St Mary-at-Hill Church
Lovat Lane
Eastcheap
London
EC3R 8EE
T: 0207 626 4184
Visitor Information
Tuesday to Thursday 10.30am-5pm and sometimes at other times, when staff are present
This working church at the heart of Billingsgate has survived the Blitz and two major fires. The Great Fire of London 1666 consumed its interior, leaving only the walls and the brick work of the tower, but saw it rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren at the cost of £3,980. Then much later in 1988 a fire broke out on the roof. This once again devastated the interior and the reredos, pulpit, box pews and organ but the church 'rose again.'
St Mary-at-Hill is the focus for the City Deanery of the churches response to major incidents and the ministry includes the provision of training in First Aid and Resilience. The church building is available for hire during the week and at weekends: the space is used for activities ranging from physical fitness to orchestral and choir rehearsals, performances and recordings. Its resident ensemble, VOCES8, uses the church as its London base and it often plays host to exhibitions.
Looking back at early documents, the church is referred to with a variety of names, including St Mary du Hull, St Mary atte Hulle and Sanctae Maria apud Montem. Sir John Betjeman said of the church: “This is the least spoiled and the most gorgeous interior in the City, all the more exciting by being hidden away among cobbled alleys, paved passages, brick walls, overhung by plane trees…”