London City Churches

The churches of the City of London constitute one of the finest groups of ecclesiastical buildings in Europe. They are undoubtedly one of the country's greatest architectural treasures, but they are relatively unknown, due to the dominance of St Paul's Cathedral.

There were 111 churches in the City in the 16th century; over 80 were destroyed by the great Fire of 1666, and 51 subsequently rebuilt under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren. Today, a total of some 40 survive and together they illustrate an extraordinary breadth of architectural history. These include the magnificent Norman choir of St Bartholomew the Great, which has recently been used as a location in Shakespeare in Love and Four Weddings and a Funeral, through Wren's classical masterpieces to the late Georgian Gothic Revival of St Dunstan-in-the-West. Much of the beauty of the City churches lies within them; wonderful monuments, 17th woodwork, carving, and plasterwork, and 20th century pieces by Henry Moore, and Sir Jacob Epstein.

The Friends of the City Churches aim to help ensure that the churches remain accessible to the whole community by providing volunteers to enable churches to stay open. They also organise events, concerts, and organise a two day walk when all the churches are open. Our long-term aim is to encourage and support their preservation for future generations, and foster a wider appreciation of the churches.