A group of intrepid walkers gathered at Aldgate on Thursday 17th September for a tour of just some of the City of London churches. Most of the churches were remarkable survivals of both the Great Fire of London and bombing during the Second World War. Each had its own story, which was very well related by Anne-Marie Craven our guide, who has led us on many previous occasions.
Mixed in with high rise office buildings the churches provide a subculture of calm and reassurance in the turmoil of the City.
There are still 40 churches in the City of London that have survived, some from before the Great Fire, but as the churches are often tucked into streets surrounded by what we would call skyscrapers, we looked at some of those as well.
Our guide: Anne-Marie Craven as an art historian spent many years doing picture research and running a fine art picture library specialising in art, history and archaeology with some militaria. On retirement she trained as a Blue Badge Guide and leads walking tours, concentrating on London and the outskirts. See her website http://londonwalk.uk
Images clockwise from top left: window in memory of St Mary Axe © A-M. Craven; St Margaret Pattens © Images George Rex*; St Katharine Cree © Diliff*; St Mary le Bow © Julian Osley*
* from Creative Commons Wikimedia
A group of intrepid walkers gathered at Aldgate on Thursday 17th September for a tour of just some of the City of London churches. Most of the churches were remarkable survivals of both the Great Fire of London and bombing during the Second World War. Each had its own story, which was very well related by Anne-Marie Craven our guide, who has led us on many previous occasions.
Mixed in with high rise office buildings the churches provide a subculture of calm and reassurance in the turmoil of the City.
There are still 40 churches in the City of London that have survived, some from before the Great Fire, but as the churches are often tucked into streets surrounded by what we would call skyscrapers, we looked at some of those as well.
Our guide: Anne-Marie Craven as an art historian spent many years doing picture research and running a fine art picture library specialising in art, history and archaeology with some militaria. On retirement she trained as a Blue Badge Guide and leads walking tours, concentrating on London and the outskirts. See her website http://londonwalk.uk
Images clockwise from top left: window in memory of St Mary Axe © A-M. Craven; St Margaret Pattens © Images George Rex*; St Katharine Cree © Diliff*; St Mary le Bow © Julian Osley*
* from Creative Commons Wikimedia