St Helen's Bishopsgate is an

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

church in London. It is located in Great St Helen's, off

Bishopsgate Bishopsgate was one of the eastern gates in London's former defensive wall. The gate's name is traditionally attributed to Earconwald, who was Bishop of London in the 7th century. It was first built in Roman times and marked the beginning o ...

. It is the largest surviving

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...

in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

. Several notable figures are buried there, and it contains more monuments than any other church in

Greater London Greater London is an administrative area in England, coterminous with the London region, containing most of the continuous urban area of London. It contains 33 local government districts: the 32 London boroughs, which form a Ceremonial count ...

except

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

, hence it is sometimes referred to as the "Westminster Abbey of the City". It was the parish church of

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

when he lived in the area in the 1590s. It was one of only a few churches in the City of London to survive both the Great Fire of 1666 and

the Blitz The Blitz (English: "flash") was a Nazi Germany, German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, for eight months, from 7 September 1940 to 11 May 1941, during the Second World War. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940, a co ...

. Owing to parish consolidation over the years, the parish is now named "St Helen's Bishopsgate with St Andrew Undershaft and St Ethelburga Bishopsgate and St Martin Outwich and St Mary Axe". The

Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors The Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors is one of the 111 Livery company, livery companies of the City of London. The Company, originally known as the ''Guild and Fraternity of St John the Baptist in the City of London'', was founded prior t ...

are the patrons of the benefice. Today, it is home to a large congregation in the

conservative evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of the Christian go ...

tradition with a ministry to city workers, families, students and young professionals. Four English-speaking (and one Mandarin-speaking)

church services A church service (or a worship service) is a formalized period of Christian communal worship, often held in a church building. Most Christian denominations hold church services on the Lord's Day (offering Sunday morning and Sunday evening servic ...

take place each Sunday, as well as a number of midweek talks and small group Bible studies. The nearby churches

St Andrew Undershaft St Andrew Undershaft is a Church of England church (building), church in the City of London, the historic nucleus and modern financial centre of London. It is located on St Mary Axe, within the Aldgate ward, and is a rare example of a City church ...

and

St Peter upon Cornhill St Peter upon Cornhill is an Anglican church on the corner of Cornhill and Gracechurch Street in the City of London of medieval, or possibly Roman origin. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt to the designs of Sir C ...

are also administered by St Helen's.

History

Medieval period

Although it is thought that a Roman or a Saxon building might have stood on the site, the first mentions of the

of St Helen's date back to the mid-12th century. In 1210, the Dean and chapter of St. Paul's gave William, son of William Goldsmith, permission to establish a priory of

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

nuns; and a nunnery was built alongside the existing church. The new church was wider than the parish church, and longer too, so the parish church was lengthened to match. The masonry of the outer walls as it currently stands was in place by 1300. The church was divided in two by a partition running from east to west, the northern half serving the nuns and the southern the parishioners. In 1480, four great arches were installed between the nun's choir and the parishioner's nave, and a wooden screen was put in place to separate the two. An additional screen was placed in the parish church to separate the

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

in the east end of the church, where the altar was located, from the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

. A crypt extended north from the church under the hall. Next to the church, the priory had extensive monastic buildings; they were later acquired and used by the

Worshipful Company of Leathersellers The Worshipful Company of Leathersellers is one of the livery companies of the City of London. The organisation originates from the latter part of the 14th century receiving its Royal Charter in 1444, and is therefore the senior leather industr ...

until their demolition in 1799. The church is the only surviving building from a nunnery in the City of London.

The Reformation

When the priory was dissolved in 1538, the nunnery was incorporated in the parish church and the screen separating it from the rest of the church was removed. This gave the church its unusual construction consisting of two naves. In the following years, the building was rearranged according the principles of the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

, which put the emphasis on the preaching of the Word and on the full and active participation of the congregation. A Jacobean

pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...

was erected in 1615 in a central position on the south wall, accompanied by an ornamental tester in 1640.

