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Dick Whittington’s church put up for sale

26 June 2024

Page from the marketing brochure

Page from the marketing brochure

A GRADE 1 listed church in the City of London, under which Dick Whittington is reputed to be buried, is being offered for sale leasehold by the diocese.

St Michael Paternoster Royal, near Cannon Street Station, is described in the marketing brochure as a “former Wren church”. It is being offered on a 125-year lease, “price on application”. When asked, the agent, Kinney Green, said that it had to check with its client, the London Diocesan Fund.

The church was built in 1694 to designs of Sir Christopher Wren after an earlier church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The former Lord Mayor of London Richard Whittington is thought to have been buried in the earlier building, which, the agent says, he “founded and built” in 1397. A mummified cat was found beneath the ground in 1949.

The tower was added in Wren’s lifetime, in 1713, but was possibly added by Nicholas Hawksmoor. The church was renovated by William Butterfield in the 19th century, but was hit by a V1 flying bomb on 23 July 1944. Only the walls and the tower were left standing.

The building ceased to be a parish church in 1964, and work on its restoration began in 1966 to designs by Elidir Davies. The new design incorporated office space, and the building was let to the Mission to Seafarers on its completion in 1968.

A statement issued by the diocese of London on Wednesday said: “A licence from the Bishop of London allowed its chapel to continue to be used by the Mission to Seafarers for services, and by livery companies.

“In 2017, the Mission to Seafarers gave notice on their lease, reduced their use of the building from 2019 and fully moved out in 2021. The London Diocesan Fund (LDF) then began a period of use-seeking, which has culminated in the marketing of the building, following approval given by the relevant diocesan governance bodies.

“Like many church buildings, it now requires significant further investment for any future use, whereas the funds released from the sale will enable investment in present day churches, parishes and projects across the diocese.”

The agent’s description states: “The property is no longer used for worship and can be used for a variety of business uses under Class E of the Town & Country Planning Act, subject to consent from the Diocese of London and the Church Commissioners.”

Among the attributes listed:

• First time on the market

• Off-street parking

• Former mixed use (commercial & worship) building

• Benefits from three floors of open plan offices

• City core location

• Entrance onto College Hill and also College Street

• Suitable for a variety of uses (STC)

• Includes former residential duplex unit.

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