St. Margaret’s lane, Old Palace yard; thus named from its situation near St. Margaret’s church, Westminster.
St. Margaret’s Lothbury. This church received its name from its being dedicated to St. Margaret, a virgin saint of Antioch, who suffered martyrdom in the reign of the Emperor Decius; and the additional appellation of Lothbury is to point out its situation, and distinguish it from the other churches in this city of the same name.
The old church which was built in 1440, being destroyed by the general conflagration in 1666, the present stone edifice was erected in its room, and completed in 1690. It stands upon the ancient course of Wallbrook, on the north side of Lothbury, and is a plain and neat building. It is sixty-six feet in length, fifty-four in breadth, the height to the roof is thirty-six, and the height of the steeple 140 feet. The body is well enlightened by a row of lofty windows; over which the wall is terminated by a balustrade; and the principal door is ornamented with Corinthian columns which support an angular pediment. The tower has large windows in the uppermost stage, and is terminated a little above by a plain cornice, upon which is raised a small dome that supports a slender spire.
A row of despicable shops was formerly built before this church; but a few years ago they were taken down, and a neat pavement of broad stone has been lately raised the whole length of the church, to which there is an ascent of a few plain steps at each end, and to the principal door; but as this pavement is in some places upwards of two feet above the street, a regard to the safety of the passengers as well as to ornament, ought to have induced the persons who formed this pavement to have secured it by a neat balustrade.
The advowson of this rectory was anciently in the Abbess and Nuns of Barking in Essex; but at the dissolution of their convent it came to the Crown, and the church is still in his Majesty’s gift.
The Rector, besides the profits arising from casualties, &c. receives 100l. per annum in lieu of tithes.
St. Margaret Moses, a church which formerly stood at the south west corner of Little Friday street, opposite Distaff lane, and was thus named from its being dedicated to St. Margaret abovementioned, and from one Moses its rebuilder: but suffering by the dreadful fire of London, and not being rebuilt, the parish has been annexed to that of St. Mildred’s Bread street.
St. Margaret New Fish street, stood on the east side of Fish street hill, where the Monument is situated; but being burnt with the rest of the buildings in London, and not rebuilt, the parish is joined to that of St. Magnus. Stow.
St. Margaret Pattens, owes its additional epithet to its ancient situation among patten-makers. This church is situated in Rood lane, at the corner of Little Tower street, and in Billingsgate ward. The old church, which was built in 1538, was destroyed by the fire of London, and the present edifice raised in 1687. Maitland.
It consists of a plain body sixty-six feet in length, fifty-two in breadth, and the height of the roof is thirty-two feet. It is well enlightened by a range of arched windows, with porthole windows over them; and over the door in the front is a large Doric window, with a cherubim’s head and a large festoon over it, above which a pediment stretches from the steeple to the end of the church. The tower rises square to a considerable height, and is terminated by four plain pinacles crowned with balls, and a balustrade, within which rises a very solid spire, terminated by a ball and fane.