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Category: Arts & Entertainment
Type: Religious & Spiritual
13-10-2008
If you are interested in City churches, be sure to make time to visit St. Andrew by the Wardrobe. Like so many City churches, it has a history of rising from the ashes. First recorded circa 1170, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and then rebuilt by Wren and is the last of his parish churches. St. Andrew was gutted during the Blitz, leaving only the walls and the tower. It reopened in 1961, with the restoration using Wren’s original plans.
The interior has a somewhat modern feel, and is beautiful and peaceful. There are some particularly fine wooden statues (including a unique figure of Saint Anne holding the Virgin and Child). The parish also has associations with Shakespeare, who lived in the parish and owned a house in Ireland Yard. Although it is unclear whether Shakespeare attended St. Andrews, there is a modern memorial to him, in the western gallery.
Because of the beautiful wooden statues and the risk of theft, the sanctuary is kept locked. The woman who works in the office (I wish I’d gotten her name) was very friendly and showed me around.
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Zest, Pizza Express, the black friar, Chambers, El Vino Co Tasting House
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