Parish of St Andrew by the Wardrobe, City of London , Church of England

Parish of St Andrew by the Wardrobe, City of London , Church of England

The church of Saint Andrew by the Wardrobe is situated on Queen Victoria Street. It is first mentioned in records in 1244 and was also known as Saint Andre de Castello. The current name was first used from 1361 and refers to the nearby King's Wardrobe where ceremonial robes were stored. The church building was repaired in 1627 only to be destroyed during the Great Fire of London in 1666. It was rebuilt by Wren in 1685-1695. The laying out of Queen Victoria Street in 1871 destroyed much of the churchyard. The church was destroyed by incendiary bombs during the Second World War but was rebuilt in 1959-1961.

The churches of Saint Ann Blackfriars, Saint Peter Paul's Wharf, Saint Benet Paul's Wharf, Saint Mary Mounthaw, Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey and Saint Nicholas Olave were all destroyed in the Great Fire. Saint Ann Blackfriars was not rebuilt and the parish was united to Saint Andrew by the Wardrobe in 1670. Similarly, Saint Peter Paul's Wharf was united to Saint Benet Paul's Wharf Wharf in 1670, and Saint Nicholas Olave was united to Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey in 1670. Saint Mary Mounthaw was united to Saint Mary Somerset in 1670 and the parishes were united to Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey in 1866. Saint Benet Paul's Wharf was rebuilt by Wren, 1677-83 and the parish united to Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey in 1879, when the church became the London church of the Welsh Episcopalians. Saint Nicholas Cole Abbey was rebuilt by Wren in 1677, gutted in 1941 and restored in 1962. The parish was united to Saint Andrew by the Wardrobe in 1954.

Some information from The London Encyclopaedia, eds. Weinreb and Hibbert (LMA Library Reference 67.2 WEI).