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Of the 52 new churches built
by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London, St
James's, Piccadilly, is said to be his favourite. It
was also the only church the prolific architect constructed
on a new site.
Built between 1676 - 84, St James's
has retained its features, despite alterations over the years
and suffering bomb damage in 1940.
The thin spire, replaced in 1968,
is a fibreglass replica of the original. The church
itself has tall, arched windows and a light, dignified, interior. The
galleried interior and altar, organ case and font were carved
by Grinling Gibbons. The
ornate screen behind the altar is one of the 17th century
master carver's finest works and was admired by John Evelyn,
whose marble font depicts Adam and Eve standing by the Tree
of Life.
The ornate organ was originally
made for the chapel of Whitehall Palace but brought here in
1691.
Notable people baptised at St
James's Piccadilly include Tory Prime Minister William Pitt
the Elder (1708) and the artist and poet William Blake (1757).
The auctioneer James Christie
and the caricaturist James Gillray are amongst the distinguished
people buried here.
The interior of St James's offers
tranquility away from busy Piccadilly. The church hosts
a calendar of concerts and events, and a small outdoor craft
market is held in the paved memorial garden several days a
week.
Admission free
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Piccadilly Circus