St Alban, Wood Street
Encyclopedia
St Alban's was a church in Wood Street
, City of London
. It was dedicated to Saint Alban
. Only its tower now remains.
, who is believed to have had a palace on the site which included a chapel. Offa founded an abbey also dedicated to Alban in 793
and subsequently a number of churches were dedicated to St Alban in the City of London
. The accounts of the parish clerk date back to 930
. In 1077 the abbot
of St Albans exchanged the right of presentation of the cleric for this church for the patronage of another church belonging to the abbot of Westminster
. At the time of King John
the church was known as St Alban Wuderstrate.
In 1633 Inigo Jones
and Sir Henry Spiller, among others, were requested to examine the church , which had fallen into disrepair, and report on its condition. It was found to be beyond repair and was demolished and rebuilt in 1634.
The church was completely destroyed in the Great Fire of London
. It was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in a late Perpendicular Gothic style, and completed in 1685. The rebuilt church was divided into nave and aisles by piers shaped as clustered columns, supporting unusually flattened pointed arches. The nave had plaster lierne vaults
. After the fire the parish was combined with that of St Olave's, Silver Street
, which was not rebuilt..
The church was restored in 1858-9 by George Gilbert Scott
, who added an apse.
The 92-foot high tower, which stood on the north side of the church, had four pinnacles which were replaced in 1879.
The building was burnt out and partially destroyed during the Blitz
in 1940. The parish was united with that of St Vedast Foster Lane
in 1954 and the remains of the body of the church demolished in 1965. The tower was left standing and today remains as a private dwelling on a traffic island. The tower was designated a Grade II* listed building on 4 January 1950.
. Receipts for burial with names of deceased can be found in the churchwardens' accounts 1584-1636.
Wood Street, London
Wood Street is a street in the City of London, England. The street crosses Gresham Street as it runs north-south. It today lies in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap ....
, City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. It was dedicated to Saint Alban
Saint Alban
Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain. Alban is listed in the Church of England calendar for 22 June and he continues to be venerated in the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox...
. Only its tower now remains.
History
Some argue that it dated back to King Offa of MerciaOffa of Mercia
Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July 796. The son of Thingfrith and a descendant of Eowa, Offa came to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Æthelbald after defeating the other claimant Beornred. In the early years of Offa's reign it is likely...
, who is believed to have had a palace on the site which included a chapel. Offa founded an abbey also dedicated to Alban in 793
793
Year 793 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 793 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* June 8 – Vikings sack the monastery...
and subsequently a number of churches were dedicated to St Alban in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. The accounts of the parish clerk date back to 930
930
Year 930 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* With the establishment of the Althing, now one of the world's oldest parliaments, the Icelandic Commonwealth is founded....
. In 1077 the abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of St Albans exchanged the right of presentation of the cleric for this church for the patronage of another church belonging to the abbot of Westminster
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. At the time of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
the church was known as St Alban Wuderstrate.
In 1633 Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
and Sir Henry Spiller, among others, were requested to examine the church , which had fallen into disrepair, and report on its condition. It was found to be beyond repair and was demolished and rebuilt in 1634.
The church was completely destroyed in the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
. It was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in a late Perpendicular Gothic style, and completed in 1685. The rebuilt church was divided into nave and aisles by piers shaped as clustered columns, supporting unusually flattened pointed arches. The nave had plaster lierne vaults
Lierne (vault)
A Lierne in Gothic rib vaulting is an architectural term for a tertiary rib spanning between two other ribs, instead of from a springer, or to the central boss...
. After the fire the parish was combined with that of St Olave's, Silver Street
St Olave's, Silver Street
St Olave, Silver Street was a church dedicated to St Olaf on Silver Street the City of London....
, which was not rebuilt..
The church was restored in 1858-9 by George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
, who added an apse.
The 92-foot high tower, which stood on the north side of the church, had four pinnacles which were replaced in 1879.
The building was burnt out and partially destroyed during the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
in 1940. The parish was united with that of St Vedast Foster Lane
St Vedast Foster Lane
Saint Vedast-alias-Foster, a church in Foster Lane, in the City of London, is dedicated to Vedast , a French saint whose cult came to England through contacts with Augustinian clergy.-History:...
in 1954 and the remains of the body of the church demolished in 1965. The tower was left standing and today remains as a private dwelling on a traffic island. The tower was designated a Grade II* listed building on 4 January 1950.
Parish records
The parish records are held at the Guildhall LibraryGuildhall, London
The Guildhall is a building in the City of London, off Gresham and Basinghall streets, in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap. It has been used as a town hall for several hundred years, and is still the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City of London and its Corporation...
. Receipts for burial with names of deceased can be found in the churchwardens' accounts 1584-1636.
See also
- List of Christopher Wren churches in London
- List of churches rebuilt after the Great Fire but since demolished