Church of St Ethelburga, Bishopsgate

St Ethelburga-the-Virgin within Bishopsgate stands in the City of London, close to Liverpool Street station. One of the few medieval City churches still standing, it was first recorded in 1250 as St Adelburga the Virgin. The church was rebuilt around 1411, and traces of this work remain in the south arcade. A small square bell turret was added in 1775, and a weathervane in 1671. In the 16th century a wooden porch with two shops was built over the exterior to raise money for the church. The church was half destroyed by an IRA bomb in 1993, seven metres away. After public protest it was rebuilt to its original plan, though much changed inside. The interior is tiny, with a nave and aisle divided by an arcade. Most fittings from before 1993 were lost, but Ninian Comper’s early 20th-century work survives. A 19th-century font remains, inscribed with a Greek palindrome that reads ‘Cleanse your transgressions, not only your face’. Today the church serves as the Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, a charity that builds relationships across conflict and culture. It runs programmes with faith leaders, Sudanese diaspora groups and narrative practitioners. Every year it organises a 10-kilometre walk linking Barking Abbey and the church. The centre also hires space through its social enterprise Seasoned Events. The building is Grade I listed and partners with the community of the Cross of Nails.