St Giles-without-Cripplegate
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| St. Giles-without-Cripplesgate | |
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 Current photo of St. Giles-without-Cripplegate
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| Information | |
| Denomination | Anglican, earlier Roman Catholic |
| Contact particulars | |
| Address | City of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
St Giles-without-Cripplegate is an Anglican church in the City of London, located within the modern Barbican complex[1]. When built it stood without (that is, outside) the city wall, near the Cripplegate. The church is dedicated to St Giles, patron saint of beggars and cripples. It is one of the few medieval churches left in the City of London, having survived the Great Fire of 1666.
There was a Saxon church on the site in the 11th century but by 1090 it had been replaced by a Norman one. In 1394 it was rebuilt in the perpendicular gothic style.
The church has been badly damaged by fire on three occasions: In 1545, in 1897 and during the Second World War in 1940. The bombs of the Second World War completely gutted the church but it was restored using the plans of the reconstruction of 1545.
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[edit] Notable people associated with the church
- John Field, curate of the church, c. 1570
- John Foxe, author of the Book of Martyrs, surrogate for Crowley c. 1565 and buried in the church, 1587
- Robert Crowley, rector of St Giles', friend of Foxe, printer, poet, social gospeller, and Protestant polemicist, buried in the church, 1588
- Lancelot Andrewes, rector of the church after Crowley
- Sir Martin Frobisher, captain who fought against the Spanish Armada, buried in the church, 1594
- Nathaniel Eaton, first schoolmaster of Harvard College, christened, 1610
- Oliver Cromwell, military commander and Lord Protector of England during the Commonwealth, married in the church, 1620
- Nicholas Tooley, Shakespearean Actor, Sharer of Globe Theatre Buried 5 June, 1623
- John Speed, author of the Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, buried in the church, 1629
- Ben Jonson, first poet Laureate, buried in the church, 1637[citation needed]
- John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, buried in the church, 1674
- John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim's Progress, attended the church
- Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, died in the parish, 1731
- Rick Wakeman, keyboardist who recorded his track "Jane Seymour" at the church, and who inadvertently contributed £2000 to the church's upkeep.
[edit] Layout of the Church
- 1. John Milton buried here in 1674
- 2. The altar from St. Luke's, Old Street which was dismantled in the 1960s due to subsidence.
- 3. The east window. Designed by the Nicholson Studios, following the pattern of the original medieval window.
- 4. Sedilia (where the priest sat and piscina of the medieval church.
- 5. Display cabinet containing the historic treasures of Cripplegate.
- 6. John Foxe, author of "The Book of Martyrs" is buried here.
- 7. Plaque commemorating Sir Martin Frobisher, explorer and sea Captain.
- 8. Bust of John Speed, map maker and historian.
- 9. Statue of John Milton[2]
- 10. The organ. From St. Luke's, Old Street[3]
- 11. Bust of Daniel Defoe, author of "Robinson Crusoe" and John Milton.
- 12. Busts of Oliver Cromwell and John Bunyan, outhor of "Pilgrims Progress".
- 13. Portrait of Dr. William Nicholls, the first Rector of St. Luke's Church and Vicar of St. Giles'.
- 14. The West Window - shows the coats of arms of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, Milton, Cromwell and Frobisher.
- 15. The font - from St. Luke's Church.
- 16. The Cripplegate Window which celebrates the centenary of the charity The Cripplegate Foundation.
- 17. Bust of Sir William Staines, Lord Mayor of London in 1801. [4]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ "The City of London Churches" Betjeman,J Andover, Pikin, 1967 ISBN 0853721122
- ^ "London:the City Churches” Pevsner,N/Bradley,S New Haven, Yale, 1998 ISBN 0300096550
- ^ Pearce,C.W. “Notes on Old City Churches: their organs, organists and musical associations” London, Winthrop Rogers Ltd 1909
- ^ St Giles' Church Guide
