This church has all along been in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s, and is subject to the Archdeacon. On its being rebuilt the parish of the Trinity was united to it, by which the Rector’s fees were considerably augmented, who, besides his other advantages, receives 160l. per annum, in lieu of tithes.
St. Michael Querne, a church which stood at the west end of Cheapside, between Blowbladder street and Pater noster row, and had a narrow passage at the west end. We have an account of this edifice so early as the year 1181, when it appears to have been only a chapel, since the first Rector was buried in it in 1461. in old records it is called St. Michael ad Bladum; that is, At the Corn, which was corrupted to Querne. It was also sometimes denominated St. Michael de Macello, from its vicinity to the flesh market.
This ancient edifice being burnt by the fire of London, the place on which it stood was, by act of Parliament, laid into the street, in order to enlarge it, and the parish united to the church of St. Vedast, in Foster lane. Stowe’s Survey. Newc. Rep. Eccles.
St. Michael Royal, on the east side of College hill, in Vintry ward, is thus denominated from its being anciently near the Tower Royal. This was a parish church before the year 1285, when it was under the patronage of the Prior and Canons of Canterbury, in whom it continued till it was converted into a college by Sir Richard Whittington, mercer, four times Lord Mayor, who rebuilt the church; but even then the monks of Canterbury so far continued its patrons, as to present a person nominated by the Master and Wardens of the Mercers company. This church being consumed with the other public buildings by the fire of London, the present structure was erected in its room, and the parish of St. Martin Vintry united to it. Newc. Rep. Eccles. Stowe’s Survey.
This structure is a plain, decent, and substantial stone building, enlightened by a single series of large arched windows, placed so high that the doors open under the level of their bottoms. The tower consists of three stages, and at the top is surrounded with carved open work instead of a balustrade: from hence rises a light and elegant turret adorned with Ionic columns, and ending in a fine diminution, which supports the fane.
This church is one of the thirteen peculiars belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Rector, besides his other profits, receives 140l. a year in lieu of tithes. Among the several monumental inscriptions, was one in memory of the above Sir Richard Whittington.
St. Michael’s Wood Street, is seated on the west side of Wood street, in Cripplegate ward. An old church, dedicated to the same patron, stood there in the year 1392, and probably another succeeded it towards the close of the fifteenth century; however, in 1666 the church then standing was destroyed by the fire of London, and the present structure, which rose in its place, was finished a few years after, and the Parish of St. Mary Staining united to it.
As the east end of this edifice is the most conspicuous part, it is ornamented with four Ionic columns raised upon a continued pedestal, with arches between, and supporting a handsome pediment, in the middle of which is a circular window. Between the columns are three upright arched windows, that fill the whole space. The rest of the body is plain, and the windows are raised so high that the doors open under them.
The tower consists of three plain stages with large windows, from the uppermost of which rises a small square course, the foundation of the base of the turret. This base is cut away from the breadth of the tower gradually to the diameter of the turret, which is plain, but handsome; and from its top rises a ball that supports the fane.
The patronage of this church was in the Abbot and Convent of St. Alban’s till the suppression of that monastery, when Henry VIII. sold it to William Barwell, who in the year 1588, conveyed it to several persons in trust for the parish, in which it still continues. The Rector, besides his other profits, receives 100l. a year in lieu of tithes.