14. CORNHILL WARD.
Cornhill Ward includes the parish of St. Michael
Cornhill, part of St. Peter Cornhill and small
fragments of the parishes of St. Bartholomew
Exchange, St. Christopher le Stocks, St. Mary
Woolchurch, St. Mary Woolnoth, St. Edmund
and St. Martin Outwich. The principal monuments are the churches of St. Michael and St.
Peter.
Ecclesiastical
(1) Parish Church of St. Michael stands on the
S. side of Cornhill. The walls are probably of rubble
and brick, partly rendered in cement and partly
faced with Portland-stone ashlar; the dressings
are of the same material and the roofs are covered
with lead. The church was burnt in the Great
Fire of 1666, with the exception of the tower; the
latter was patched and the church re-built by Sir
C. Wren in 1670–77, at a cost of £4,686 10s. 4d. The
old steeple becoming unsafe, was taken down in
1715 and an entirely new one erected (Wren,
architect) and completed 1721. The church was
repaired in 1790 and restored by Sir G. Scott in
1860, when the window-tracery was added and
the N. porch built. In 1868 it was again restored,
the S. Cloister built and nearly all the original
fittings removed. The vestry, which forms a
structural part of the Rectory-house, was re-built
in recent years.
Architectural Description—The church is in the
Renaissance style on the Gothic plan and consists
of a chancel and nave (75 ft. by 23½ ft.) with N.
and S. aisles, not extending to the E. end, a W.
tower and a vestibule to the S. of it.
The E. Elevation. The end of the sanctuary has
a large round window with modern decoration to
the splays. The return walls of the sanctuary
have each a window of two round-headed lights
with modern internal decoration. The E. wall of
the N. aisle is blank, but in the corresponding
position in the S. aisle is a round-headed window
with modern filling making two lights. The N.
Elevation is concealed by buildings, but the N.
clearstorey has a range of four round windows;
the wall is finished with a wooden cornice.
The S. Elevation. The aisle-wall is faced with
ashlar and finished with a stone cornice. In each
bay is a round-headed window with moulded
architrave and sill and modern filling forming two
lights. The clearstorey has four round windows,
as on the N. side, and a wooden cornice. The W.
Elevation. The W. end of the vestibule has a
window similar to those in the S. aisle. The tower
has semi-octagonal buttresses at the angles and is
of four stages. It was built in 1715–21 and is
in the Gothic manner.
Interior—The sanctuary has a plain barrel-vault
of plaster and at the W. end a coffered arch with
rosettes, springing from pilasters with acanthuscornices continued along the side walls. The
body of the church has N. and S. arcades of four
bays with round arches, moulded archivolts and
plain key-blocks; they spring from round Doric
columns with egg and dart enrichment to the
capitals; the responds have attached half-columns.
The ceiling forms a groined plaster vault in each
bay divided by guilloche-bands, with rosettes,
springing from moulded corbels with modern
angels below them; there are modern round
openings in the middle of the three western bays.
In the W. wall is a tall round arch of two orders,
opening into the tower; the inner order is plain
with moulded imposts and the outer order has a
moulded archivolt and imposts enriched with
acanthus. The N. and S. aisles have plaster
groined vaults to each bay springing from moulded
corbels with acanthus and egg and dart enrichment. The three W. bays in the N. aisle and all
the bays in the S. aisle have a modern round opening in the middle of each bay. The W. wall of
each aisle has a round arch with moulded imposts
and archivolt and a plain key-block. In the E.
wall of the S. aisle is a modern doorway to the
vestry; the old doorway was further N. in the same
wall. The S. vestibule has a plaster vault similar
to one bay of the adjoining aisle. In the S. wall is
a plain round-headed doorway opening into a
modern passage-way or cloister. The ground-stage of the tower has a round-headed recess with
moulded imposts in the N., S. and W. walls; in
the N. and S. recesses are modern arches or doorways; the tower has a domed vault resting on
head-corbels and with a round bell-way with an
acanthus-border.
