St. Mildred

St. Mildred

On the east side of Bread Street at No. 38 (P.O. Directory). In Bread Street Ward. The parish extends into Cordwainer and Queenhithe Wards.

Earliest mention: "St. Mudrid in Bredstrate" (1223–52) (Anc. Deeds, A. 1655). "St. Mildred in Brodstred," 1275 (Ct. H.W. I. 20). "St. Mildrid de Bradestte," 1285 (MS. D. and C. St. Paul's, Lib. L. 93). "St. Mildrid in Fyshstrete," 1544 (L. and P. H. II. VIII. XIX. (2), p. 412).

Lord Trenchant a new builder or great benefactor about 1300 (S. 349).

John Shadworth gave the parsonage house, revestry and Churchyard to the parish, 1428 (ib.).

Parsonage house burnt, and rebuilt by Sir John Hawlen, 1485 (ib.). Church repaired and beautified 1628.

Burnt in the Fire and rebuilt, the parish of St. Margaret Moses being united to it (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 201–6).

At the rebuilding an additional piece of ground was added to the site for the enlargement of the church, 1682 (L.C.C. Deeds, Harben Bequest, 1600–1700, No. 47).

A Rectory. Patron: Canons of St. Mary Southwark, afterwards the Crown.

Dedication to St. Mildred, the Kentish saint, Abbess of Minster.

St. Mildred Breadstreet Church,

Is situate on the E. side of Bread str. near the S. end, in the Ward of Breadstr. and within the Walls of London: To which is united, by Act of Parliament, the Parish of St. Margaret Moses in the same Ward.

II. It is so called, as being dedicated to St. Mildred, the Virgin, who was a holy Woman; but whether the eldest Daughter of Merwaldus, Kind of the Mercians, or of Ethelbert, King of Kent, is uncertain.

The Lord Trenchannt was supposed (says Mr. Stow) either to be the new Builder of this Church, or the Benefactor to the Work, about Anno 1300. of which see more under the 8th Head or Article following. It was repaired and beautified in the Year 1628, the N. Wall being new built, and a curious Window having these Stories painted on 5 Lights: 1. History of the Spanish Invasion: 2. A Monument of Queen Elizabeth: 3. The Gun-powder Plot, in 1605: 4. The Plague, in 1625. and 5th, the Pourtraiture of that worthy Gentleman Nich. Crisp, Esq; who gave besides this Window; and his share toward the Reparation, 7 l. and whose Relations, Madam Hester Crisp, Samuel Crisp, Esq; the late Sir Nicholas Crisp, Baronet, &c. Ancestors of the present Sir John Crisp, Baronet, have been worthy Benefactors to this Parish; all which Church and fine Window unhappily participating in the deplorable Disaster of the fire, in 1666, this Church of St. Mildred was re-edified, being finished and opened, March 23. 1683. …

The Parish of St. Mildred Breadstr. contains on the E. side of Breadstr. from the White hart (which is 1 House Nd of Basing lane) Sd to the Man in the moon on Breadstr. hill inclusive. And on the W. side from Fishstr. (including the corner House, and next it) it extends 3 Houses Nd of Pissing alley, and the Ale-house in that Alley, call'd the Bell Ale-house. In Basing lane from Breadstr. 1 House Ed of Red lion court, and the same distance on the S. side of that Lane, and 1 House in Horn alley, 3 on the N. side of Trinity lane, and 3 on the S. next Breadstr. In Huggin lane 3 Houses on the W. and 3 on the E. side, 1 House in King's head court, and 1 in the Church-yard; and on the E. side of Friday str. viz. Mr. Knights, Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Proctors; containing in the whole Parish 54 Houses.

The Extent of St. Margaret Moses Parish is, in Friday str. from the Harrow to within 1 House of Fish str. on the W. side; and on the E. side from Fish str. to the Anchor and Crown (except the 3 Houses mentioned in the other Parish; behind Mr. Proctor's, 1 House. In Pissing alley, the 3 Crown Ale-house on the S. side, and 2 Houses next Friday str. on the N. In Distaff lane from Friday str. to Cordwainers hall, inclusive on the N. side, and to Little Distaff lane on the S. And in Little Distaff lane, 4 Houses on the E. side next Great Distaff lane; comprizing in the whole 46 Houses.

St. Mildred Breadstreet Church, destroyed by the general Conflagration; but now rebuilt of Free stone, with a Spire Steeple covered with Lead, very comely. To which Church, is united that of St. Margaret Moyses, not rebuilt. It is seated on the East side of Breadsteet, at the Corner of Watheling street.

