ST.MARY ABCHURCH,THE LEAST ALTERED OF CHRISTOPHER WREN'S CHURCHESReturn To Page One Of St. Mary Abchurch The dome of St.Mary Abchurch, springs from four plain brick walls, has no external thrusts and measures over forty feet across. It was not painted until 1708 when the whole church went under repair and beautification.
ST. MARY ABCHURCH DOMEIt was the work of a parishioner, William Snow. Lit by oval windows, it shows the worship of Heaven with the Divine name written in Hebrew characters, surrounded by rays of glory and worshipping angels and cherubs beneath. Figures representing Christian virtues and graces are seated in the lower course.
REREDOS, PULPIT AND BOX PEWSOn three sides of St.Mary Abchurch are the original high pews, but the box pews in the nave were removed when the present low pews, choir stalls and altar rails were installed in the nineteenth century.
ST. MARY ABCHURCH CANOPIED PULPIT.The beautiful canopied pulpit with its carvings of fruit and flowers was by William Grey. The font cover and altar rails, Royal arms, Lion and Unicorn and the door cases were made by William Emmett.There are some nicely carved memorials, one to the Lord Mayor of London in 1680 Sir Patience Ward, and two tablets on the north wall by Sanders Oliver a stone mason from nearby Cannon Street. The The gilded 'Pelican in her piety' makes it's appearance both on the reredos and in the original copper weathervane made by Robert Bird, which is now positioned over the north door. The Pelican is also the badge of Corpus Christi College. The church has been associated with the college since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Christopher Kempster was the master stonemason, responsible for all the stonework of the church and for the carved cherubs above the external windows. His brother William Kempster made the font.
WROUGHT IRON SWORD RESTS EITHER SIDE OF THE ALTARSt.Mary Abchurch has two wrought iron sword rests on the two front pews, they are to support the Civic Sword when the Lord Mayor attends a service in state. The arms of two Lord Mayors are carried on the rests, both of whom were parishioners, George Scholey (1812) and Samuel Birch (1814). The latter also bears the royal arms of King George III and the Cooks' Company. Both bear representations of the City arms, the Civic Sword Mace and Cap of Estate.Public subscription provided for an organ in 1822, which was built by J.C.Bishop. However it was badly damaged during the war, but was replaced by N.P. Mander. The 1717 carved oak front of the case once belonged to the Church of All Hallowes, Bread Street, which was demolished in 1877.
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