St Margaret Lothbury

• St. Margaret Lothbury spans the boundary between Coleman Street Ward and Broad Street Ward. Recorded since the 12th century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666 and rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren.

• St. Margaret Lothbury still serves as a parish church, as well as being the official church of five Livery Companies, two Ward Clubs and two Professional Institutes. It also has connections with many local finance houses all of whom hold special services each year.

• The earliest mention of the church is from 1185 and the patronage belonged to the abbess and convent of Barking, Essex until the Dissolution, when it passed to the Crown. It was rebuilt in 1440, mostly at the expense of Robert Large, who was Lord Mayor that year and is remembered as the Master of whom Caxton served his apprenticeship.

• In 1781 the parish of the church of St Christopher le Stocks, demolished to make way for an extension for the Bank of England, was united with that of St Margaret Lothbury.

• The church was also united with St Bartholowmew by the Exchange, St Martin Pomeroy, St Mary Colechurch, St Mildred Poultry, St Olave Old Jewry and St Stephen Coleman Street

• The church has exceptionally fine 17th century woodwork from other now-demolished Wren churches. Among the best are the reredos, communion rails and baptismal font, which are thought to be by Grinling Gibbons from St Olave Old Jewry, and the pulpit from All-Hallows-the-Great. Two paintings of Moses and Aaron flank the high altar, and came from St Christopher le Stocks when it was demolished in 1781.

• The organ was built by George England in 1801. It was restored in 1984, stands in its original case and contains nearly all its original pipework. • The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950.