St Giles-without-Cripplegate

St Giles-without-Cripplegate is an Anglican church in the City of London, standing on Fore Street within the Barbican complex. It was built outside the old city wall near Cripplegate, and is one of the few medieval churches still left in the City. The church is dedicated to St Giles, patron saint of the handicapped and infirm. It survived the Great Fire of 1666, though it has been damaged by fire three times. The stone tower was added in the 17th century, and the church was rebuilt in the perpendicular Gothic style in the 14th century.

The church has strong historical links to many notable people. John Foxe, author of the Book of Martyrs, is buried there, as is Oliver Cromwell, who married Elizabeth Bourchier in the church. John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, is also buried there, along with John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe and John Speed. The church’s historic pews, altar and font come from nearby St Luke Old Street, transferred when that church closed in the 20th century.

Inside, visitors find the east window designed by Gerald Smith, the medieval sedilia and piscina, and a display cabinet of historic treasures. Busts of Milton, Cromwell and Defoe stand among the fittings. The organ, also from St Luke Old Street, was used by Rick Wakeman when recording. The West Window shows the coats of arms of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, Milton, Cromwell and Frobisher.