Wilkinson , Robert , fl 1800-1835

The site of the church of Saint Peter Cornhill has been used for Christian worship since antiquity, although it is unlikely that a church was founded on the site by the (mythical) King Lucius in AD 179 as is claimed. In the 15th century a grammar school and library were established at Saint Peter Cornhill. The church was destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666, but rebuilt by Wren in 1677-87. Owing to its antiquity and status, the parish was expressly excluded from the Union of Benefices Act of 1860 under which many City churches were demolished. The church was restored by J D Wyatt in 1872. A former churchyard to the south of the church, which lies on the west side of Gracechurch Street with its north porch on Cornhill, remains as an open space.