St. Ethelburga-the-Virgin within Bishopsgate - City of London (London)
N 51° 30.932 W 000° 04.929
30U E 702447 N 5711193
Small Gothic St. Ethelburga-the-Virgin church, located on Bishopsgate near Liverpool Street station in City of London, represents a rare survival of the medieval City' churches.
Waymark Code: WMQBTV
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/31/2016
Views: 3
Small Gothic St. Ethelburga-the-Virgin church, located on Bishopsgate near Liverpool Street station in City of London, represents a rare survival of the medieval City' churches that were mostly destroyed during the Great Fire of London in 1666.
St. Ethelburga-the-Virgin is dedicated to St. Ethelburga (Æthelburh of Barking), a 7th-century abbess of Barking. She was the sister of St. Erkenwald, a Bishop of London. Its foundation date is unknown, but it was first recorded in 1250 as the church of St. Adelburga-the-Virgin. The dedication to "-the-Virgin" was dropped in Puritan times but was later restored.
The church was rebuilt in the 15th century – possibly around 1411 – and a small square bell turret was added in 1775. A weathervane was added in 1671. In order to raise revenue for the church, whose parish covered just three acres (12 000 m²), a wooden porch was built over its exterior in the 16th century to house two shops. It underwent major changes in 1932, when Bishopsgate was controversially widened. The shops were demolished and the porch dismantled, revealing the façade of the church for the first time in centuries.
It suffered modest bomb damage during the Blitz of the Second World War and was restored in 1953. In 1993, the church was half destroyed when a massive IRA bomb exploded nearby, devastating Bishopsgate. An evangelical faction of the Church of England proposed to demolish St. Ethelburga's in the aftermath but, following a sustained public outcry, it was rebuilt to its original plan, though much changed internally.
Originally administered by Church of England until 1993, nowadays St. Ethelburga serves to Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. It is a non-profit charity which aims to build relationships across divisions of conflict, culture and religion. Its expertise is in bringing people together in new ways, creating safe space for transformative conversations and collaborative enquiry, increasing understanding, and inspiring people to take action in their own communities. The centre focuses on the values of listening, reflection, honouring diversity, self-responsibility, and choosing non-violence. [adapted and excerpted from Wiki]
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