St Margaret Pattens
Encyclopedia
St Margaret Pattens is a Church of England
church in the City of London
, located on Eastcheap
near the Monument
. The dedication is to St. Margaret of Antioch.
in 1666. The present church was built by Sir Christopher Wren
in 1687. It is one of only a few City churches to have escaped significant damage in the Second World War.
In 1954 St Margaret Pattens ceased to be a parish church and became one of the City’s guild churches, within the living of the Lord Chancellor and under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London. They have a regular weekday, rather than Sunday congregation, drawn mostly from people who work in offices nearby.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
's head where wrongdoers had to sit during the church service.
, The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers.
Another possibility is that the church's name actually commemorates a benefactor, possibly one Ranulf Patin, a canon at St Paul's Cathedral
during the medieval period, although it would be most unusual for a benefactor to be commemorated in this way.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
church in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, located on Eastcheap
Eastcheap
Eastcheap is a street in the City of London. Its name derives from cheap, market, with the prefix "East" distinguishing it from the other former City of London market of Westcheap . In medieval times Eastcheap was the City's main meat market, with butchers' stalls lining both sides of the street...
near the Monument
Monument to the Great Fire of London
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, more commonly known as The monument, is a 202 ft tall stone Roman Doric column in the City of London, England, near the northern end of London Bridge. It stands at the junction of Monument Street and Panda Bear Hill, 202 ft from where the Great...
. The dedication is to St. Margaret of Antioch.
History
The church was first recorded in 1067, at which time the church was probably built from wood. It was rebuilt in stone at some unknown subsequent date but fell into disrepair and had to be demolished in 1530. It was rebuilt in 1538 but was destroyed in the Great Fire of LondonGreat Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666. The present church was built by Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
in 1687. It is one of only a few City churches to have escaped significant damage in the Second World War.
In 1954 St Margaret Pattens ceased to be a parish church and became one of the City’s guild churches, within the living of the Lord Chancellor and under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London. They have a regular weekday, rather than Sunday congregation, drawn mostly from people who work in offices nearby.
The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.
Building
The church's exterior is notable for its 200-ft high spire, Wren's third highest and the only one that he designed in a medieval style.. This is sometimes referred to as Wren's only "true spire". Its interior is a simple rectangle with some unusual fittings - the only canopied pews in London, dating from the 17th century. These were intended for the churchwardens. The initials "CW" which appear in one of the pews have been thought to refer to Christopher Wren, but they may also signify "church warden." Other features in the interior include a punishment box carved with the DevilDevil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
's head where wrongdoers had to sit during the church service.
Name
The church's name is traditionally said to derive from pattens, wooden-soled overshoes, later soled with raised iron rings, that, as elsewhere, parishioners would be asked to remove on entering the church. These raised shoes enabled people to walk about the streets of London without muddying their feet. The church has certainly long been associated with their Livery CompanyLivery Company
The Livery Companies are 108 trade associations in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade, craft or profession. The medieval Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling,...
, The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers.
Another possibility is that the church's name actually commemorates a benefactor, possibly one Ranulf Patin, a canon at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
during the medieval period, although it would be most unusual for a benefactor to be commemorated in this way.
See also
- EastcheapEastcheapEastcheap is a street in the City of London. Its name derives from cheap, market, with the prefix "East" distinguishing it from the other former City of London market of Westcheap . In medieval times Eastcheap was the City's main meat market, with butchers' stalls lining both sides of the street...
- List of churches and cathedrals of London
- List of Christopher Wren churches in London
- Plantation PlacePlantation PlacePlantation Place is a large office development in the City of London, taking its name from a previous 'Plantation House', once the world's recognised centre of the tea trade....