St Michael Bassishaw

St Michael Bassishaw stood in Basinghall Street in the City of London for centuries. First recorded in 1196, the church served a parish that took its name from the Basing family. The 12th-century building had a north wall reinforced with buttresses because it was built over old rubbish pits. In the 15th century John Burton, a wealthy mercer, paid for the roof and was buried in the choir. Sir James Yerford, Lord Mayor in 1520, added a chapel on the north side where he was later buried. After the Great Fire of 1666 the church was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren’s office. The new design used brick walls and Corinthian columns, though the contractor’s work was criticised as poor. Repairs in 1713 added a lead roof and a steeple designed by Robert Hooke, topped with a ball and finial. By the 19th century the building was described as plain and functional, measuring about 21 metres long and 15 metres wide. The church’s crypt was cleared of human remains late in the 19th century, revealing weak foundations. It was closed in 1892 and demolished in 1900. The site later became part of the Barbican Centre complex. Some fragments survive: a royal coat of arms now hangs in the Guildhall, the weathervane was moved to St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, and the organ went to King’s College in Taunton.