St Magnus Cathedral

For our fourth stop, on your right you will notice this unassuming church that is tucked away right off the Tower bridge here on Lower Themes Street. This church is St Magnus the Martyr. The church has a rich history that dates to 1128. Magnus had a shrine to St. Thomas Becket, as the church was on the route to Canterbury and often used as a resting place for pilgrims. The shire was destroyed during the Reformation and the chapel was turned into a house and later destroyed in the 18^th century. At Edward I's coronation, a knight from St. Magnus the Martyr was included in the procession specially because the procession fell on St. Magnus day. Unfortunately, the building you are looking at today is not the original from 1128. The original church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. In fact, it was one of the first buildings to be destroyed as it was only 300 yards from Thomas Farriner bakery. Thomas Farriner has been traced back to being to source of the fire of London. Farriner is buried inside the church. St. Magnus is also home to a historic organ. The organ was a gift from the Lord Mayor of London in 1708. The organ itself has been damaged many times throughout its life, but the frame of the organ is the original one from 1708. The organ in St. Magnus is also the first recorded example of a swell box. A swell box is when the organ pipes are in a box, if the box is open it allows the sound to travel freely, when closed the sound is more contained. The organ was damaged in World War II and it was later repaired by the famous organ builder Spurden Rutt. Organ restoration was very expensive and often was not given many funds for repairs by the War Damage Commission. Resources for repairs were also very scarce, making the builders get very creative. Thankfully most of the damage was cosmetic and builders could recycle the metal. In World War II when the Germans began their bombing of the city, St. Magnus removed their bells from the church tower so they would not be damaged. The bells would not be rehung until 2009. A bomb fell on Tower Bridge during the Blitz in 1940 and thankfully only the windows, some of the plaster, and the roof on the north aisle were destroyed. So, these stunning stained-glass windows you are seeing are not original. After the war, the church was listed a Grade I listing and repaired in 1951 and reopened for worship by the Bishop of London, William Wand.

This destination is the fourth stop on the London Blitz Cathedral Tour.