Box pews A box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th centuries. History in England Before the rise of Protestantism, seating was not customary in ch ...

were installed and arranged around the pulpit. In the 17th century, extensive repairs were carried out, most notably resulting in the addition of two Classical wooden doorcases. By the end of the century, a bell turret was also erected. St Helen's was one of only a few City of London churches to survive the

Great Fire of London The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through central London from Sunday 2 September to Wednesday 5 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old London Wall, Roman city wall, while also extendi ...

of 1666. A new

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

and organ loft were installed on the west end of the church in 1742, designed by Thomas Griffin. In 1874 the parish was united with that of St Martin Outwich when the latter's church was demolished, and the first incumbent of the new parish was

John Bathurst Deane John Bathurst Deane (27 August 1797 – 12 July 1887) was a South African-born English clergyman, schoolmaster, antiquary, and author. Early life and education Born at the Cape of Good Hope in 1797, Deane was the second son of Captain Charles Me ...

Victorian restorations

During the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the reign of Queen Victoria, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. Slightly different definitions are sometimes used. The era followed the ...

, two significant restorations were carried out. The first, in 1865, provided the two stone

tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support th ...

windows on the east end of the church and stained glass throughout the building. The second, more significant,

Victorian restoration The Victorian restoration was the widespread and extensive wikt:refurbish, refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England church (building), churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century Victorian era, re ...

was carried out from 1891 to 1893 by

John Loughborough Pearson John Loughborough Pearson (5 July 1817 – 11 December 1897) was a British Gothic Revival architect renowned for his work on churches and cathedrals. Pearson revived and practised largely the art of vaulting, and acquired in it a proficie ...

under supervision of the rector, John Alfred Lumb Airey. This restoration was inspired by the

Oxford movement The Oxford Movement was a theological movement of high-church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the Un ...

, which advocated moving the centre of importance in the church from

preaching A sermon is a religious discourse or oration by a preacher, usually a member of clergy. Sermons address a scriptural, theological, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law, or behavior within both past and present contexts. E ...

to the

sacrament A sacrament is a Christian rite which is recognized as being particularly important and significant. There are various views on the existence, number and meaning of such rites. Many Christians consider the sacraments to be a visible symbol ...

of the

Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...

. This new arrangement resulted in a new floor with levels gradually ascending from the west to a new high

altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...

in the east, completed by an ornated

reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a Church (building), church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular a ...

and marble pavement, once again enclosed in a

by a

neo-Gothic Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...

screen. The organ was expanded and moved to the south transept, where two additional altars were also placed in two side chapels, the Chapel of the Holy Ghost and the Chapel of our Lady. The church was reopened on St John the Baptist's Day in 1893 by the

Bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...

Frederick Temple Frederick Temple (30 November 1821 – 23 December 1902) was an English academic, teacher and Clergy, churchman, who served as Bishop of Exeter (1869–1885), Bishop of London (1885–1896) and Archbishop of Canterbury (1896–1902). Early ...

. As the church had been used as a burial ground for centuries, it is thought that over 1000 bodies had been interred in vaults under the floor by this period. The excavation of the floor at the start of the 1891 restoration caused some of the burials to emerge from the vaults: all work had to stop for one year until all human remains were translated to Ilford Cemetery, and a concrete slab was put in place between the floor and the remains of the vault.

20th century

The church was left undamaged by

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and it was designated a Grade I-

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

on 4 January 1950. When Dick Lucas became rector in 1961, St Helen's grew from a small congregation of a few individuals to a large thriving church within the

tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...

of the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

, with a reputation for strong Bible teaching and preaching. As the

had grown to become a major business and

financial centre A financial centre (financial center in American English) or financial hub is a location with a significant concentration of commerce in financial services. The commercial activity that takes place in a financial centre may include banking, ...