Fittings—Communion Table: of oak with
twisted legs and moulded rails, late 17th-century.
Font: round moulded bowl of white marble, inscribed "Donum Jacobi Paul Armri 1672," "Renov
1860," stem modern. Monuments and Floor-slabs.
Monuments: against E. pier of N. arcade—(1) to
John Young, 1670, oval marble cartouche with
enriched frame, scrolls, acanthus-foliage and
drapery, cornice and curved broken pediment at
top and cartouche-of-arms below. In N. aisle—
on N. wall, (2) to John Vernon, [1615], marble
wall-monument, erected after Great Fire, with
bust in shallow arched recess flanked by flat
pilasters supporting entablatures of which the
cornice is continued across the top as a curved
pediment, apron below with painted cartouche of
the arms of the Merchant Taylors' Company,
monument restored 1666; (3) to Luke Nourse,
1673, Hugh Wells, 1673, and Edward Nourse, his
son, 1689, who married Mary, daughter of Hugh
Wells, marble cartouche with scrolls, palms and
cherub-heads, urn at top and a painted shield-of-arms below on a console-bracket; (4) to Francis
Mosse, 1657, and Henry his son, 1676, rectangular
marble tablet with oval panel, flanked by scrolls;
drapery and cherub-head below on apron and
surmounted by a segmental pediment and a
cartouche-of-arms. On W. wall of tower—(5) to
Richard Holdsworth, S.T.D., 1649, black marble
slab. In S. vestibule—In N.E. angle, (6) to Sir
William Cowper, Bart., 1664, and Martha (Master)
his wife, 1676, both "lie buried in this cloister,"
erected by their son Spenser, white marble wall-monument, with Ionic side-columns and pilasters
supporting entablature and broken segmental
pediment with cartouche-of-arms, at side, foliage
scrolls; on S. wall, (7) to John Huitson, 1689,
and Martha (Cooper) his wife, 1681, white
marble tablet with moulded border and drapery,
surmounted by broken scrolled pediment and
achievement-of-arms; (8) to Sir Edward Cowper,
1685, white marble wall-monument with twisted
Corinthian side-columns, and pilasters supporting
an entablature with broken segmental pediment
and achievement-of-arms, base in form of pedestal
with shaped angles enriched with acanthus-foliage.
Floor-slab: In churchyard—to Edward Folkingham, 1698, and Elizabeth his wife, 1708, with
shield-of-arms. Organ: Originally built by
Renatus Harris, 1684, but much altered and
enlarged. Incorporated in modern organ-case,
several carved cherub-heads in wood, probably
late 17th-century; organ formerly at W. end of
church. Paintings: On E. wall—panels with
figures of Moses and Aaron, from the old reredos,
late 17th-century. Panelling: In vestry—in two
heights, with carved wreath and pendants above
fireplace (Plate 83), late 17th or early 18th-century.
Plate: includes two tankards of 1616, given by
John Vernon in 1617, with shield-of-arms; two
cups and cover-patens all of 1608, except one of
the cups which is of 1550, all bear inscription and
date 1608; paten of 1678, with names of churchwardens and date 1678; alms-dish of 1698, given
by anonymous donor in 1689. Miscellanea:
Under W. window, carved wooden figure of a pelican
'in her piety' (Plate 47).
Condition—Good.
(2) Parish Church of St. Peter Cornhill
stands at the S. corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street. It is a Renaissance building following the mediæval plan and is built of red
brick, partly cement-rendered, with stone dressings, the tower being of the same material. The
roof is lead-covered and gabled in two pitches. A
stone vault under the tower and two pointed chalk
foundation-arches under the S. wall (recently
discovered and now covered in) date from the
14th or 15th centuries, but the rest of the church,
above ground, was destroyed in the Great Fire,
1666, and re-built by Sir Christopher Wren in
1677–87, at a cost of £5,647 8s. 2d.
