St. Giles Cripplegate, London
Named for the patron saint of cripples, St. Giles Cripplegate Church managed to survive the ravages of the Great Fire of 1666 but was so badly damaged by a World War II bomb that only the tower survived.
St. Giles was built in 1550 on the site of a previous Norman church. was refurbished during the 1950s to serve as the parish church of the Barbican development and now seems to stand awkwardly amid the uncompromising modernity of the Barbican.
English revolutionary Oliver Cromwell married Elizabeth Bourchier here in 1620, and the poet John Milton was buried here in 1674. More than a century later, someone opened the poet's grave, knocked out his teeth, stole a rib bone, and tore hair from his skull.
Well-preserved remains of London's Roman and medieval walls can be seen to the church's south.
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of St. Giles Cripplegate. 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. or a larger view, see our London Map or Google Earth download.
Quick Facts
| Address: | Fore St., Barbican, London EC2, England |
| Location: | Fore and Wood Sts., London Wall, EC2 |
| Phone: | 020-7638-1997 |
| Tube: | Barbican, Moorgate, St. Paul's |
| Hours: | Mon-Fri 11-4 |
| Services: | Sun. 8am, 10am |
| Tours: | Most Tuesdays 2-4:40pm |
| Cost: | Free |
Sources
- Personal visit (June 24, 2007)
- St. Giles Cripplegate - official website
- St. Giles Cripplegate - City of London Churches
- St. Giles Cripplegate - Our Past History