, the church started providing an active midweek ministry to City workers. Next to the lunchtime midweek talks for workers, the three Sunday services are now attended by a diverse range of people including students, young workers, families and internationals. In

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

and

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

, the church was badly damaged by two IRA bombs that were set off nearby. A full restoration was carried out by architect

Quinlan Terry John Quinlan Terry CBE (born 24 July 1937) is a British architect. He was educated at Bryanston School and the Architectural Association School of Architecture. He was a pupil of architect Raymond Erith, with whom he formed the partnership ...

, an enthusiast of

Georgian architecture Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British monarchs of the House of Han ...

, and designed along

lines. The floor was evened out and returned to its original level, which allowed for the installation of underfloor heating, a sound reinforcement system and a baptistry in front of the pulpit. A new gallery was erected on the west end to provide additional seating and house the organ, now returned to its original position. All the windows were glazed in clear glass. The Victorian screen was rotated by 90 degrees across the south transept, opening up the former chancel. A new door was opened in the south transept. All altars were removed, giving space to a restored Georgian

communion table Communion table and Lord's table are terms used by many Protestant churches—particularly from Reformed, Baptist and low church Anglican and Methodist bodies—for the table used for preparation of Holy Communion (a sacrament also called the ...

. The principles of this restoration sought to arrange the building once again around the

of the Word and strip it down of the ritualistic elements added in Victorian times, following the needs of the large

Evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...

congregation. This new arrangement allowed the seating capacity to be increased from 500 to 1000, all in a large open space with a clear view on the

and

lectern A lectern is a standing reading desk with a slanted top, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon. A lectern is usually attached to a stand or affixed to some other form of ...

Present day

Following the decision of the

General Synod of the Church of England The General Synod is the tricameral deliberative and legislative organ of the Church of England. The synod was instituted in 1970, replacing the Church Assembly, and is the culmination of a process of rediscovering self-government for the Church ...

to authorise the

blessing of same-sex unions The blessing or wedding of same-sex marriages and same-sex unions is an issue about which leaders of Christian churches are in ongoing disagreement. Traditionally, Christianity teaches that sexual practices between men and sexual practices bet ...

, St Helen's Church declared itself to be in impaired communion with the

Sarah Mullally Dame Sarah Elisabeth Mullally (; born 26 March 1962) is a British Anglican prelate and former nurse. Bishop of London since 2018,

and the

House of Bishops The House of Bishops is the third House in a General Synod of some Anglican churches and the second house in the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.

. It subsequently stated that episcopal oversight at St Helen's will henceforth be provided by Bishops from the

Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (branded as GAFCON or Gafcon) is a communion of conservative Anglican churches, aligned with the Confessing Movement, that formed in 2008 in response to ongoing theological disputes in the worldwide A ...

(GAFCON) and its affiliated denominations. On 24 July 2024, St Helen's held a "commissioning service" in which seven men from four dioceses who had been due to be ordained as deacons in the Church of England were instead "commissioned" to be church leaders. It had previously undertaken such a commissioning of one man in August 2023. This is not to be confused with the commissioning of "overseers" conducted under the auspices of the Church of England Evangelical Council. The service was led by Bishop

Rod Thomas Roderick John Thomas (born 11 January 1947) is a Welsh former professional footballer who represented Wales at international level. During his career Thomas played for Gloucester City, Swindon Town, Derby County, Cardiff City, Gloucester for ...

, the retired provincial episcopal visitor for conservative evangelical, and involved the

laying on of hands The laying on of hands is a religious practice. In Judaism, ''semikhah'' (, "leaning f the hands) accompanies the conferring of a blessing or authority. In Christianity, Christian churches, chirotony. is used as both a symbolic and formal met ...

