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 old church of St Peter, Hascombe is believed to have dated to around 1220, but by the mid-19th century had fallen into a poor state of repair.
In 1862, Rector Canon Musgrave commissioned architect Henry Woodyer to create a new church. A year after the demolition of the medieval building, the new St Peter was consecrated in June 1864.
Woodyer’s design saw the church recreated in a spectacular 13th century style, bursting with rich decorative details across the whole building.
A painted ‘miraculous draught of fishes’ runs around the navel, depicting Jesus' miracle on the Sea of Galilee after the Resurrection, while a stunning mural of Jesus and the Apostles on the chancel arch leads you through to the chancel and apse, decorated with episodes from the Old Testament. The roof rafters are cusped and gilded with glimmering effect.
A riot of gold and illustrated detail, St Peter is a treasure of the Victorian Gothic revival.