Church of St Peter Cornhill
The church is notable as containing one of the
two chancel-screens erected at that date, and the
brick tower is of unusual and almost Italian design.
Architectural Description—The Body and Aisles
of the church form a slightly irregular oblong
(95 ft. by 53½ ft.) with a projecting Vestry and
Tower to the W. of the Nave and S. aisle respectively
and a N. porch.
The E. Elevation is pierced by two ranges of
windows, five in the lower and three in the upper
range. The five lower windows are round-headed
and uniform in size, three lighting the Quire and
two the aisles. They are divided by Ionic pilasters
standing on a stylobate and supporting an entablature with an attic above; the three middle windows
have cherub-head keystones. The Quire wall is
carried up higher than the aisles and finished with
a pediment. In the upper part are the three
windows of the second range, the centre round-headed and carried up into the pediment and the
side ones circular, with moulded architraves;
they are divided by plain pilasters. The aisles
are finished with raking pediments in the form of
inverted curves. The N. Elevation (Plate 63).
The first two bays are concealed by buildings, but in
the third and fourth bays are round-headed windows
with moulded imposts and archivolts and cherub-head keystones. They are set in square recesses
with draped festoons in the spandrels. The
window in the fifth bay is similar in detail to the
others but circular in form, and below it is a
segmental-headed doorway with moulded architrave and keystone opening into the N. porch.
The porch has an outer doorway of similar form
with a scrolled keystone and is flanked by an
Ionic column and pilaster on each side standing on
the same pedestal and supporting an entablature
and a plain parapet. The porch has a segmental
stone vault springing from a moulded cornice.
The S. Elevation is covered by buildings for the
first two bays, but in the remaining three are round-headed windows with plain architraves, archivolts
and keystones and moulded imposts carried along
the face of the wall; below the third window is
a square-headed doorway with a moulded architrave, pulvinated frieze and cornice. The wall is
finished with a main cornice and a plain parapet.
The Tower stands at the west end and is four
stages high with a timber dome, lantern and spire.
In the S. wall of the ground-stage is a round-headed window and over it a second in the stage
above. The third stage has a small round window
in each face, and on each side of the bell-chamber
are three round-headed louvred openings divided
by Doric pilasters or piers and responds. At
the angles of the tower are Doric pilasters supporting a continuous entablature, from which rises a
lead-covered dome with four round lunettes
supporting an octagonal lantern with a round-headed opening in each face. The lead-covered
spire is crowned by a vane in the form of a key.
Interior—The two aisle-windows in the E. wall
have moulded imposts and the three lower windows
in the Quire are similar with modelled plaster
cartouches flanked by swags above the heads.
They are divided by Corinthian pilasters with
quarter pilasters at the angles of the Quire, supporting a continuous entablature with an enriched
cornice. The middle window of the upper range
is flanked by Doric pilasters. The windows in the
N. and S. walls have moulded imposts carried along
the face of the wall and projected opposite the
columns to form corbels and with plaster cartouches below.
The W. wall of the body of the church corresponds in design with the E. end, the windows
being represented by panels. In it are two doorways, masked by wooden door-cases and opening
into the vestry and tower respectively. The
body and aisles of the church are separated by an
arcade of five bays on each side. The piers are
composed of four plain pilasters, three with pseudoDoric capitals and all standing on high wainscoted
bases, with responds to correspond. The pilasters
facing the body of the church are carried up the
walls and finished with Corinthian capitals, each
supporting a separate entablature, the enriched
cornice of which is carried completely round the
church. The arches are semi-circular with an
edging of bay-leaves and plain key-blocks. Above
the cornice on the N. and S. is an attic divided
into bays by low panelled pilasters. The ceiling of
the body of the church is a plaster barrel-vault of
elliptical form, the bays being indicated by bands,
enriched with guilloche-ornament. Similar bands
divide the ceiling longitudinally into three sections.
