St Michael Queenhithe

St Michael Queenhithe was an English Baroque church in the City of London featuring a prominent tower at its northwest corner with a stepped spire. The lower level displayed rounded windows separated by decorative ornamental bands across the facade.

The church was first documented in 1181 as St Michael de Cornhithe and destroyed during the Great Fire of 1666 before being rebuilt by Christopher Wren in 1677. It remained in use until 1876 when administrative changes ended its role as a separate parish.

The church tower displayed a distinctive weather vane shaped as a three-masted ship, reflecting the maritime traditions of the nearby Queenhithe dock area.

The church occupied the north side of Upper Thames Street and was open to visitors until 1876 before the building was eventually demolished. The site is now part of the modern street layout in the City of London and can be explored from the riverside or adjacent thoroughfares.

The distinctive ship-shaped weather vane survived the building's demolition and was later transferred to the spire of nearby St Nicholas Cole Abbey. This transfer links the histories of two separate churches and preserves a tangible connection to the site's maritime heritage.

Location: City of London

Architects: Christopher Wren

Architectural style: English Baroque

GPS coordinates: 51.51110,-0.09500

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:45