St Anne's Church Limehouse - The Pyramid
The purpose of a large four sided pyramid in the graveyard of St Anne's Church is a mystery. The four pinnacles on the main west tower are capped with pyramids with a similar shape but much smaller. The top of one of the faces of the grounded pyramid is inscribed with the words 'The Wisdom of Solomon' and under it is carved a raised coat of arms on which a unicorn is discernable to the left.
Some commentators state that beneath the English inscription are the same words in Hebrew but that is not visible now and is not mentioned in the English Heritage listing description above.
The English Heritage description is suggestive of the pyramid being a churchyard monument. A Hawksmoor church - St-George-In-The-East (started in 1714) - in Cannon Street Road has a square marble pyramid memorial on a two stage base with a coat of arms on the south face and dating from 1738.
Many sources write that the pyramid was originally intended to be put atop one of the short eastern towers of the church and that an early drawing shows the towers capped with pyramidal or domed tops. From the vantage point of the Docklands Light Railway and on satellite photographs it can be seen that both towers are indeed already capped with shallow pyramids (probably to prevent pools of water forming) and there is no room for the one in the churchyard. In addition the towers are 19 metres high and their plinths some 6 metres in width and the pyramid in the graveyard, whose base is just over 2 metres across, would be lost on top of one of these.
Another possibility is the the pyramid was originally intended to be positioned between the two towers - an early design for St-George-In-The-East involved two stair turrets flanking a lower centrally positioned pyramid.
Perhaps the pyramid was intended to be on top of Hawksmoor's original design for a tower at St Anne's, and that design was superceded by the St Alfrege's tower.
Or maybe the pyramid was intended for a completely different development, delivered to the church from the quarry in error and not returned. The postage would have been phenomenal.
Whatever the truth of the matter, something is living in that big hole burrowed under the south face of the pyramid!
Churchyard monument in the form of a pyramid, c1730. Portland stone. Square pyramid, each face divided into five fielded panels. Worn armorial relief on the south side below the inscription "THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON". An engraving of St Anne's Church (qv) by Woods after Hablot Browne, c1850, shows the monument raised on a low square base and surrounded by railings.