. They will "preside at informal church family meals, at which bread is broken and the death of the Lord Jesus is remembered": this led to accusations that this was an attempt to practice

lay presidency Lay presidency is a form of celebrating the Lord's Supper (sometimes called the Eucharist) whereby the person presiding over the sacrament is not an ordained minister of religion. Similarly, when the celebrant is a deacon rather than a presbyter, ...

which is not recognised by the Church of England. The seven men were not identified and it is planned that they will be ordained at a later date "by Anglican bishops not in partnership with the unorthodox bishops of the Church of England". This lack of identification has resulted in questions relating to safeguarding, and also objections from other conservatives as to how such secrecy fits with public ministry.

Activities

The church holds three English-speaking services each Sunday, at 10:30am, 4:00pm, and a 6:00pm evening service; a

Mandarin Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to: Language * Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country ** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China ** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...

-speaking service takes place each Sunday at 2:00 pm. An additional English-speaking morning service takes place at 10:00 am in the nearby

, while still being part of the wider St Helen's congregation. The Sunday afternoon and evening services are followed by an informal meal and opportunities to socialise. A number of lunchtime talks and meetings take place during the working week, providing an opportunity for people who work in the

to hear the Christian message and be encouraged to live as Christians at work. There are also numerous small groups which meet at the church during the week. These include the "Read, Mark, Learn" (RML) groups which either study the

Gospel of Mark The Gospel of Mark is the second of the four canonical Gospels and one of the three synoptic Gospels, synoptic Gospels. It tells of the ministry of Jesus from baptism of Jesus, his baptism by John the Baptist to his death, the Burial of Jesus, ...

, the

Gospel of John The Gospel of John () is the fourth of the New Testament's four canonical Gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "Book of Signs, signs" culminating in the raising of Lazarus (foreshadowing the ...

, the

Epistle to the Romans The Epistle to the Romans is the sixth book in the New Testament, and the longest of the thirteen Pauline epistles. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by Paul the Apostle to explain that Salvation (Christianity), salvation is offered ...

or a

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

overview over the course of a year, and the Central Focus group which studies a whole variety of topics and books from the Bible. The church also runs the Christianity Explored course regularly. Some activities take place in the nearby church of

and the church of

, which are also administered by St Helen's.

Building

The present building is the result of a substantial restoration in 1993–1995 by architect

, after consistent damages were incurred by two IRA bombs in 1992 and 1993. The restoration resulted in a bright, large, flexible open-space interior that can be used in different configurations. It is equipped with modern lighting, underfloor heating, and

public address system A public address system (or PA system) is an electronic system comprising microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers, and related equipment. It increases the apparent volume (loudness) of a human voice, musical instrument, or other acoustic sound sou ...

. Although some of the monuments were lost due to the bombings, the majority of them survived and were preserved in the building. File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 3.jpg File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 4.jpg

Memorials

# North wall of the nuns' choir, near the west end, Alderman John Robinson, 1599. An Elizabethan group of kneeling figures; the deceased and his wife with nine sons and seven daughters. # In the north-east corner, at the east end of the nuns' choir, altar tomb of Sir

Thomas Gresham Sir Thomas Gresham the Elder (; c. 151921 November 1579) was an English merchant and financier who acted on behalf of King Edward VI (1547–1553) and Edward's half-sisters, queens Mary I (1553–1558) and Elizabeth I (1558–1603). In 1565 Gr ...

, 1579. Founder of the Royal Exchange and the Gresham Lectures. Before 1995, this space was known as the Gresham Memorial Chapel # In the south transept, Sir Julius Caesar Adelmare, 1636. Judge of the Court of Admiralty. Altar tomb with Latin epitaph in the form of a deed to which is affixed the broad seal of the deceased. Before 1995, this was located side by side the Gresham memorial. # In the south-east corner of the Gresham Memorial Chapel, Sir Andrew Judd 1558.

Lord Mayor Lord mayor is a title of a mayor of what is usually a major city in a Commonwealth realm, with special recognition bestowed by the sovereign. However, the title or an equivalent is present in other countries, including forms such as "high mayor". A ...

