Historic London Churches
St Anne and St Agnes Church - St George's Hanover Square
An A-Z of historic or architecturally significant churches to visit in London. Note that most are relatively modern. This is due to the horrible destruction of the Great Fire in 1666, which burned some 100 churches in London. So most of the churches you can see today date from the late 17th or early 18th century.
St Anne and St Agnes is a small gem of a church opposite Postman's Park, rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London.
Gresham Street,
London,
Greater London,
England, EC2V 7BX
Heritage Rating:
Nearest: Self Catering
A striking tower tops St Anne's Limehouse, a classical church designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor in 1712 and paid for by a tax on coal.
Commercial Road, 5 Newell Street London,
Greater London,
England, E14 7HP
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: Nicholas Hawksmoor tower
Nearest: Self Catering
One of the few remaining Norman churches in London. St Bartholomew-the-Great began in the 12th century as the chancel of a monastery on this spot. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the building saw use as a stable and factory, before reverting to a church in the 19th century. The entry is a 13th century arch with a half-timbered gatehouse above.
West Smithfield,
London,
Greater London,
England, EC1A 9DS
Heritage Rating:
Nearest: Self Catering
A 15th-century tower and vestry are melded into an 18th-century design in the chapel of St Bartholomew's Hospital, known as St Bartholomew's-the-less to distinguish it from the nearby church of St Bartholomew the Great.
Smithfield Gate,
London,
Greater London,
England, EC1A 7BE
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: The oldest bell-frame in London
Nearest: Self Catering
The best-preserved church built by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London, St Benet's, Paul's Wharf has been the church of the College of Arms since 1556. It now serves the Welsh Anglican community of London.
Paul's Wharf, Queen Victoria Street London,
Greater London,
England, EC4V 4ER
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: Best-preserved Wren church in London
Nearest: Self Catering
St Botolph without Aldgate is a Georgian church on 11th-century foundations, blessed with excellent stained-glass.
Aldgate High Street,
London,
Greater London,
England, EC3N 1AB
Heritage Rating:
Nearest: Self Catering
St Botolph's-without-Aldersgate stands inside Postman's Park a short stroll north of St Paul's Cathedral. A medieval church on this site survived the Great Fire of London but was completely rebuilt in 1789. It is an exceptional example of Georgian architecture, with outstanding stained glass.
Postman's Park, Aldersgate Street London,
Greater London,
England, EC1A 4EU
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: The only 18th-century stained glass in London
Nearest: Self Catering
St Clement Dane's is a late 17th-century 'Wren church' on a traffic island in the centre of The Strand. It is the official church of the Royal Air Force contains over 8oo badges of RAF squadrons and units.
The Strand,
London,
Greater London,
England, WC2R 1DH
Heritage Rating:
Nearest: Self Catering
St Clement Eastcheap is a 12th-century church rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London. Highlights include a beautifully carved pulpit and sounding board, 17th-century font cover, altar and reredos, and an original set of bread shelves for doling out loaves of bread to the poor.
27 Clement's Lane,
London,
Greater London,
England, EC4N 7AE
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: Sir Christopher Wren altar, reredos and pulpit
Nearest: Self Catering
St George's Hanover Square was built in 1725 as the parish church of Mayfair, London's most fashionable district. It has seen a host of high-society weddings but is perhaps best-known for its links to composer George Frederick Handel, who worshipped here for over 35 years and helped select the organ.
St George Street,
London,
Greater London,
England, W1S 1FX
Heritage Rating:
Heritage Highlight: An outstanding example of early Georgian architecture
Nearest: Self Catering