★★★★★ 5.0
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St James's Piccadilly
2,000 souls could pack into this sacred space when Christopher Wren consecrated it in 1684... making this the largest congregation capacity of any church in London at the time. You're standing before Wren's masterpiece - the only church he called his "ideal design" because unlike his cramped City rebuilds after the Great Fire, this rose from open green fields. Run your eyes along these red brick walls dressed in Portland stone... Wren revolutionized church architecture here by flooding the interior with clear glass windows instead of the traditional stained glass, creating what he called "auditory" worship where every person could see AND hear. Step inside and you'll discover galleries supported by Corinthian columns creating that soaring barrel-vaulted ceiling above. But here's the secret that will make you shiver... in that carved marble font depicting Adam and Eve, a baby named William Blake was baptized in 1757, destined to become England's most mystical poet. The font itself is Grinling Gibbons' masterwork, as is that stunning limewood altar screen behind you. This church survived Hitler's bombs in 1940, emerging with an impossible fiberglass spire that looks exactly like the original lead one.
Did You Know?
- St James's Church, Piccadilly, was designed by Sir Christopher Wren—one of England's greatest architects—and consecrated in 1684, making it a rare surviving example of Wren’s London churches built after the Great Fire of 1666. Its interior features exquisite carvings by Grinling Gibbons, including a marble font and a limewood reredos, which are considered some of his finest work and are a must-see for art and history enthusiasts.
- The church’s organ has a royal backstory: originally built in 1686 for a Roman Catholic chapel at Whitehall Palace, it was moved to St James’s in 1691 after King William III and Queen Mary II dismantled the chapel. This historic instrument, restored after being damaged in the Blitz, is still played today, connecting visitors to over 300 years of London’s musical and religious history.
- St James’s Churchyard is home to a lively outdoor market most days of the week, offering everything from farmers’ food to antiques and arts and crafts—a hidden gem for families and shoppers alike. The church also hosts free lunchtime and evening concerts, and has been a gathering place for London’s creative community for centuries, with notable figures like artist Angelica Kauffman (a founder of the Royal Academy) married here, and plaques commemorating many artists inside and outside the building.