St Peter upon Cornhill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter upon Cornhill |
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| Location | London, EC3 |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholicism |
| Churchmanship | Conservative evangelical |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Architect(s) | Christopher Wren |
| Style | Baroque |
| Years built | 1667 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Helen's Bishopsgate |
| Diocese | London |
St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church in the City of London. It stands at the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street. This church has a very long history, possibly going back to Roman times.
The original church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. It was then rebuilt by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. Today, it is part of the parish of St Helen's Bishopsgate. It hosts Sunday morning services and Bible studies during the week.
Contents
Early History of St Peter's
Roman Connections
The church is built on the highest point in the City of London. It stands right above the remains of a huge Roman building called a basilica. This basilica was built around AD 90–120. Some historians think the church's altar might be above where a Roman shrine once stood.
There's an old story that the church was founded by King Lucius. He was said to be the first Christian king in Britain. The story says he founded the church around AD 179. He dedicated it to St Peter the Apostle. It was even believed to be the main church for an archbishop until the Saxons arrived in the 5th century. If this story is true, St Peter's would be one of the oldest churches in Britain.
Archaeologists have found evidence that London had a Christian community very early on. A bishop from London, named Restitutus, attended a big meeting in France in AD 314. He would have needed a church for his community. This makes the idea of a very old church like St Peter's possible.
The King Lucius Plaque
A London historian named John Stow wrote about a special tablet in the church in the late 1500s. This tablet claimed that King Lucius founded the church in AD 179. It also said he made it the main church of his kingdom for 400 years.
This original tablet was lost when the church burned down in the Great Fire of London. However, many writers had copied its words before then. After the fire, a new brass plate was made with the same message. This plate still hangs in the church today.
The Medieval Church
Even if the King Lucius story is a legend, St Peter's is definitely one of London's oldest churches. The first clear mention of it was around 1038. At that time, a bishop left some land to "St. Peter binnon Lunden" (St Peter in London) in his will.
By 1226, the church was important enough to have three chaplains. In 1444, a "horsemill" was given to the church. Its bells were mentioned in 1552 when a new bell was ordered.
Medieval School and Library
St Peter's was a very important church in medieval London. In 1447, the government decided it should host one of London's four main schools. The other schools were at St Paul's and Westminster Abbey.
The church also had a valuable old library and a place where books were copied by hand. This was used until about 1548. A rich man named Sir John Crosby left money in his will to help repair the library. The library even had a copy of the Bible from 1290. Sadly, this library no longer exists.
The Church Today
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The medieval church was badly damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The parish tried to fix it, but between 1677 and 1684, it was completely rebuilt. Sir Christopher Wren designed the new church. It cost £5,647 to build. The new church was a bit shorter than the old one. This was because some land was used to make Gracechurch Street wider.
The church has a grand stone front facing Gracechurch Street. It has five arched windows and tall columns. The other sides are simpler. You can still see small shops from the 1800s squeezed between the church and the street. The church tower is made of brick. It has a dome with a small spire on top. A weather vane shaped like St Peter's key sits at the very top.
Inside, the church has aisles, which are like side passages. The main part of the church has a curved ceiling. There is a special screen that separates the main area from the altar. This screen was added because the church leader at the time, William Beveridge, wanted it.
St Peter's used to be the special church for the Royal Tank Regiment, a part of the British Army. It was adopted by them in 1954. Since 2007, their regimental church has been St Mary Aldermary.
The church was named a Grade I listed building on January 4, 1950. This means it is a very important historic building. It is now a satellite church for St Helen's Bishopsgate. It is used for staff training, Bible studies, and a youth club.
The famous writer Charles Dickens mentions the churchyard in his book Our Mutual Friend. A theatre group called The Players of St Peter started at the church in 1946. They performed there until 1987. Now, they perform medieval plays at St Clement Eastcheap every November.
Features and Points of Interest
Music at St Peter's
In June 1834, a 14-year-old girl named Elizabeth Mounsey became the organist at St Peter's. She played the organ there for 48 years! She finally stopped in 1882. The church organ has a special souvenir from the famous composer Felix Mendelssohn. He gave it to Elizabeth Mounsey in 1840 after he played the church's organ without planning to. It's a signed quote from a piece of music by J.S. Bach.
Notable People
In the 1830s, a well-known missionary named William Jowett gave lectures at the church.
Burials
- John Waugh (bishop)
Images for kids
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Churchyard seats
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Small garden
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From the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street
See also
