Church Of St Mary Le Bow

The Church of St Mary-le-Bow, located on Cheapside, is a Grade I listed building designed by Sir Christopher Wren, constructed between 1670 and 1683. The church's crypt dates back to the 12th century. The interior was destroyed during World War II but has been reconstructed to closely resemble its original design. The church features a square body with arcades of three bays that separate a wide central aisle from very narrow side aisles. The exterior is faced in red brick, accented with Portland stone dressings. The east and west elevations have pedimented or gabled centers with three arched windows, flanked by narrower windows that have circular openings above. The west door is pedimented, while the central south door is disused, with an arched window on either side. Inside, there is a plaster vault supported by engaged Corinthian columns and clerestory lighting, but no old fittings remain. A large, plain, groin-vaulted lobby connects the church to the tower that faces Cheapside. This tower is one of Wren's largest and finest designs, featuring an open ground storey, a balconied window above, and a bracketed clock. The pilastered belfry stage supports a balustrade with scrolled finials at the corners, leading to a steeple with two orders of columns, the upper order having been renewed in granite in the 19th century. To the north of the church is a vestry, and beneath it and the main building is a well-preserved but altered 12th-century crypt.