The compartments thus formed have circular
panels to the middle row and rectangular panels
at the sides, the alternate bays in the centre being
further enriched by large plaster roses. Each bay
of the aisles is ceiled with a plaster vault con-centric
with the main arcade and having a round transverse
arch springing from the outer pilaster of each pier
and resting against the wall on a plaster bracket
and corbel. Beneath the tower is a plain pointed
vault of ragstone dating from the 14th or 15th
century. In the W. wall of the ground-stage is a
door leading to a modern vestry and within the
S.E. angle is a circular staircase.
Fittings—All the fittings, unless otherwise stated,
are of late 17th-century date. Book: In W.
vestry—manuscript of St. Jerome's Vulgate, c.
1270, formerly belonging to the Trinity Chantry in
this church. Bread-shelves: on W. wall, in three
divisions and two heights with ornamental edges
to shelves and enclosed in framing with carved
capping and base supported by bold cavettoshaped corbels. Communion Table: of oak (?),
with moulded top supported on four square and
fluted Doric columns on moulded plinth-rails and
one transverse rail, possibly early 18th-century.
Communion Rails: with moulded base and rail,
panelled standards and balusters in form of small
square Doric columns on pedestals, possibly early
18th-century. Cupboards: In vestry on N. and
S. of chancel, of old panelling. Doors and Doorcases: To N. doorway, outer door with segmental
head and in two leaves each of four raised panels.
Casing to lobby with fluted Corinthian pilasters on
either side of inner door supporting entablature
with broken segmental pediment; inner and outer
door similar and each in two leaves with raised
lower and glazed upper panels. To S. doorway,
outer door in two leaves each with three raised
panels; lobby with outer door in two leaves and
two single inner side-doors, all with casing similar
to those to N. doorway. Doors to vestry and tower
each with eight raised panels with bolectionmouldings and bolection-moulded architraves;
each doorway flanked by fluted Corinthian pilasters with entablatures and segmental pediment;
between heads of door and architraves, panel
carved with swags and cherub-heads and, above
architrave, moulded panel flanked by carved
scrolls with cherub-heads. Font: of white marble
with octagonal bowl of ovolo-section with moulded
rim and underside carved with acanthus-leaves
and, on alternate faces, winged cherub-heads;
octagonal stem with moulded cap and lower part
carved with acanthus-leaves on square moulded
base, presented by Samuel Purchas, 1681. Font-cover: of oak, octagonal, with guilloche-ornament
on edge surmounted by eight carved consoles
each with cherub-head terminations and supporting circular carved vase-finial; standing on cover
below consoles, carved dove. Gallery: at W. end
of nave, carried in middle on two Doric columns
with entablature and panelled front with moulded
base and capping; front divided by panelled
pilasters and sides returned against end wall in
concave sweeps; frieze carved at intervals with
winged cherub-heads and violins and other musical
instruments above columns. Monument and Floor-slabs: Monument. In N. aisle—on W. wall, to
James Buck, 1685–6, marble cartouche on background of drapery flanked by two cherub-heads
with cherub-head and cartouche-of-arms above.
Floor slabs. (1) to Richard Fowler, 1691, and his
grand-nephews, Robert, 1691, and Thomas, 1695;
(2) to Robert Rowland 1690; (3) to Walter Tredway, 1710, and Samuel Tredway, 1712; (4) to
Richard Beck, 1714; (5) to Mary daughter of
John Ingle, 1684. Organ and Organ-case: with
lower part panelled and surmounted by carved
frieze and moulded cornice with the latter in three
semi-circular projections, the outer ones with
cherub-heads and the middle with carved acanthusleaf corbels supporting 'towers' of pipes; heads
of 'towers' with pierced carving and entablature
with cornice from side towers carried up in concave
sweep over intervening spaces each in two panels
of gilded pipes; organ originally built by Bernard
Schmidt, 1681, but much altered and renovated;
old manual now preserved in vestry. Panelling:
round pedestals of piers and walls of church to
level of window-sills in four heights with raised
panels and moulded cornices; enclosing vestries
at E. ends of both aisles and also W. vestry.
