St Michael Paternoster Royal, City of London
St Michael Paternoster Royal, City of London
St Michael Paternoster Royal is a Grade I City church on College Hill (College Street), London EC4, in the Diocese of London. Historic England records a Wren rebuild of 1686–94, with the tower completed in 1713, damaged in the Second World War and later restored.
- Location
- City of London, Greater London
- Country
- England
- County
- Greater London
- City / town
- City of London
- Address
- College Hill, City of London, Greater London, EC4R 2RL
- Postcode
- EC4R 2RL
- Built
- 1686–94; tower completed 1713; restored 1966–68
- Architect
- Christopher Wren
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- Michael
- Diocese
- London
- Parish
- St James Garlickhythe with St Michael Queenhithe and Holy Trinity-the-Less
- Grade
- I
- Style
- English Baroque
- Materials
- Portland stone; east and north fronts of red brick and stone
- Grid reference
- TQ 324 808
- Opening hours
- Sorry, there are no regular opening times for this church.
- Access
- Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby
Overview
The medieval church, recorded from the thirteenth century and associated with Richard Whittington, was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. The listing describes a simple compartment, now reduced to four windows north and south, with a cove to a flat ceiling. A south-west tower has a modern lobby to the east and offices on several floors to the north. Main elevations are of Portland stone: five round-arched windows to the south with a corniced doorway beneath the western opening, a main cornice with high blocking and balustrade. The east front is of red brick and stone with a central attic and circular window. The tower continues the adjoining elevations, then a short stage with circular windows, mullioned and corniced belfry openings, a pierced parapet with four urns, and an octagonal stone lantern in three stages with Ionic columns to the lowest stage.
Interior fittings recorded in the listing include a good original reredos and pulpit, carved figures of Moses and Aaron, two sword rests, a large brass chandelier, wall monuments, a later nineteenth-century font of coloured marbles, and an organ case at least partly old. Wikipedia records restoration in 1966–68 after Blitz damage. The parish is united with St James Garlickhythe.