St Helen's, Bishopsgate
Great St Helen's, London EC3

St Helen's Bishopsgate has an unusual history and groundplan.  Its curious double nave shows that the church was once two separate places of worship: a parish church, with 15th century Gothic arches, and the chapel of the adjoining medieval Benedictine nunnery. 

The nunnery was founded by William Fitzwilliam in the 13th century, dedicated to St Helen and the Holy Cross. St Helen was the mother of the first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, and credited with discovering the True Cross in the 4th century.   This is the only monastic building to survive within the walls of the City.  

Although St Helen's survived the Great Fire and the Blitz the building suffered severe bomb damage at the end of the 20th century.  The modern commercial buildings that surround the church helped to shield it from two IRA bomb blasts in 1992 and 1993, but the first bomb caused considerable damage to the building.  St Helen's has been restored and reordered by Quinlan Terry.

Outside the west front has two battlemented gables representing the nunnery to the north and the parish church to the south, surmounted by a small bell-turret in the centre.  Inside, the two naves of are divided by four tall arches dating from around 1475. 

The two chancels are separated by a 14th century arch and another arch dating from the late-15th century.  A white-painted gallery has been constructed across the west end and this now houses an organ by Thomas Griffin dated 1743. 

The focus of the church is on the south wall where a rich Jacobean pulpit stands on a dais. 

Although little stained glass survived the 1992 bomb blast, the north window still depicts William Shakespeare, who is recorded as living in the parish in 1597.  The font, now standing at the west end, dates from 1632.                     

The church, with its collection of medieval and Tudor monuments to City dignitaries, is known as the 'Westminster Abbey of the City', and includes the tomb-chest of Sir Thomas Gresham, who died in 1579, founder of the Royal Exchange and Gresham College.  There is also the memorial to Sir William Pickering, died 1574, Ambassador to Spain, and on the east wall is small memorial to Sir Andrew Judd , died 1558, Lord Mayor and founder of Tonbridge School.  St Helen's oldest monument, from the 14th century, commemorates John de Oteswich and his wife

Admission free

Opening Times

Open: Mon-Fri; 09:00-17:00  Tuesday services; 12:35 & 13:15  Sunday services; 10:15 & 19:.00