Plate: includes two cups, one of 1549, the other of
1626, both inscribed and dated 1625, two flagons of
1625, both inscribed and dated, two patens of 1625,
one with similar inscription as on cups, a silver
dish of 1681 with Royal Arms and Latin inscription recording gift in 1682, and a spoon inscribed
"H.W., 1639 C.W." Poor-box: In vestibule—
with double recessed angles, moulded top and
bottom supported by two small brackets at sides
and one in front on panelled pilaster-stem; above
and against wall, small tablet surmounted by
cornice and pediment. Pulpit: against second
pier of N. arcade, of oak, hexagonal with enriched
capping and base and enriched semi-circularheaded panels on sides with carved bolectionmouldings surmounted by winged cherub-heads
and swags and festoons at sides; under-side of
ogee section and carried on hexagonal pillar with
moulded cap and base. Sounding-board, hexagonal with enriched cornice surmounted by carved
scrolls in shape of double-ogee pediments and
under-side with simple inlaid panelling; against
pier and partly supporting sounding-board, raised
panel with carved and pierced scrolls on either side;
stairs with cut string with shaped brackets on
ends, moulded rail, twisted balusters and square
fluted newels; stairs possibly later than pulpit
and of early 18th-century date. Reredos: across
full width of chancel, in three bays with panelled
dado to lower part and upper part divided into
three bays corresponding to windows above, with
coupled Ionic pilasters to middle bay and half
pilasters to side bays supporting enriched entablature with pulvinated frieze carved with bay and
oak-leaves; cornice only continued over middle
bay and segmental pediment with carved bull's
hide in tympanum with, in middle, oval panel with
name of Jehovah surrounded by glory; between
pilasters, two round-headed panels filled with
modern work with enriched borders and winged
cherub-heads in spandrels; side bays each in three
panels, with central one with enriched border
and painted respectively on N. and S. sides with the
Lord's Prayer and Creed. Royal Arms (see screen).
Screen (Plate 139): extending full width of church
across middle of second bay—in six bays on either
side of central opening with lower part panelled
with raised panels in two tiers with moulded capping
and upper part open and divided by slender square
and fluted Doric columns on high panelled pedestals
and supporting coupled semi-circular arches with
pierced spandrels and central pendant of Doric
cap and turned finial; above arches, richly moulded
cornice ramped up to form cornice to entablature
over fluted Corinthian pilasters on either side of
central opening; architrave only from entablature
above pilasters continued across opening in segmental arch, surmounted over middle by small
pedestal and carved cartouche, on both faces, of
royal arms of the Stuarts with supporters of lion
and unicorn surmounting the entablatures on
either side; the second bay from either end is
open with posts below pedestals to flanking
columns with moulded capitals and bases and twin
elliptical arch with central pendant and broken
segmental pediment above cornice and shaped
tympanum with central panel and carved volutes;
E. and W. faces of screen similar, but portion of
panelling on N. side removed. Seating: modern,
but churchwardens' pew at W. end of old work
re-used with panelled back, pierced and carved
panels and scrolled ends. In various parts of
church—sixteen forms with turned legs. Staircase: to gallery, in tower, of oak with moulded
string and handrail, square newels and twisted
balusters. Tables: At W. end of nave—small,
with turned legs, moulded top rails and plain
lower rails. In vestry—large, with moulded rails
and turned legs. Miscellanea: The Lucius
Tablet: preserved in N. vestry, brass, in enriched
oak frame, with inscription claiming the foundation of the church by Lucius in the 2nd century,
17th-century. In N. and S. vestries—old panelling, re-used as casing.
Condition—Good.