St Mildred, Poultry, Medieval parish church in City of London, England
St Mildred, Poultry was a medieval parish church in the City of London with a distinctive tower that rose above the surrounding buildings. The tower stood about 75 feet tall and carried a prominent copper weather vane shaped like a ship as its crown, making its exterior instantly recognizable.
The original church was founded in 1175 during Henry II's reign, but it was destroyed when London burned in 1666. After this great fire, it was rebuilt in 1676 by architect Christopher Wren, who transformed it into a new architectural style.
The church was dedicated to an Anglo-Saxon abbess from the 7th century who lived in Kent, and her veneration shows how saints from the southeast shaped London's religious life. The name reflects this deep connection between the city and the holy traditions of early English kingdoms.
The site sits on Poultry Street in the heart of historic London, surrounded by other monuments and business buildings. Since the church itself no longer exists, visitors today can only pass by its original location and see the modern buildings that now occupy the space.
The distinctive ship-shaped weather vane that once crowned the church was saved and now sits atop a neighboring church further down the same street. This detail shows how architectural elements from destroyed buildings were carefully preserved and reinstalled at new locations.
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