St Swithin, London Stone

St Swithin was a baroque church in the City of London built with a rectangular plan and a distinctive octagonal dome supported by columns. A tower topped with a spire rose at the northwest corner, creating a recognizable landmark in the streetscape.

The church first appeared in written records during the 13th century and was completely destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Christopher Wren rebuilt it in 1678 as part of his wider reconstruction of the City of London's churches.

This was the only church in the City of London dedicated to St Swithin, named after an Anglo-Saxon bishop of Winchester who held spiritual importance in medieval times. The dedication connected the parish to a wider Christian tradition that stretched beyond London.

The original site is no longer home to the church structure, as it was demolished in 1962 and converted into a garden space. Visitors can learn about the place through markers or plaques that explain its religious and architectural past.

The building sat directly across from the London Stone, an ancient limestone block that served as a Roman reference point for measuring distances across Britannia. This stone represents one of the oldest fixed landmarks in the entire city and would have been a striking historical presence throughout the church's existence.

Location: City of London

Architects: Christopher Wren

Architectural style: baroque architecture

GPS coordinates: 51.51170,-0.08944

Latest update: December 10, 2025 16:22