St Michael Cornhill
City of London, Greater London
The church lies over the remains of the Basilica, the northern most part of the great Roman Forum built in the first century AD.
The church, dating from 1863 is an unpretentious building of sound construction which is in a good state of repair and well maintained. The interior is pleasingly simple and open. The nave seats about 120 and leads directly into the chancel (the original chapel). In 1950 the south aisle was partly enclosed to make a choir vestry, partly reordered as a lady chapel, dedicated in 1958. In 1994 an aumbry was installed there, and the sacrament is reserved. The vicar’s vestry is on the north side of the chancel. Both vestries were refurbished in 1989. The whole interior of the church was redecorated in 1982.
A lovely feature of the church is the east wall, painted in 1892, showing a mandorla with the Paschal Lamb (adopted as a logo of the parish) above an adoration of the angels, above the Annunciation and the Nativity on either side of the east window. The original candle standards, the full length of the church, are used at high festivals. The organ is from 1910 and there is a carillon of six bells.
The church is wonderfully light, most of the 15 windows being contemporary with their part of the building. Within the church are a number of artefacts made by parishioners.