St Magnus the Martyr

The church that set fire to it's neighbour - Old London Bridge.
Location: Lower Thames Street, London
Description: Richard Newcourt's Repertorium records the first church built here was dedicated to St. Magnus.
St Magnus' was one of the first buildings to be destroyed in the Great Fire of London, in 1666, as it stood less than 300 yards from Pudding Lane, where the fire started. It was rebuilt by 1676, under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren.
Another fire, in 1760, damaged the western end of the church and destroyed several of the buildings on the neighbouring Old London Bridge. Instead of repairing the buildings on the bridge the opportunity was taken to demolish them all to widen the roadway and ease traffic congestion. At the same time a new pedestrian walkway was built along the eastern side of the bridge.
With the other buildings gone St Magnus' blocked the new walkway so the western end of the church was demolished. Rather than demolish the church tower its base was opened out to allow the walkway to pass through it. The open base of the tower now forms the church porch.
The large clock projecting from the tower was a well-known landmark in the City, and would have hung over the roadway of Old London Bridge.
In 1921 two stones from Old London Bridge were discovered across the road from the church. They now stand in the churchyard. In 1931 a piling from a Roman river wall was discovered during the excavation of the foundations of a nearby building. It now stands in the church porch.


The church that set fire to it's neighbour - Old London Bridge. |
Ranking This Month: 2592/3019
Pages Hit This Month: 5
Credits: http://www.stmagnusmartyr.org.uk/
Your Comments:
Other places nearby:
Lily among the weeds», 2.4km
The Church of the Good Shepherd», 4.4km
The Holy Trinity and Clowns», 2.5km
St Peter\'s Notting Hill», 5.0km
St Olaves Church», 0.2km
St Nicholas' Church», 3.3km
St Brides Wedding Cake», 0.9km
St Mary's Church», 6.2km
Butterfield's Gothic All Saints», 2.3km
St Paul's Cathedral», 0.6km