St. Michael, Crooked Lane

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

St. Michael, Crooked Lane
The church as it looked at the time of its demise
The church as it looked at the time of its demise
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic, Anglican
Contact particulars
Address Miles' Lane, London
Country United Kingdom

Portal:Christianity

Coordinates: 51°51′01.36″N, 0°5′20.89″W

St Michael, Crooked Lane was an “antient” [1]parish church situated on the east side of Miles' Lane, Great Eastcheap[2] in Candlewick Ward[3], rebuilt in 1687 by Sir Christopher Wren[4] after the Great Fire of London, only to be sacrificed in 1831 when the wider approaches needed for the rebuilt London Bridge required its demolition[5]. It was also within this parish that the first cases of The Plague occurred in 1665[6].

First mentioned in the13th century[7], it was fortunate to have in quick succession two influential Lord Mayors as its benefactor: firstly John Loveken[8] and then William Walworth,[9] the nemesis of Wat Tyler. The church, one of 13 peculiarities within the “Square Mile”[10], seems from scrutiny of the Parish books[11] to have been a particularly idiosyncratic parish:

  • The Worshipful Company of Plumbers, whose livery church it was, held the church in enormous regard[12]
  • Vestry business was usually conducted in the nearby Boar’s Head Tavern[13]
  • On one occasion a careless parishioner somehow contrived to blow up the crypt[14]
  • Even the churchyard was a place of interest

'Here lyeth, wrapped in clay, 'The body of William Wray, 'I have no more to say. '

United with St Magnus the Martyr, a stained glass window can still be seen at that church commemorating the former parish. Partial records exist and can be accessed through the IGI[15]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Churchwardens of St Michael, Crooked Lane v. Joan Bawke, George Asshe and other Jan 1, 1553 Open Document, National Archives, Kew
  2. ^ Details of location
  3. ^ Candlewick Ward History
  4. ^ Wren’s Eclesiastical Portfolio
  5. ^ The Church Of St. Michael, Crooked Lane Correspondent not cited The Times, Thursday, Apr 07, 1831; pg. 3; Issue 14507; col F
  6. ^ Samuel Pepys's Diary:April 30, 1665 (Dover, Lewis Publications 1992) ISBN 048636675
  7. ^ The History and Antiquities of the Parish and Church of St Michael, Crooked Lane, Herbert, W. (Harvey and Darton 1833)
  8. ^ Notes on Old City Churches: their organs, organists and musical associations Pearce, C.W. (Winthrop Rogers Ltd 1909)
  9. ^ Walworth, Sir William (d. 1386?)’, Nightingale, P. in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004) ISBN 019861411X
  10. ^ Vanished churches of the City of London Huelin, G (Guildhall Library Publishing 1996) ISBN 0900422424
  11. ^ St Michael's Crooked Lane, Church of England, Archdeaconry of London. - Visitations: churchwardens' presentments. 1679-1946. - [Bundles 91-120], 1744. - M0032876CL cited in City of London Parish Registers Guide 4 Hallows,A.(Ed) (Guildhall Library Research, 1974) ISBN 0900422300
  12. ^ Worshipful Company of Plumbers
  13. ^ Also demolished in 1831
  14. ^ A Survey of London, Vol I Stow,J (Originally,1598: this edn-London, A.Fullarton & Co,1890)
  15. ^ Genealogical web-site

[edit] External links

Anglicanism Portal
This article about a church or other Christian place of worship in the United Kingdom is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
 This London-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.