St Stephen Walbrook Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Stephen Walbrook

Location	39 Walbrook, Walbrook, London EC4N 8BN
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	https://ststephenwalbrook.net/
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I listed building
Architect(s)	Sir Christopher Wren
Style	Baroque
Administration
Diocese	London

St Stephen Walbrook is a historic church in the City of London. It belongs to the Church of England. The church you see today was designed by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. It was built after the original medieval church was destroyed in the terrible Great Fire of London in 1666.

The church is located in an area called Walbrook. It sits right next to the Mansion House. You can also find it close to the Bank and Monument Underground stations.

A Look Back: Early History of the Church
Wren's Amazing Church Design
Modern Times: Recent History
Important People Buried Here
Gallery
See also

A Look Back: Early History of the Church

The first St Stephen's church stood on the west side of Walbrook street. It was also on the east bank of the Walbrook. This river was once an important freshwater stream for the Romans. It flowed across the City of London to the River Thames.

People believe the first church was built right over the remains of an old Roman temple. This temple was dedicated to a god called Mithras. Christians often built churches on older religious sites.

The church moved to its current spot in the 1400s. This new location was on the other side of Walbrook Street. In 1429, Robert Chichele bought the land. He was helping to carry out the will of a former Lord Mayor, William Standon.

Several foundation stones were laid on May 11, 1429. The church was officially opened ten years later, on April 30, 1439. This earlier church was much larger than the one we see today. It was about 38 meters long and 20 meters wide.

Sadly, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. It had a special memorial to the composer John Dunstaple. The words from his memorial were put back in the church in 1904. Another nearby church, St Benet Sherehog, was also destroyed. Its parish joined with St Stephen's.

Wren's Amazing Church Design

The inside of St Stephen Walbrook in the early 1800s.

A view showing the beautiful dome and its supporting arches.

The church building you see now was constructed between 1672 and 1679. It was designed by the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. The building cost over £7,000 to complete. The main builder was Thomas Strong.

The church has a rectangular shape. It features a large dome and a tower on its northwest side. To enter the church, you walk up sixteen steps. These steps are inside a porch at the front. Wren had also planned a porch for the north side. However, this was never built. There used to be a north door, but it was blocked up in 1685. This was because bad smells from nearby slaughterhouses were coming in.

The walls, tower, and inside columns are made of stone. But the dome itself is made of wood and plaster. It has a copper covering on the outside.

The dome is about 19 meters high. It is based on Wren's first ideas for St Paul's. The dome sits on a square of twelve columns. These columns are in the Corinthian order style. The way the dome is supported is very clever. It creates a stunning effect inside the church. Many people think this is one of Wren's best church interiors. Sir Nikolaus Pevsner even called it one of England's most important buildings.

The church has beautiful carved wooden furnishings. These include the altarpiece and the Royal Arms. The pulpit and font cover were also made at this time. These carvings are thought to be by Thomas Creecher, Stephen Colledge, William Newman, and Jonathan Maine.

In 1760, a new organ was installed. It was made by George England.

Later, in 1776, the central window in the east wall was blocked up. This was to make space for a painting called Devout Men Taking Away the Body of St Stephen. The painting was by Benjamin West. The church's rector, Thomas Wilson, had asked for it to be made. The next year, Wilson put up a statue of Catharine Macaulay in the church. She was a political writer he admired. However, the statue was removed after people protested. The east window was later opened up again. The painting was moved to the north wall during repairs in 1850.

Modern Times: Recent History

The inside of the church today, showing the altar by Henry Moore.

The church had some minor damage during the London Blitz in 1941. It was later repaired. In 1954, St Stephen's parish joined with two other parishes. These were St Mary Bothaw and St Swithin London Stone.

The church was named a Grade I listed building on January 4, 1950. This means it is a very important historic building.

In 1953, the Samaritans charity was started. It was founded by the rector of St Stephen's, Dr Chad Varah. The first Samaritans office was in a crypt (an underground room) beneath the church. Later, they moved to a different location. To remember this, a telephone is kept in a glass box in the church. The Samaritans started with this phone. Today, they run a 24-hour helpline for people who need emotional support.

In 1987, the church had major repairs and changes. A large white stone altar was placed in the center of the church. This altar was made by the sculptor Henry Moore. Its unusual position needed special permission from a court. In 1993, colorful kneelers designed by Patrick Heron were added around the altar.

The painting by Benjamin West, Devout men taking away the body of St Stephen, was put into storage. This happened after the church changes. This decision caused some debate. In 2013, the church was allowed to sell the painting to a foundation. This was despite some people wanting it to stay in the UK. The foundation has since loaned it to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. They have worked to restore the painting.

On July 14, 1994, the church was the place for the wedding of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones to Daniel Chatto.

Dr Chad Varah retired in 2003 at the age of 92. He was the oldest serving priest in the Church of England at that time.

Important People Buried Here

Sir Rowland Hill was buried at the church. He helped publish the 1560 Geneva Bible.

Many notable people have been buried at St Stephen Walbrook. These include:

Sir Rowland Hill: He was the "First Protestant Lord Mayor of London". He also helped publish the 1560 Geneva Bible. His memorial was lost in the Great Fire.
John Dunstaple: A famous musician.
Elizabeth Jekyll: A diarist from the 1600s.
John Vanbrugh: A well-known architect.

The closest London Underground station to the church is Bank.