Church of St Michael Paternoster Royal is a Grade I listed building in the City of London local planning authority area, England. First listed on 4 January 1950. A 1686-1694 (with tower completed 1713) Church. 1 related planning application.

Church of St Michael Paternoster Royal

WRENN ID
fossil-tallow-sable
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
Address
Church of St Michael Paternoster Royal, College Street Ec4, City and County of the City of London, EC4R 1AD
OS grid reference
TQ 324 808
Coordinates
51.5112, -0.09211
Source
Historic England listing

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

Description

The Church of St Michael Paternoster Royal, built between 1686 and 1694 with the tower completed in 1713 by Sir Christopher Wren, is located on College Street in London. The church was damaged during World War II and underwent restoration, which included internal alterations at the west end. The structure is a simple compartment, now featuring four windows on both the north and south sides, and has a cove to a flat ceiling.

The south-west tower has a modern lobby to the east and offices on several floors to the north. The main elevations are made of Portland stone, showcasing five round-arched windows on the south side, with a corniced doorway beneath the western opening. The main cornice is topped with a high blocking and a balustrade. The west front mirrors this with two bays, featuring doorways and lamp brackets above. The east front is constructed of red brick and stone, with three windows and a central attic that includes a circular window flanked by consoles. The low vestry has been rebuilt, and the north front also combines brick and stone.

The tower continues the treatment of the adjoining elevations, culminating in a short stage with circular windows. The belfry openings are mullioned and corniced, and the main entablature is topped by a pierced parapet with four urns. An octagonal stone lantern, designed in three stages with Ionic columns at the base, is crowned by a weather vane.

Inside, the church features a plain interior with some decorative mouldings on the ceiling. There is a modern west gallery and wainscot, with east doorcases that are largely or wholly renewed. Notable original features include a good reredos, pulpit, composite lectern, two sword rests, a hat stand, and carved figures of Moses and Aaron. A large brass chandelier and wall monuments add to the interior, along with a later 19th-century font made of coloured marbles and an organ case that is at least partly original.

Local climate

Church of St Michael Paternoster Royal 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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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 1 application
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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