St. Michael, Crooked Lane

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name = St. Michael, Crooked Lane
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denomination = Roman Catholic, Anglican
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demolished_date = 1831
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address = Miles' Lane, London
country = United Kingdom
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Coordinates: coord|51|51|01.36|N|0|5|20.89|W|type:landmark_scale:10000

St Michael, Crooked Lane was an “antient” ["Churchwardens of St Michael, Crooked Lane v. Joan Bawke, George Asshe and other" Jan 1, 1553 Open Document, National Archives, Kew] parish church situated on the east side of Miles' Lane, Great Eastcheap [ [http://www.londonancestor.com/bells/b1828-michael.htm Details of location] ] in Candlewick Ward, [ [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=46756 Candlewick Ward History] ] rebuilt in 1687 by Sir Christopher Wren [ [http://www.arct.cam.ac.uk/personal-page/james/phd/wren/status.html Wren’s Eclesiastical Portfolio] ] after the Great Fire of London, only to be sacrificed in 1831 when the wider approaches needed for the rebuilt London Bridge required its demolition. ["The Church Of St. Michael, Crooked Lane" Correspondent not cited "The Times", Thursday, Apr 07, 1831; pg. 3; Issue 14507; col F] It was also within this parish that the first cases of The Plague occurred in 1665. ["Samuel Pepys's Diary":April 30, 1665 (Dover, Lewis Publications 1992) ISBN 048636675]

First mentioned in the 13th century, ["The History and Antiquities of the Parish and Church of St Michael, Crooked Lane", Herbert, W. (Harvey and Darton 1833)] it was fortunate to have in quick succession two influential Lord Mayors as its benefactor: firstly John Loveken [ "Notes on Old City Churches: their organs, organists and musical associations" Pearce, C.W. (Winthrop Rogers Ltd 1909)] and then William Walworth, ["Walworth, Sir William (d. 1386?)’", Nightingale, P. in "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" (Oxford University Press, 2004) ISBN 019861411X] the nemesis of Wat Tyler. The church, one of 13 peculiarities within the “Square Mile”, ["Vanished churches of the City of London" Huelin, G (Guildhall Library Publishing 1996) ISBN 0900422424] seems from scrutiny of the Parish books ["St Michael's Crooked Lane, Church of England, Archdeaconry of London. - Visitations: churchwardens' presentments. 1679-1946. - [Bundles 91-120] , 1744. - M0032876CL" cited in "City of London Parish Registers Guide 4" Hallows,A.(Ed) (Guildhall Library Research, 1974) ISBN 0900422300] to have been a particularly idiosyncratic parish:
*The Worshipful Company of Plumbers, whose livery church it was, held the church in enormous regard [ [http://www.wealddown.co.uk/worshipful-company-of-plumbers-detail.htm Worshipful Company of Plumbers] ]
*Vestry business was usually conducted in the nearby Boar’s Head Tavern [ [http://85.232.40.75/content.asp?CategoryID=1061 Also demolished in 1831] ]
*On one occasion a careless parishioner somehow contrived to blow up the crypt ["A Survey of London, Vol I" Stow,J (Originally,1598: this edn-London, A.Fullarton & Co,1890)]
*Even the churchyard was a place of interest

'Here lyeth, wrapped in clay, 'The body of William Wray, 'I have no more to say. '

United with St Magnus the Martyr, a stained glass window can still be seen at that church commemorating the former parish. Partial records exist and can be accessed through the IGI. [ [http://www.gendocs.demon.co.uk/city-ch.html Genealogical web-site] ]

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