religious, event, concert/performance space, walk/tour
Sir Christopher Wren, 1677
St Mary-at-Hill Church, Lovat Lane, Eastcheap , EC3R 8EE
Built after the Great Fire of London (1666), St Mary at Hill survived two further major fires, and stood unscathed through the Blitz. Although marked by its experiences, the spectacular interior retains the beauty and grace Wren’s vision.
Monument, Tower Hill, Bank
Fenchurch Street, London Bridge, Liverpool Street, Blackfriars, Cannon Street
15, 17, 21, 35, 40, 43, 47, 48, 133, 141, 149, 344, RV1
10:00–17:00
Church is open for visitors from 10am to 5pm. Everyone is welcome, free entry. Art exhibition & Coffee and cake in the church
12:30–13:00
Donglai Shi will be providing a piano performance at 12.30PM - Free Entry
16:00–17:00
Music We'd Like to Hear will provide a performance at 4pm. They regularly feature on BBC programmes. Free Entry
For nearly a thousand years, St Mary-at-Hill has stood at the heart of Billingsgate, playing a vital role in the life of the City of London. The earliest written record dates to 1177, referring to an “ancient church” already on this site, suggesting that a place of worship dedicated to St Mary the Virgin has stood here since at least the late 11th century.
The original church was almost certainly smaller than today’s building, which has been extended, rebuilt, and adapted over the centuries. Its name, St Mary-at-Hill, comes from the steep rise leading up from Billingsgate Quay, the busy Anglo-Saxon harbour that once served as the city’s main river gateway.
By the 15th century, records show that the church had expanded to include side chapels dedicated to St Stephen, St Katherine, St Ann, and St Christopher. But in 1666, the Great Fire of London left the medieval church in ruins, with much of its walls and tower destroyed.
Reconstruction followed swiftly. Sir Christopher Wren oversaw the rebuilding of City churches, with St Mary-at-Hill’s design also shaped by his colleague Robert Hooke. By 1677, the south and north walls had been rebuilt, the building extended eastwards, and a new frontage added. Following the Rebuilding of London Act of 1670, nearby parishes—including St Andrew Hubbard, St George Botolph Lane, and St Botolph by Billingsgate—were joined to St Mary-at-Hill, forming today’s united benefice.
Remarkably, the church survived the Blitz of the Second World War unscathed, preserving its distinctive Victorian interior of high box pews and richly carved woodwork. But disaster struck again on the night of 10 May 1988, when a devastating fire caused the dome and roof to collapse, severely damaging the joinery such as pews, pulpit, and reredos.
Despite this setback, the church was carefully restored. The restoration provided an opportunity for archaeological investigations by the Museum of London. They uncovered traces of earlier graves, revealing that the site was not only medieval but also part of Roman London and later the Anglo-Saxon settlement.
St Mary-at-Hill hosts a weekly Anglican lunchtime service every Monday at 1.15pm. The church is also home to St Anne’s Lutheran Church, who hold their Sunday Eucharist here at 11am.
The parish has a long-standing connection with Billingsgate Fish Market, marked each year by the Fish Harvest Festival on the second Sunday of October. Alongside worship, the church regularly hosts community and civic services and events that bring people in our community together.