, citizen and skinner. Founder of

Tonbridge School Tonbridge School is a public school (English fee-charging boarding and day school for boys aged 13–18) in Tonbridge, Kent, England, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde (sometimes spelt Judd). It is a member of the Eton Group and has clo ...

. # Under the chancel arch, north of where the high altar once stood, Sir William Pickering, 1574. Ambassador in the reign of

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

. Altar tomb with recumbent figure surmounted by a lofty canopy. # Under the chancel arch, south where the high altar once stood, Sir John Crosby 1476 founder of Crosby Hall, and Agnes his wife. Altar tomb with recumbent figures. # In the south transept, Sir John Oteswich and his wife. Formerly in the church of St Martin Outwich. # Against the south wall of the church, sightly to the west of the south entrance, Sir John Spencer and his wife, 1609. Altar tomb under a canopy with recumbent figures, and a third kneeling figure. File:St Helen, Great St Helens, London EC3 - Tomb chest - geograph.org.uk - 1089608.jpg , Sir

memorial. File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 2.jpg , Sir Julius Caesar Adelmare memorial. File:Figures on the John Spencer Memorial.jpg , Sir John Spencer memorial File:St Helen's Bishopsgate interior - 5.jpg , Victorian

Reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a Church (building), church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular a ...

Organ

The organ dates from 1742 when an annuity organ by Thomas Griffin was installed. It has undergone several restorations since by builders such as

George Pike England George Pike England (ca.1765 – February 1815) was an English organ builder who was among the most prominent in England during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Life He was the son of organ builder George England and Mary Blasdale. He m ...

in 1810, J. C. Bishop and Son in 1910 and 1923,

Hill, Norman and Beard William Hill & Son & Norman & Beard Limited (commonly known as Hill, Norman and Beard) were a major pipe organ manufacturer originally based in Norfolk. History They were founded in 1916 by the merger of Norman and Beard and William Hill & So ...

in 1929 and 1957 and Martin Goetze & Dominic Gwynn in 1996. A specification of the organ can be found on th
National Pipe Organ Register
The organ is of historic significance and has been awarded a Grade II* listing by the

British Institute of Organ Studies The British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS) is a British organisation and registered charity which aims to promote study and appreciation of all aspects of the pipe organ. Further, it acts as a lobbying body to raise awareness of organ issue ...

Organists

* Thomas Griffin 1744–1771 * George Griffin 1771–1809 * William Henry Cutler 1809–1819 * George Warne 1819–1820 * Joseph Nightingale 1820–1842/7? * William Richard Bexfield 1848–1853 * Mr Deane 1854 * William Carter 1856–1859 * Berthold Tours 1864-1865 * Miss A. Barton 1867 * Richard Simpkin 1995–present

Burials

* John Crosby (died 1476) *

Robert Knollys (courtier) Sir Robert Knollys (or Knolles) (died 1521) was an English courtier in the service and favour of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Biography Sir Robert was the son of Robert Knollys and Elizabeth Troutbeck, paternal grandson of Sir Richard Knollys an ...

William Holles Sir William Holles (or Hollis) (1471?– 20 October 1542) rose from apprenticeship to a mercer to become master warden of his company and Lord Mayor of London in 1539. Life He was admitted to the freedom of the Worshipful Company of Mercers on ...

Richard Williams (alias Cromwell) Sir Richard Williams ( – 20 October 1544), also known as Sir Richard Cromwell, was a Welsh soldier and courtier in the reign of Henry VIII who knighted him on 2 May 1540. He was a maternal nephew of Thomas Cromwell, profiting from the Dissol ...

Andrew Judde Sir Andrew Judde or Judd ( – 4 September 1558) was a 16th-century English merchant and Lord Mayor of London. He was knighted on 15 February 1551. Biography He was born before February, 1492, in Tonbridge, Kent, the third son of John ...

