London has many wonderful attractions, but to many overseas visitors, one of the greatest fascinations is the juxtaposition of the modern and the historic, with futuristic skyscrapers, novel bridges, and state-of-the-art sporting arenas interspersed with buildings that date back centuries.
The historic buildings in London encompass a range of different uses, from royal palaces to the Houses of Parliament, but some of the most fascinating and grand are the historic cathedrals and churches that are open to the public.
Where Monarchs Are Crowned
Among the very first places a private London tour of such places should call is Westminster Abbey. Originally a monastery, this was built up into a grand centre of ecclesiastical life for Saxon England by King Edward the Confessor and consecrated in 1065.
It did not stay Saxon for long, however, as Edward died soon after and a dispute over the succession culminated in the Norman Conquest the following year, with the climax being the coronation of William of Normandy there on Christmas Day 1066.
William’s coronation was the first at the Abbey and 39 more have followed, most recently when King Charles and Queen Camilla were crowned in 2023.
Among the other notable coronations was that of King Henry VIII in 1509, with this fact perhaps accounting for the fact that, unlike all the other abbeys in England, this building was spared during the dissolution of the abbeys and monasteries when Henry founded the Church of England and the country switched from Catholic to Protestant.
We can be very glad the building was preserved, for it has some remarkable treasures. These range from the spectacular architecture of the masonry arches to the oldest wooden door in Britain, an oak artefact dating back to the 1050s.
The Grandest Dome Of All
If Westminster Abbey is historic because of its association with kings, queens and a plethora of royal weddings as well, St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London has its own historic associations.
The original St Paul’s was built in 604, but has been destroyed and reconstructed several times. This included destruction by the Vikings in 962, rebuilding by the Normans in 1087 and then the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Following the fire, Sir Christopher Wren designed the current building with its famous domed roof, rising 338 ft (103 m) above street level.
London’s 20th Century Cathedrals
London’s third Anglican cathedral is Southwark Cathedral, which stands close to the south bank of the Thames near London Bridge and features Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Southwark was originally a separate settlement on the opposite side of the original bridge over the Thames and was later incorporated into an expanding London.
The cathedral site is first recorded as being a nunnery in the seventh century and a minster in the Domesday Book of 1086, but after the dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII, it became St Saviour’s parish church until it was elevated to cathedral status in 1905.
Although Southwark may have had a relatively short history as a cathedral, a lot has happened within its walls down the years, including a royal wedding, when King James I of Scotland married Joan Beaufort in 1423.
However, Southwark is not the only cathedral dating from the 1900s. Westminster Cathedral was finished in 1903. After centuries without a Roman Catholic cathedral in the capital, it was built in just eight years.
Among its must-see features is the Campanile (bell tower), offering a view across central London from 284 ft above street level.
London Churches From Cockneys To US Presidents
Apart from the four cathedrals, London has some fascinating historic churches, displaying a variety of architectural styles and with rich histories.
St Mary-le-Bow, from which the West End district of St Marylebone takes its name, has perhaps the most famous bells in Britain, Bow Bells. Londoners are often colloquially referred to as ‘Cockneys’, but to be a true Cockney means being born within earshot of Bow Bells, which have been recorded as pealing since at least as far back as 1469.
The oldest church of all in London is All Hallows-by-the-Tower on Byward Street in the City, dating back to 675.
Among its ancient features are Roman paving in the crypt and Saxon arches. Not only did the church dodge the Great Fire of London in 1666, but it remained standing through the Blitz in 1941, although, like many London churches, it did sustain significant bomb damage.
Other historic claims to fame include the wedding of future US president John Quincy Adams in 1797.There are many more fine churches you might like to visit, from the Brompton Oratory to St Stephen Walpole, a mini-version of St Paul’s with its own Wren-designed dome, all ensuring a tour of London’s church treasures is a very full and fascinating one.
