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Location: St Edmund, King and Martyr, City of London, London, England, United Kingdom. (51°30′44.62″N 0°5′10.68″W).
St Edmund, King and Martyr
St Edmund, King and Martyr, is an Anglican church in Lombard Street, in the City of London, dedicated to St Edmund the Martyr.
Once a parish church, it no longer is used for regular worship. Instead, since 2001 it houses the London Centre for Spirituality and its associated bookshop, but is still a consecrated church.
History of St Edmund, King and Martyr:
In 1292, the church is first recorded as 'Saint Edmund towards Garcherche', and it reappears in 1348 as 'Saint Edmund in Lombardestrete'. John Stow, in his Survey of London 1598, revised during 1603, refers to it also as St Edmund Grass Church.
The medieval church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. After the fire the parish was united with that of St Nicholas Acons, which was also destroyed and not rebuilt. The present church was constructed to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren in 1670-1679, with a tower ornamented at the angles by flaming urns in allusion to the Great Fire. George Godwin described the tower as "more Chinese than Italian",[7] while James Peller Malcolm called it "rather handsome, but of that species of architecture which is difficult to describe so as to be understood".
The orientation of the church is unusual, with the altar towards the north, instead of east.
Rectors of the church have included Thomas Lyndford, chaplain in ordinary to George I, and Jeremiah Milles, president of the Society of Antiquaries. The essayist Joseph Addison was married here in 1716.
In September 1868 a riot occurred outside the church, as a consequence of one of a series of Friday morning sermons given by the Rev. J.L. Lyne - known as "Father Ignatius" - in which he had spoken disparagingly of the traders of Lombard Street.
The church was restored in 1864 and 1880. It was damaged by bombing in 1917.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
