Church of St Peter is a Grade I listed building in the City of London local planning authority area, England. First listed on 4 January 1950. A 1677-1687 (by Wren) Church.

Church of St Peter

WRENN ID
muffled-spindle-reed
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
City of London
Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster MP: Rachel Blake (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
4 January 1950
Type
Church
Period
1677-1687 (by Wren)
Address
Church of St Peter, Cornhill Ec3, City and County of the City of London
OS grid reference
TQ 330 811
Coordinates
51.51325, -0.08457
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Church of St Peter, located on Cornhill EC3, was built between 1677 and 1687 by Sir Christopher Wren, incorporating the base of a medieval tower. The church features an aisled body with a tower at the south-west and a vestry to the north of it, along with a north porch. The exterior is largely obscured by surrounding buildings. The tower is constructed of red brick, while the rest of the church appears to be made of stone, which is now painted.

The north elevation has three enriched, round-arched windows that rise above a two-storey shop building, and there is a high panelled attic. The porch is set forward and features a segmentally arched doorway flanked by a pair of Ionic columns and piers, topped with a parapet above the entablature. The south elevation is simpler, with a corniced doorway beneath the western window. The east elevation is arcaded and pilastered above a high base, with a pedimented attic that includes round-arched and two circular windows.

The tower has moulded brick dressings and simple round-arched windows on the two lower storeys, leading to an arcaded and pilastered belfry stage. It is topped with a stone cornice and a copper-roofed lantern and spire. Inside, the church features pilastered piers with high bases that support an arcade and a plaster barrel vault, which may have been renewed, as well as cross vaults in the aisles. There is a west gallery that houses the organ. Original fittings include a low reredos and panelling at the east end, an elaborate chancel screen, a finely carved pulpit and tester, a carved marble font with a cover, and plain wainscot doorcases.

Local climate

Church of St Peter sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 95% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 98% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 35 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 57% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. 54 and 55, Cornhill EC3 Grade II 16 m
  2. Gateway to Yard of Church of St Peter Grade II 23 m
  3. 65, Cornhill EC3 Grade II 36 m
  4. 66 and 67, Cornhill EC3 Grade II 38 m
  5. 50, Cornhill and Attached Grilles Grade II 39 m
  6. 48, Cornhill EC3 Grade II 48 m
  7. Church of St Michael Grade I 59 m
  8. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Grade II 59 m
  9. 7 and 9, Gracechurch Street Grade II 61 m
  10. Royal Bank of Scotland Grade II 63 m