VI.—On the Destroyed Church of St. Michael Wood Street, in the City of London, with some Notes on the Church of St. Michael Bassishaw

Abstract

From the artistic and antiquarian points of view, the systematic destruction of our old City churches under the Union of Benefices Act is greatly to be deplored. Under this Act the churches designed by Sir Christopher Wren have especially suffered; and here I will venture to say a few words on that famous architect and his work. A dire catastrophe sometimes calls forth the energies of the master mind that can grapple with it; this was the case, when, after the Great Fire of 1666, by which eighty-six parish churches were destroyed or severely injured, Wren at that time, hardly a professional architect, turned his attention to the City. He first produced a plan for general rebuilding, which would have given free scope to his genius, although at the same time destroying many links with the past. The chief public buildings were to have been grouped round the Royal Exchange, which would have formed an important centre; St. Paul's Cathedral being approached from the east by two broad converging streets. A river quay, in part adorned by the City Halls, would have extended from Black-friars to the Tower of London; while the churches, greatly reduced in number, were to occupy commanding and isolated sites, their burial grounds being outside the City. For reasons which it is here not necessary to discuss, this proposal was not accepted; and so the City grew again, more or less on its old irregular lines. To Wren, however, was assigned the task of rebuilding or repairing not only St. Paul's Cathedral, but, if we include St. Mary Woolnoth and St. Sepulchre, both only repaired, no fewer than fifty-two other churches, The remainder were not rebuilt, their parishes being united -with adjoining parishes which continued to possess churches. The ancient burial grounds were, to a great extent, retained, and burials continued in them until after the middle of the nineteenth century.