St Margaret Lothbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Margaret Lothbury |
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Exterior photo of St Margaret Lothbury
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| Location | City of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Margaret of Antioch |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Architect(s) | Sir Christopher Wren |
| Style | Baroque |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Margaret Lothbury is an old Church of England church in the City of London. It sits on a street called Lothbury. This church has been around for a very long time, first mentioned in the 1100s!
Sadly, the church was destroyed in the terrible Great Fire of London in 1666. But it was rebuilt by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren and his team. Today, St Margaret Lothbury is still a busy church. It is also the official church for five special Livery Companies, two Ward Clubs, and two Professional Institutes. Many local finance companies also have their services here each year.
A Look Back in Time
The very first time St Margaret Lothbury was written about was in 1185. For a long time, the church was looked after by the abbess and convent of Barking, Essex. This continued until the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries and convents in England. After that, the church's care went to the Crown (the King or Queen).
The church was rebuilt in 1440. Much of the cost was paid by Robert Large. He was the Lord Mayor of London that year. He is also remembered as the master of William Caxton, who later brought the printing press to England.
Just like many other churches in London, St Margaret Lothbury was badly damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666. But it was rebuilt by Christopher Wren between 1686 and 1690.
In 1781, another church called St Christopher le Stocks was pulled down. This was to make space for the Bank of England to get bigger. The people who used to go to St Christopher le Stocks then joined the parish of St Margaret Lothbury.
Inside the Church
The inside of St Margaret Lothbury is very special. It has amazing woodwork from the 1600s. This woodwork came from other churches designed by Wren that were later pulled down.
Some of the best pieces include:
- The reredos (the screen behind the altar).
- The communion rails (where people kneel for communion).
- The baptismal font (where baptisms take place).
These are thought to have been made by Grinling Gibbons, a very famous wood carver. They came from a church called St Olave, Old Jewry.
You can also see the pulpit sounding board and the rood screen (a screen that separates parts of the church). These came from a church called All-Hallows-the-Great.
Two paintings of Moses and Aaron stand next to the main altar. These paintings came from St Christopher le Stocks when it was demolished in 1781.
The church's organ was built in 1801 by George Pike England. It was repaired in 1984. The organ still stands in its original case and has almost all of its original pipes!
On January 4, 1950, the church was given a special status. It was named a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historic building that needs to be protected.
See also
