St Michael Paternoster Royal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael Paternoster Royal |
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Photo of St Michael Paternoster Royal
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| Location | London |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholicism |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Architect(s) | Christopher Wren |
| Style | Baroque |
| Years built | 1694 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | London |
St Michael Paternoster Royal is an old church in the City of London. The first church building was recorded way back in the 13th century. Sadly, it was destroyed in the terrible Great Fire of London in 1666.
The church was rebuilt by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. But it was badly damaged again during the London Blitz in World War II. Luckily, it was fixed up between 1966 and 1968. In 1423, Richard "Dick" Whittington, who was a legendary Lord Mayor of London, was buried here. His tomb is now lost.
Contents
A Look Back at History
Before the Great Fire, London had seven churches named after the Archangel Michael. Most of them were rebuilt after the fire. The earliest mention of St Michael's was in 1219. It was called St Michael of Paternosterchierch.
How the Church Got Its Name
The name "Paternoster" comes from its location on Paternoster Lane. This street was named after people who sold rosaries there. Rosaries are strings of beads used for prayer.
The word "Royal" was added later. It refers to a nearby street called Le Ryole, which meant "La Reole". This street was named because many wine sellers from La Reole, a town in Bordeaux, lived there.
Richard Whittington's Legacy
In the early 1400s, a famous resident was Richard Whittington. He was Lord Mayor of London four times. In 1409, he paid to rebuild and make St Michael Paternoster Royal bigger.
He also started the College of St Spirit and St Mary inside the church. This made St Michael's a collegiate church. It meant a group of priests ran it, not just one rector. People often called it Whittington's College.
Whittington also built an almshouse next to the church. An almshouse is a place where poor people can live. The college was later closed by King Edward VI in 1548. But it was restarted a few years later by Queen Mary. The almshouse moved to Highgate in 1808 and then to East Grinstead in 1966.
Sir Richard Whittington was buried in St Michael's in 1423. His grave was near his wife, Alice. There's a story that his body was dug up by a rector who thought Whittington was buried with treasure. He wasn't, so the rector took his lead burial shroud. The grave was dug up again later, and his body was re-covered in lead. In 1949, people tried to find his grave and found a mummified cat, but no body of the Lord Mayor.
Other important people buried here before the fire included William Oldhall, John Yonge, William Bayley, Peter Blundell, and the poet John Cleveland.
Rebuilding After the Great Fire
After the church was destroyed in the Great Fire, its parish joined with another church, St Martin Vintry. Rebuilding St Michael's started in 1685. It was one of the last 51 churches to be rebuilt.
Work stopped in 1688 because of money problems. Building started again the next year. Edward Strong the Elder, a master builder for Christopher Wren, oversaw the work. The church was finished in 1694. Its tall steeple was built between 1713 and 1717. The total cost to rebuild was £8,937.
A monument to another Lord Mayor, Sir Samuel Pennant, is still here from 1750. It was made by Michael Rysbrack. Pennant died from an illness he caught from prisoners.
Surviving the Blitz
St Michael's was updated several times in the 1800s. But on July 23, 1944, a V1 flying bomb hit the church. Only its walls and tower were left standing.
Services continued in the damaged church until 1955. Some people wanted to tear down the walls and keep only the tower. But the City of London Corporation stopped this plan. The church was restored by Elidir Davies between 1966 and 1968. It was the last church in the City of London to be restored after the war.
The Duke of Edinburgh reopened St Michael's on December 19, 1968. It became the main office for the Mission to Seamen. This group is now called the Mission to Seafarers. It is an Anglican organization that helps chaplains in ports around the world.
St Michael Paternoster Royal is a chapel under the Bishop of London. Since 2018, the Bishop of London's office has been located there.
What the Church Looks Like
St Michael's has a rectangular shape. Only the west side, facing College Hill, is slightly off. Before World War II, other buildings surrounded the south side. After the bombing, these buildings were removed. Whittington Garden was created there.
Outside the Church
Now, the church's main front faces south, along Upper Thames Street. This side is made of Portland stone. It has six round-topped windows with angel faces above them. The north and east sides are made of brick. The roof has a decorative railing.
You enter the church through the tower in the southwest corner. The tower has a round window at the bottom. Above that is a circular window, then a square window for the bells. At the very top is a fancy wall with square urns on the corners.
The Tower and Spire
The stone spire was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. It looks similar to spires on other churches like St Stephen Walbrook and St James Garlickhythe. It is an open octagon shape. It has eight Ionic columns, each with its own top part and an urn. Above this is another, smaller octagon with eight more columns and urns. On top of the second octagon is a tiny dome with a flag. The tower and spire together are 128 feet tall.
St Michael Paternoster Royal was named a Grade I listed building on January 4, 1950. This means it is a very important historic building.
Inside the Church
The inside of St Michael's is divided. This is because the church has two purposes. The western part of the building has a hall, a waiting area, and offices for the Mission to Seafarers.
A Church with Two Uses
The chapel is in the larger, eastern part of the church. The east wall has three stained glass windows. These were designed by John Hayward in 1968.
Beautiful Stained Glass
The main window shows St Michael stepping on a red-winged Satan. The windows on either side show the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus. Another window shows Adam and Eve with St Gabriel and the serpent. On the south wall, another stained glass window shows Dick Whittington with his cat.
Old Statues and Art
The reredos (a screen behind the altar) is original. It has four Corinthian columns and two flaming urns. In front of it are 17th-century Baroque statues of Moses and Aaron. These statues were moved here from another church that was torn down. Their hands were damaged in the war and have been replaced. Moses used to hold a pointer, and Aaron held a censer. Now, Aaron raises his hands in a blessing.
Also from the other church is a fancy chandelier. It says "Birmingham 1644" on it. The case for the organ is a copy of an old one that was destroyed in the war. It holds a Noel Mander organ. In front of the organ, there is a rare old image of King William III's coat of arms.
The pulpit, communion rails, and lectern are from the 17th century. Most of the other wooden parts were added in the 1960s.
Famous People Buried Here
- Richard Whittington (c. 1354–1423), though his tomb is now lost
- Samuel Pennant
See also
- List of churches and cathedrals of London
- List of Christopher Wren churches in London
- John Albert Douglas, vicar of St Michael Paternoster Royal from 1933 to 1952
