St. Michael Bassishaw, a church on the west side of Basinghall street, so denominated from its dedication to St. Michael the Archangel, and its situation near Basing’s haw or hall. A church dedicated to the same patron has stood here from about the year 1140, but the last edifice being destroyed by the fire of London, the present structure was erected in its place. Newc. Rep. Eccles.
The walls are strengthened with rustic work at the corners, and the body well enlightened by a single series of large windows; at the east end, where the top is terminated by an arch, the light is given by three windows, one of them tall and upright, the two others circular. The steeple is a tower crowned with a turret, from which rises a kind of spire.
The patronage of this rectory appears to have been anciently in the Bishop of London; after which it fell into lay hands; but at last came to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s, where it has ever since continued, but is subject to the Archdeacon. The Rector receives 132l. 11s. per annum in lieu of tithes.
St. Michael’s, an ancient parochial chapel, which stood at the end of Leadenhall street, where is now the row of houses fronting Aldgate; and the remains of this chapel are still to be seen under the corner house of Leadenhall street. They extend thirty-six feet from north to south, and sixteen from east to west, and there is still standing the Gothic arched roof, which is supported by handsome pillars; the whole built with square brick, chalk, and stone. Maitland.
St. Michael’s Cornhill, on the east side of St. Michael’s alley. We find that a church was situated here, dedicated to the same holy angel, so early as before the year 1133; but the last edifice being destroyed with the other public buildings by the fire of London, the present Gothic structure was raised in its stead. Stowe.
The body is seventy feet long and sixty broad, the height to the roof is thirty-five feet, and that of the tower an hundred and thirty feet. The lower part of the tower occupies the center, and on each side there is a regular extent of building. The principal door opens in the lower stage of the tower, which rises with angulated corners from the ground, forming a kind of base, terminated at the height of the body of the church. The second stage, which is plain and lofty, has two tall windows, one over the other, properly shaped for the style of the building; this is terminated with a truly Gothic cornice. The third stage is exactly in the form of the two others, only they are plain, and this is covered with ornaments, the angulated corners are fluted, and terminated by cherubims heads under a cornice: the plain face between has four windows in two series. Above the cornice, over the uppermost of these windows, runs a battlement on the plain faces of the tower, and from the corners are carried up four beautiful fluted turrets, cased a part of their height with Doric turrets; these terminate in pinacle heads, from within which rises a spire at each corner crowned with a fane. The author of the Critical Review of the public buildings observes, that this Gothic tower is very magnificent, and justly deserves to be esteemed the finest thing of that sort in London.
The advowson of this church was anciently in the Abbot and Canons of Evesham; but in 1503 they conveyed it to the Drapers company, who settled upon that convent a perpetual annuity of 5l. 6s. 8d. and that company have been its patrons ever since. The Rector, instead of uncertain tithes, has by act of Parliament a settled stipend of 140l. a year.
St. Michael’s Crooked Lane, on the east side of St. Michael’s lane, in Candlewick ward, receives its additional epithet from its vicinity to Crooked lane. A church dedicated to St. Michael stood in the same place before the year 1304; but suffering by the fire of London in 1666 was soon after rebuilt.
It is a plain Structure built with stone, and enlightened by a series of large arched windows. The tower, which is at the west end, is carried square to a considerable height, and the uppermost window in the center of each face, is ornamented with a head, and handsome festoons. From hence, instead of a balustrade, is a range of open work of the Gothic kind, with vases at the corners. From within this part, the tower rises circular, diminishing in three stages, with an open buttress rising from each corner of the square tower, to the top of the first stage; from this buttress rises a large scroll to the top of the second, and a smaller to the top of the third stage, above which rises a kind of short round spire of a peculiar kind, it swelling out at the bottom, and then rounding off, rises to a small height, where it is terminated by a gilt ball and fane.
The patronage of this church was anciently in the Prior and Convent of Canterbury, in whom it continued till the year 1408, since which time it has been in the Archbishops of that see, and is one of the thirteen peculiars in this city belonging to Canterbury. The Rector, in conformity to an act of Parliament granted in the reign of King Charles II. receives, besides his other profits, 100l. per annum in lieu of tithes.