'.
- The West Window – shows the coats of arms of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, Milton, Cromwell and Frobisher.
- The font – from St. Luke's Church.
- The Cripplegate Window which celebrates the centenary of the charity The Cripplegate Foundation.
- Bust of Sir William Staines, Lord Mayor of London in 1801.
