St Margaret Lothbury
Encyclopedia
St. Margaret Lothbury is a Church of England
parish church in the City of London
; it spans the boundary between Coleman Street Ward and Broad Street Ward. Recorded since the 12th century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
in 1666 and rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren. St. Margaret Lothbury still serves as a parish church, as well as being the official church of five Livery Companies, two Ward Clubs and two Professional Institutes. It also has connections with many local finance houses all of whom hold special services each year.
It was rebuilt in 1440, largely at the expense of Lord Mayor Robert Large, who was Lord Mayor that year and is remembered as the Master of whom Caxton served his apprenticeship. It suffered as did so many of London
's churches in the Great Fire of London
of 1666 and was rebuilt by Christopher Wren
from 1686 to 1690.
, communion
rails and baptismal font
, which are thought to be by Grinling Gibbons
from St Olave, Old Jewry, and the pulpit
from All-Hallows-the-Great
. Two paintings of Moses
and Aaron
flank the high altar, and came from St Christopher le Stocks
when it was demolished in 1781. The organ was built by George England
in 1801. It was restored in 1984, stands in its original case and contains nearly all its original pipework.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church 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...
; it spans the boundary between Coleman Street Ward and Broad Street Ward. Recorded since the 12th century, the church was 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...
in 1666 and rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren. St. Margaret Lothbury still serves as a parish church, as well as being the official church of five Livery Companies, two Ward Clubs and two Professional Institutes. It also has connections with many local finance houses all of whom hold special services each year.
History
The earliest mention of St Margaret Lothbury is from 1185.It was rebuilt in 1440, largely at the expense of Lord Mayor Robert Large, who was Lord Mayor that year and is remembered as the Master of whom Caxton served his apprenticeship. It suffered as did so many of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's churches 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...
of 1666 and was rebuilt by Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
from 1686 to 1690.
Interior
The church has exceptionally fine 17th century woodwork from other now-demolished Wren churches. Among the best are the reredosReredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
, communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
rails and baptismal font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
, which are thought to be by Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons was an English sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including St Paul's Cathedral, Blenheim Palace and Hampton Court Palace. He was born and educated in Holland where his father was a merchant...
from St Olave, Old Jewry, and the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
from All-Hallows-the-Great
All-Hallows-the-Great
All-Hallows-the-Great was a church in the City of London, located on what is now Upper Thames Street, first mentioned in 1235. Destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666, the church was rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren...
. Two paintings of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
and Aaron
Aaron
In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
flank the high altar, and came from St Christopher le Stocks
St Christopher le Stocks
St Christopher le Stocks was an parish church, situated on the south side of Threadneedle Street in Broad Street Wardof the City of London.-History:The earliest reference to the church is in 1282...
when it was demolished in 1781. The organ was built by George England
George England
George England and Co. was an early English manufacturer of steam locomotives founded by the engineer George England of Newcastle upon Tyne...
in 1801. It was restored in 1984, stands in its original case and contains nearly all its original pipework.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
See also
- List of churches and cathedrals of London
- List of Christopher Wren churches in London
External links