The spire of St Bride's inspired the modern
wedding cake, when a local baker, William Rich, modelled a wedding cake for his
daughter on the spire. Other bakers soon followed suit and the spire has been
known as the 'wedding-cake steeple' ever since.
The church is a Grade I listed building and its
entry, at English Heritage (visit
link), tells us:
"1670-84, by Wren. Aisled nave with
clerestory, shallow chancel and west tower flanked by lobbies. Interior burnt in
World War II and reconstructed in near facsimile. Exterior faced with Portland
stone. Tall, round-arched windows with elaborated 3 light window at east end.
Pair of pedimented doorways on north side with circular windows above.
Entablature and parapet to roof. Elliptical windows to clerestory. Large tower
and stone steeple of great distinction. Reconstructed interior has coupled Doric
columns supporting arcade and plaster vault. Gallery omitted and design of east
end altered. Domed lobby under tower. One of Wren's finest interiors, now
obscured by modern joinery. No old fittings survive. 2 stone figures of charity
children from former school stand at west end. Single storeyed vestries etc
attached to south side by church. Footings of earlier churches and other
buildings going back to Roman times have been uncovered in crypt."
The church's website (visit
link) tells us some of the history:
"'The Cathedral of Fleet Street'
There are places where history passes by with a step as light as gossamer,
leaving no trace. St. Bride's, 'the cathedral of Fleet Street', is not one of
them. This site spans two thousand years' development of an island people -
seven previous churches have occupied the site. Little of importance that has
happened in England's story has not been echoed in St. Bride's. From the time
when the Romans built here through the rise and fall of its seven previous
churches, this place has been nationally, and indeed, internationally, involved.
Celts, Romans, Angles, Saxons, Normans, so many peoples, made this place. Today,
in the exchange of news, it is parish pump to the world.
For seventeen years after a wartime bomb had left the church a smouldering
shell, Fleet Street had only a makeshift in place of the church it had always
called its own. But there was a dramatic reward for this deprivation. For
restoration meant excavation and this gave the archaeologists, led by Professor
W. F. Grimes, the chance to explore. As a result of their efforts nearly a
thousand years were added to St. Bride's known history.
In this place the Romans dug a ditch soon after they reached Londinium and it is
now one of London's earliest known Roman remains. Here was a mysterious second
century building, here was a Christian church fourteen centuries ago, here
happened the miracle of the transformation of print from a medieval 'mistery' to
a mind-moulding mass communicator, here grew up England's theatre, here
congregated the English men of letters, here was fought the battle for freedom
of speech, here nothing human has been alien and all that is divine has been
cherished.
Here, where so many generations have left a distinctive mark, is an epitome of
the story of man and more especially of his growth as a creature who
communicates."
The church's website (visit
link) also tells of Christopher Wren's involvement with the rebuilding after
the Great Fire of London:
"Wren's Vision
In 1671 the Churchwardens of St Bride's took Mr Christopher Wren (Surveyor
General and Principal Architect for rebuilding the City) to dinner at the Globe
Tavern at a cost of £2 17s. 0d. It would take another year before they could
convince him of their cause which would result in St Bride's being one of the
first post-Fire churches to be opened.
The Fire destroyed 87 City churches. St Bride's was among the 51 to be rebuilt
despite Wren's claim that only 39 were necessary in such a small area. The £500
required as a deposit by Guildhall to get things under way was raised in a
month, a remarkable effort as most of the parishoners had lost homes and
businesses in the Fire. However, this was not an end to the financial problems
and money remained tight. A combination of Coal Dues, donations and loans
eventually met the buildings cost of £11,430 5s. 11d.
Joshua Marshall was the main contractor for the works. Parishoner and Master
Mason to the king, like his father before him, Marshall was a wise choice. He
also worked with Wren on Temple Bar and the Monument. One assistant was the
young Nicholas Hawksmoor, who was to become a renowned architect himself.
As today, the main material for the church was Portland stone. By September
1672, within a year of starting, the walls had reached the upper part of the
cornice. The speed of progress was partly ascribed to the fact that the workmen
had a hostel by the church, The Old Bell Tavern, built for them by Wren. By 1674
the main structural work was complete and a year later the church was finally
reopened for worship on Sunday 19th December.
Though the church was open it was not completed. Most notably the tower remained
unfinished. In 1682 the Churchwardens again approached Wren - this time about
building the steeple. Work did not begin on this until 1701 and took two years
to complete. At 226 feet high, Wren designed his highest steeple which was to
withstand both lightning and war. Much has been written about the steeple, from
claims that it inspires wedding cakes to the oft quoted words of W.E. Henley:
'The while the fanciful, formal finicking charm
Of Bride's, that madrigal of stone,
Grows flushed and warm
And beauteous with a beauty not its own.
From The Song of the Sword'".
The church opens to casual visitors and also
offers guided tours.
Opening Times:
Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm
Sat: 11am-3pm
Sun: 10am-6.30pm
Services:
Sunday:
11:00am Choral Eucharist (music)
5:30pm Choral Evensong (music)
Monday
8:30am Holy Communion (in the Crypt)
Wednesday
8:30am Holy Communion (in the Crypt)
1:15pm Holy Communion (in the Crypt)
Friday
8:30am Holy Communion (in the Crypt)