St. Bride's Church, London
Evening view of St. Bride's Church, London. Photo by Ollie O'Brien.
The famous spire of St Bride's Church. Photo licensed under GFDL.
Panoramic view of the interior of St Bride's. Photo: Homemade.
Crypt with foundations and exhibits. Photo
Charlton Barreto. 
Wartime newspaper on damage to St Bride's. Photo
Charlton Barreto. Known as the "the church of the press" due to its location on Fleet Street, St. Bride's Church is a remarkable historical and religious landmark.
The current church of St. Bride is the eighth that has stood here. After the Great Fire of 1666 destroyed the last one, Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt the church with a spire that's been described as a "madrigal in stone."
After the church was bombed in 1940, an archaeologist excavated the crypts and was able to confirm much of the site's legendary history.
A Roman house was discovered, and it was established that in the 6th century, St. Brigit (St. Bride) of Ireland had founded the first Christian church that was built here. In addition, a crypt with evidence of six subsequent churches was discovered.
Famous parishioners of St. Bride's have included the writers John Dryden, John Milton, Richard Lovelace, and John Evelyn. Diarist Samuel Pepys was baptized here, and novelist Samuel Richardson and his family are buried here.
The crypt was a burial chamber and charnel house for centuries; now it's a museum.
Choral concerts are given on Tuesday and Friday, though they are often suspended during Lent and Christmas.
Quick Facts
| Name: | St Bride's Church; Church of St Bride; "Church of the Press" |
| Type of site: | Parish church |
| Date: | 17th century |
| Faith: | Anglican |
| Status: | Active |
| Location: | Fleet Street, EC4, London, England |
| Phone: | 020/7427-0133 |
| Tube: | Blackfriars |
| Hours: | Mon-Fri: 8am-4:45pm Sat: 10am-3pm Sun: 11am-12:30pm and 5:30-7:30pm Choral concerts at 1:15pm Tues and Fri |
| Cost: | Free |
Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of St. Bride's. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our London Map or get our free Google Earth download.
More Information
- St. Bride's Fleet Street – Official Website of St. Bride's
- St. Bride's: The Printer's Church – Hidden London
- St. Bride's – About Britain
