St Peter upon Cornhill

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name = St. Peter upon Cornhill
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caption = Photo from corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street
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denomination = Church of England, earlier Roman Catholic
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parish = St Helen's Bishopsgate
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address = Gracechurch Street, City of London
country = United Kingdom
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St Peter upon Cornhill (1687) is an Anglican church in the City of London, located on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street. It is currently a satellite church in the parish of St Helen's Bishopsgate, and is used for staff training, bible studies and a youth club.

The church was used by the Tank Regiment after the second world war, subsumed under St Helen's Bishopsgate.

The oldest church?

An inscription in the churchyard claims that St Peter upon Cornhill is the earliest Christianised site in Britain [ "London:the City Churches” Pevsner,N/Bradley,S New Haven, Yale, 1998 ISBN 0300096550] , founded by the first Christian King, Lucius in 187. There is no solid archeological evidence of any Christian church in the UK during Roman times. However, the Welsh version of King Lucius, Llewrug Mawr, is mentioned in "Liber Pontificalis" (c. 685). Bede mentions the legend of the founding of St Peter upon Cornhill in the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (731). There is further support for an early church in London, by the fact that at the Council of Arles in 314, the Bishops of London, York and Lincoln were present. One source says that King Lucius was buried in Chur, Switzerland. Another says that his grave is in Gloucester. There is a dedication stone in the vestry of the current building, unfortunately undateable. The myth of Lucius is said to be based on a mistranslated text - the original was to King Lucius of Edessa, not an unknown British king, see Pope Eleuterus [ [http://www.mlahanas.de/Greece/Religion/Pope/Eleuterus.html] ]

Those who are looking for the earliest surviving Christian church in Britain should visit St Peter-on-the-Wall in Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex.

The current building

In 1444 a "horsemill" (a millstone pulled by horses?) was given to St Peter's. The bells of St Peter are mentioned in 1552, when a bell foundry in Aldgate was asked to cast a new bell. This church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London. It was replaced by the current structure, built by Christopher Wren in 1677 - 1687 ["The Visitors Guide to the City of London Churches" Tucker,T: London, Friends of the City Churches, 2006 ISBN 0955394503] . The chancel screen was designed by Wren's daughter. On top of the tower is a dome ["The Old Churches of London" Cobb,G: London,Batsford,1942] -, and on top of that is a spire, creating a curious hybrid scructure. On top of that is a representation of the key of St Peter, ten feet high. Dickens mentions the churchyard in "Our Mutual Friend". A theatre group called The Players of St Peter were formed here in 1946 and performed here until 1987. [ [http://www.rhaworth.myby.co.uk/pofstp/proglist.htm Players of St Peter cast lists] ] They are now based at St Clement Eastcheap where its members perform medieval mystery plays each November.

Features and points of interest

The Three Devils of St Peter

In the nineteenth century a very observant vicar at this church noticed that plans for building a new structure next door intruded by one foot onto church territory. He raised legal objections and forced the architect to redraw the plans. In gleeful triumph he added three terracotta devils to the building facing Cornhill from the South. These can easily be seen silhouetted against the sky if you stand on the north side.

Mendelssohn's autograph

The organ in the gallery of St Peter's has an old piece of manuscript on display. This manuscript has been autographed by Felix Mendelssohn. The St Helen's church office controls access to St Peter's [http://www.st-helens.org.uk/home/] .

ee also

* List of churches and cathedrals of London

Notes

* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=210259 Emporis.com]
* [http://www.ukattraction.com/london/st-peter-upon-cornhill.htm UK Attraction]