St Benet Paul's Wharf with St Peter Paul's Wharf, London Genealogy

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St Benet Paul's Wharf with St Peter Paul's Wharf, Upper Thames Street, the church of, is situated at the southwest corner of St. Bennet's Hill, Doctors Common; and upper Thames Street. Its name is derived from being dedicated to the same Saint as the last [St Bennet Gracechurch], and from its vicinity to Paul's Wharf. This church is a very ancient foundation, and appears from the registry of Diceto, dean of St. Paul's, under the year 1181. Its distinguishing epithet has been frequently changed, having been called at various times St. Bennet Huda, and St. Bennet, Wood Wharf, as well as by its present appellation.

The ancient church on this site having been destroyed by the fire of London in 1666, the present building was erected in its stead by Sir Christopher Wren, who finished it in 1683. It is a plain brick structure with some architraves travelers to the windows, and festoons over them. The tower is at the corner, and this surmounted by a small cupola and spire, the finial of which is 118 feet from the ground. The interior is very square, being 54 feet long, and 50 broad, by 36 in height. Since the fire the church is also parochial for the parish of St. Peter, Paul's Wharf, anciently denominated St. Peter's parva, from the smallness of its dimensions, and to which it is united, the church of which was also destroyed at the same time. It is a rectory, and as the patronage of both parishes appear to have been always in the dean in chapter of St. Paul's, ...

[Adapted from: Topographical Dictionary of London by James Elmes; published 1831]