* Sir

Alberico Gentili Alberico Gentili (14 January 155219 June 1608) was an Italian jurist, a tutor of Queen Elizabeth I, and a standing advocate to the Spanish Embassy in London, who served as the Regius Professor of Civil Law at the University of Oxford for 21 ye ...

Robert Hooke Robert Hooke (; 18 July 16353 March 1703) was an English polymath who was active as a physicist ("natural philosopher"), astronomer, geologist, meteorologist, and architect. He is credited as one of the first scientists to investigate living ...

Notable ministers

Rectors

* 1541 John Weste * 1571 Thomas * 1575 John Olivar * 1586 ? Lewis * 1592 Nicholas Felton * 1600 Lewis Hughes * 1603 Richard Ball, S.T.B. * 1613 Thomas Downing * 1618 Thomas Evans * 1619 William Laurence * 1621 Joseph Browne, A.M. * 1635 Richard Maden, S.T.B. * 1639 Matthias Milward * 1642 Thomas Edwards * 1645 Samuel Willis * 1647 Arthur Barham * 1663 John Sybbald, A.M * 1666 Thomas Horton, S.T.P. * 1674 Edward Pelling, A.M * 1678 Henry Hesketh, A.M. (nominated

Bishop of Killala The Bishop of Killala () is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Killala in County Mayo, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bis ...

, 1689). * 1695 Thomas Willis, A.M * 1701 Samson Estwicke. S.T.B * 1713 William Butler, LL.B. (Prebendary of St. Pauls). * 1773 John Naish * 1795 Robert Watts, M.A. * 1799 James Blenkarne, M.A. * 1835 Charles Mackenzie, M.A. * 1847 John Thomas How Le Mesurier, M.A. ( Archdeacon of Gibraltar). * 1849 John Edmund Cox, D.D. * 1873–1887:

* 1887–1909: John Alfred Lumb Airey * 1909 Silvanus Taylor Hingston Saunders, M.A. * 1951–1953: Ronald Goodchild * 1953–1961: John Miller * 1961–1998: Dick Lucas * 1998–present: William Taylor

Curates

* 1954–1958: Gordon Jones * 1958–1960: Peter Coleman * 1961–1967: David Macinnes * 1970–1973: Ian Barclay * 1973–1978: Robert Howarth * 1976–1981: Jonathan Fletcher * 1977–1978: Thomas Oates * 1978–1982: James Spence * 1982–1984: Simon Manchester * 1985–1995: Hugh Palmer * 1990–1995: Justin Mote * 1994–1996: Carrie Sandom * 1994–1998: Richard Coombs * 1995–1998: William Taylor, now Rector * 1995–1998: Jonathan Juckes * 1998–2007: Nigel Beynon * 2000–2005: Simon Dowdy * 2002–2005: James de Costobadie * 2003–present: Charlie Skrine * 2003–2007: Ben Cooper * 2004–2011: Mark O'Donoghue * 2004–2009: Lee Gatiss, now director of the Church Society * 2005–present: Matt Fuller * 2007–2017: Andrew Sach * 2007–2012: Chris Fishlock * 2007–2013: Paul Clarke * 2007–2010: Andrew Towner * 2009–present: Aneirin Glyn * 2009–2014: Thomas Nash * 2010–2017: Jamie Child * 2016–present: Mickey Mantle

Church plants

St Helen's has been involved in numerous

church planting Church planting is a term referring to the process (mostly in Protestant frameworks) that results in a new local Christian congregation being established. It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, worship center or ...

initiatives, some within the auspices of the Church of England, some outside of it.

Notes

References

External links

Official website

Talk by architect Quinlan Terry about the history of the building and its most recent restoration
*
St Helen's iOS app

St Helen's Android app
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bishopsgate, Saint Helen 13th-century church buildings in England Church of England church buildings in the City of London Evangelicalism in the Church of England Diocese of London Grade I listed churches in the City of London Pre–Great Fire churches in the City of London Monasteries dissolved under the English Reformation