| St Peter Le Poer | |
|---|---|
 St Peter le Poer in 1839 | |
 | |
| Location | City of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Jesse Gibson |
| Style | Baroque |
| Demolished | 1907 |
St Peter le Poer was a parish church on the west side of Broad Street in the City of London. Established before the end of the 12th Century, it was rebuilt in 1540, and again in 1792 to a design by Jesse Gibson with a circular nave. It was demolished in 1907.
The church, often spelt "St Peter le Poor", was in existence by the end of the 12th century. The name was traditionally explained as a reference to the poverty of the area – although by the beginning of the 19th century it was one of the richest in the City – or to its proximity to the monastery of St Augustine, whose monks professed indigence. [1] The patronage of the church belonged to the dean and chapter of St Paul's Cathedral. [2]
St Peter's was rebuilt in 1540, and enlarged on the north side in 1615. In 1630 the steeple was rebuilt, [1] and a west gallery added. [2] The church survived the Great Fire of London in 1666. As it stood in the later 18th century, the building was 54 feet long and 51 feet wide, with a small tower in the north-west corner. A clock hung from the middle of a beam extending across the road from the church. [2] By this time the ground level around the church had risen so much by this time that it was felt necessary to draw curtains across the lower parts of the windows during services, to stop passers-by looking in. [2]
The church had fallen into such a poor condition by 1788, that the parishioners obtained an act of parliament to demolish and rebuild it. The new building, to the designs of Jesse Gibson, was consecrated on 19 November 1792. It cost more than £4,000, £400 of which was provided by the City. [2] The old church had projected into Broad Street, but the new one was placed further back over the old churchyard, [1] the site of the medieval chancel becoming part of the roadway. Some of the monuments in the old church were broken up and their brass plates sold to a plumber in the Minories. [2]
The layout of the new church ignored conventional orientation, having the altar on the north-west side directly opposite the entrance. [2] The nave was circular in plan, about 54 feet across, with a circular niche for the altar and a porch and vestry on the opposite side. A wooden gallery, [1] supported by brackets concealed in the flooring, [2] ran around almost the entire circumference of the interior, except for a section above the altar. The coved ceiling was ornamented with panels, each decorated with a flower. The centre of the ceiling rose into a large lantern with glass sides. [1] There were no side windows. The interior was described in John Britton's Illustrations of the Public Buildings of London as having "more the air of a lecture room than a church". [3]
The east front in Broad Street had an entrance facade with four attached columns supporting an entablature and pediment, behind which rose a low square tower, ornamented with pilasters and urns. The church was surrounded by houses on the remaining sides. The circular form of the interior was not evident from the street. [3]
As late as 1884, the St Peter's received a new Henry Willis organ [4] but, as the City's resident population declined, it was deemed surplus to requirements and demolished in 1907, [5] under the Union of Benefices Act 1860. [6] The parish was united with that of St Michael, Cornhill. [7] The interior was photographed by the architectural photographer Bedford Lemere shortly before demolition. [8]
Proceeds from the sale of the site were used to build St Peter Le Poer in Friern Barnet, which also received the City church's font, pulpit and panelling. [9] The new St Peter Le Poer in Barnet was built in 1909–1910 by W. D. Caröe. The foundation stone was laid on November 2nd 1909 and the church was consecrated June 28th 1910 by the Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Arthur Foley Winnington-Ingram. It is a Grade II listed building. [10]
Christ Church Greyfriars, also known as Christ Church Newgate Street, was a church in Newgate Street, opposite St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London. Established as a monastic church in the thirteenth century, it became a parish church after the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Following its destruction in the Great Fire of London of 1666, it was rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. Except for the tower, the church was largely destroyed by bombing during the Second World War. The decision was made not to rebuild the church; the ruins are now a public garden.
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St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street in the City of London of medieval, or possibly Roman origin. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. It lies in the ward of Cornhill.
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St. Stephen's Church, Coleman Street, also called "St Stephen's in the Jewry", was a church in the City of London, at the corner of Coleman Street and what is now Gresham Street, first mentioned in the 12th century. In the middle ages it is variously described as a parish church, and as a chapel of ease to the church of St Olave Old Jewry; its parochial status was defined permanently in 1456.
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St Marylebone Parish Church is an Anglican church on the Marylebone Road in London. It was built to the designs of Thomas Hardwick in 1813–17. The present site is the third used by the parish for its church. The first was further south, near Oxford Street. The church there was demolished in 1400 and a new one erected further north. This was completely rebuilt in 1740–42, and converted into a chapel-of-ease when Hardwick's church was constructed. The Marylebone area takes its name from the church. Located behind the church is St Marylebone School, a Church of England school for girls.
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St Antholin, Budge Row, or St Antholin, Watling Street, was a church in the City of London. Of medieval origin, it was rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren, following its destruction in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The 17th-century building was demolished in 1874.
St Swithin, London Stone, was an Anglican Church in the City of London. It stood on the north side of Cannon Street, between Salters' Hall Court and St Swithin's Lane, which runs north from Cannon Street to King William Street and takes its name from the church. Of medieval origin, it was destroyed by the Great Fire of London, and rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. It was badly damaged by bombing during the Second World War, and the remains were demolished in 1962.
St Mildred, Poultry, was a parish church in the Cheap ward of the City of London dedicated to Anglo-Saxon Saint Mildred. It was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London, and demolished in 1872. St Mildred in the Poultry was the burial place of the writer Thomas Tusser. Some description of the church and its monuments is given in John Stow's Survey of London.
St Katherine Coleman was a parish church in the City of London, situated in St Katherine's Row, on the south side of Fenchurch Street, in Aldgate Ward. Of medieval origin, it narrowly escaped destruction in the Great Fire of London in 1666, but was rebuilt in the eighteenth century. The church closed in November 1926 and was demolished soon afterwards.
St Alphege or St Alphage London Wall was a church in Bassishaw Ward in the City of London, built directly upon London Wall. It was also known as St Alphege Cripplegate, from its proximity to Cripplegate. It is now operated as St Alphage Garden.
St Dionis Backchurch was a parish church in the Langbourn ward of the City of London. Of medieval origin, it was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London to the designs of Christopher Wren and demolished in 1878.
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Jesse Gibson was a British architect.
