The Strange Secrets Of London Churches

Read Time:2 Minute, 26 Second

Walk around London for a day or two and churches become a familiar sight. We know them for their history, beauty and religious significance but we bet you’ll be stunned to find out these strange secrets of London churches…

St Bride’s Church, Fleet Street

The spire that inspired the traditional wedding cake design

The church of St Bride’s is located on Fleet Street in the City of London. Take a look at its pretty spire – does it look familiar to you? In the early 19^th century, a local baker had a brainwave as he stared at the Christopher Wren-designed spire. The baker copied the look of the building for a wedding cake and the tiered design has been popular ever since!

St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield

The church with a weeping statue

St Bartholomew Church in the City of London used to be home to a very sad statue. St Bartholomew, London’s oldest church, features a monument to philosopher Edward Cooke, who died in 1652. The type of marble used would condense water, causing the statue to ‘weep’ tears. Following the installation of a Victorian heating system, the tears dried up and the weeping memorial is no more.

Westminster Abbey, Westminster

The poet buried upright in a church graveyard

The 17^th century poet Ben Jonson is buried in an upright position in Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey. Jonson had told the church Dean prior to his death “two feet by two is all I want” and that’s exactly the grave he got! Poet’s Corner is where Geoffrey Chaucer and Rudyard Kipling were also laid to rest.

St Mary le Strand, Westminster

The church on a London traffic island

Wander down the eastern end of the Strand and you’ll find a beautiful Baroque-style church sitting bang in the middle of the road. When the early 18th century church was first built, only a few horses and carts would pass it in both directions. Today, the roads either side are very busy with cars heading towards Westminster to the west and the City of London to the east.

All Hallows, Twickenham

The travelling church

All Hallows Church in the London Borough of Richmond has a seen a great deal of London. In the 1920’s, the Bishop of London decided to demolish a number of churches in the City of London. However, one church was carefully taken down stone by stone and rebuilt in Twickenham. The original All Hallows Church was located on Lombard Street before being moved to its current location in the late 1930’s. The church’s stone tower, bells, cloister and interior fittings and furnishings were all moved to the new site in Twickenham.

Latest Posts:

Happy

56 %

Sad

19 %

Excited