St. Margaret Pattens

St. Margaret Pattens was rebuilt in the 17th century and largely unharmed during the Second World War. It therefore contains many late 17th century features.

St. Margaret Pattens is shown in the centre of this detail of the Civitas Londinum (the ‘Agas map’) from about 1561

St. Margaret Pattens stands on the corner of Eastcheap and Rood Lane. It is separated from Eastcheap by some attractive early 18^th century buildings, now with restaurants at street level. Like St. Margaret Lothbury, it is dedicated to St. Margaret of Antioch, a 4^th century martyr. She was tortured and beheaded for not renouncing her Christian faith. Legend states that miracles took place, including that she was swallowed by Satan in the form of a dragon from which she escaped.

In past times, when London’s streets were filthy with mud and animal waste, people wore tall wood and leather undershoes strapped to their feet to lift the wearer above the grime. These were known as ‘pattens’. The artisans who manufactured pattens were located in and around the church, which was earlier called St. Margaret Pattens Lane. The church has a long association with both the Pattenmakers’ and Basketmakers’ livery companies. In his 1598 ‘Survey of London’ John Stow wrote that the patten-makers had by then departed from the area, or as he wrote (probably in jest), they had “clean worn out”. The parish was also where basket-makers were located.

St. Margaret’s was first recorded in the 12^th century and rebuilt in 1538 in the Perpendicular style. To pay for the rebuilding, a large cross – a rood – was set up in the churchyard to which people would come to give oblations – religious offerings. The street was then renamed Rood Lane. The practice of giving oblations was short-lived, as Stow explains:

…in the year 1538, about the 23^rd of May, in the morning, the said rood was found to have been in the night preceding, by people unknown, broken all to pieces, together with the tabernacle wherein it had been placed. Also, on the 27^th of the same month, in the same parish, amongst the basket-makers, a great and sudden fire happened in the night season, which within the space of three hours consumed more than a dozen houses, and nine persons were burnt to death there: and thus ceased that work of this church, being at that time nigh finished to the steeple.

Yet the name of Rood Lane remained.

The Tudor-era church was destroyed in the Great Fire and rebuilt under Wren, with the main building finished in 1687. The 200-feet tall spire on a tower with four pinnacles was completed in 1702, the only surviving spire actually built by Wren. It is the third highest of the remaining City churches and can be seen from some distance.

Some restoration work was undertaken during the 19^th century. St. Margaret’s was largely unharmed during the Second World War and required only minor repairs.

It is a rectangular building. The spacious interior contains many interesting features, with some fine woodwork. It consists of a nave and Lady chapel, and a gallery that has been converted into offices. Since 1954 it has been a Guild church and its parish amalgamated into that of St. Edmund King and Martyr.

: A display explaining about pattens is in the narthex of St. Margaret’s.

: The Wren-era reredos contains a copy of the 17th century painting of ‘Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane’ by Carlo Maratta.

: The 18th century organ is in the gallery is at the west end. The royal coat of arms is that of James II, a rare example in the City.

: The hexagonal pulpit contains an iron stand that housed an hour-glass to time sermons (with a maximum of 29 minutes!).

: There are two sword rests. The lectern is of an eagle holding a viper in its claw.

: There are rare examples of churchwarden pews.

: The cross on the south wall was previously at the top of the spire. The wooden memorial is to Charles I, installed by a late 19th century pro-Jacobite rector.