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 usual entrance is from Hart Street, with the floor well below street level. The aisles and tower date from the mid 15th century.
On the south side of the church there is an atmospheric churchyard and the visitor will find this is the best viewing point to see the exterior of the building.
This was the parish church of Samuel Pepys; he is buried here and a memorial bust of his wife gazes towards the former Navy Office gallery where he once sat.
St Olave's largely escaped the Great Fire thanks to Pepys and William Penn Sr (father of the founder of Pennsylvania), who created firebreaks around it.
Although the church was gutted by firebombs in 1941, it was restored in 1951'54, successfully retaining an atmosphere both intimate and antique.