St. Mildred's Bread Street, a church situated on the east side of Bread street, and in the ward of that name, is thus denominated from its being dedicated to St. Mildred, a Saxon lady, the daughter of Merwaldus, brother to Penda King of the Mercians. This Princess despising the gaieties of a court, retired to a convent at Hale in France, whence returning to England, accompanied by seventy virgins, she was consecrated Abbess of a new monastery in the isle of Thanet, where she died in the year 676.

A church under the same tutelary name stood in that spot in the year 1333: but the last structure being destroyed by the fire of London, the present edifice was erected in its room in 1670.

It consists of a spacious body, and a light tower divided into four stages, whence rises a tall spire.

The advowson of this church was anciently in the Prior and Canons of St. Mary Overie's, but it afterwards came to Sir Nicholas Crispe, in whose family it may perhaps still remain. On the present edifice being built, the parish of St. Margaret Moses was annexed to it. The Rector, besides his other profits, receives 130 l. per annum in lieu of tithes.

St. Mildred's Church, Bread-Street,—about twelve doors on the L. from 47, Cheapside, being the corner of Watling-st.

St. Mildred, Bread-street, the church of, stands on the east side of Bread-street, and is so called from it situation, and from being dedicated to Mildred, a Saxon saint, daughter of Merwaldus, and brother to Penda, King of the Mercians, who was consecrated abbess of a monastery in the Isle of Thanet, where she died in 676.

It is a rectory, founded and built by Lord Trenchant, of St. Alban's, about the year 1300, and enlarged in 1428, by Sir John Chadworth, who built and gave a vestry-room, and church-yard, to the parishioners, and a parsonage-house to the rector. The old church was burned down in 1666, and rebuilt in 1683, by Sir Christopher Wren. The front towards Bread-street is built of Portland stone, in a picturesque Italian style, with a large window, flanked with panels, and a circular compound pediment at the end of the roof. The four sides of the interior are uniform, each having one window under a spacious arch, from which springs the ceiling. It is divided into a nave and aisles, and is 62 feet long, 36 broad, and 40 high.

The advowson of this church was anciently in the Prior and Canons of St. Mary Overy, but it afterwards came into the family of Sir Nicholas Crispe, and is now in private hands. After the fire of London, the parish of St. Margaret Moses (see that church), was united to it by act of parliament; which church, after many changes from 1105, when Robert Fitzwalter gave it to the priory of St. Faith, at Horsham, till the suppression of that convent, by Edward III., as an alien priory, fell to the crown, in whose patronage it has continued to this day.

These united parishes are a rectory, in the city, diocese and archdeaconry of London, and in the alternate patronage of the Lord Chancellor, for the crown, and a private individual. The present rector is the Rev. T.G. Ackland, D.D., who was instituted by the Lord Chancellor in 1818.

Mildred's (St.), Bread Street, east side, the corner of Cannon Street, a church in Bread Street Ward, destroyed in the Great Fire, and rebuilt 1663 under Sir C. Wren. The body of the church is of brick, but the west end towards Bread Street is of Portland stone, Italian in style, with a large round-arched window, under a circular pediment of somewhat singular design. The interior, 62 feet long, 36 wide and 40 feet high, and divided into nave and aisles, is good, and in point of construction deserves a careful examination by the architectural student. The pulpit and sounding board are perhaps by Grinling Gibbons. It serves as well for the parish of St. Margaret Moyses, and the right of presentation belongs, alternately, to the representatives of Mr. Storketh for St. Margaret's, and the Lord Chancellor for St. Mildred's. The body of Sir Nicholas Crispe, who "first settled the trade of gold from Guinea and there built the Castle of Cormantine," was buried in this church in 1666, but his heart was placed in an urn in front of and below a bust of Charles I. in Hammersmith Church.¹ He gave large sums to Charles I. in his necessities, and was one of the most active agents in bringing about the restoration of Charles II., by whom he was made a baronet. Hugh Oldham, afterwards Bishop of Exeter, and founder of Manchester Grammar School, was admitted rector in 1485.² The patronage of this living was formerly vested in the Prior of St. Mary Overy, and there is a letter extant in which Henry VI. directs that "consideryng the great cunyng, vertues, and preestly demenyng of our welbeloved M.R. Stillyngton, ye wol have hym unto the sayd chirch, whansoever hyt shall next voide."³ "William Bell, clerk, parson of St. Mildred's, Bread Street, where he hath been parson sixteen years," was one of the witnesses examined in the "Session against Gardiner," 1651. In this church Shelley the poet married Godwin's daughter. The marriage is thus entered in Godwin's Diary:—

Percy Byshe Shelley married to Mary Wolstonecraft Godwin at St. Mildred's Church, Bread Street, Dec. 30, 1816. Haydon, Curate; Spire, Clerk. Present—William Godwin. Mary Jane Godwin.—Kegan Paul's Willian Godwin, vol. ii p. 245.

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¹ See Thorne, Hand-Book to Environs, p. 274.
² Cooper, Ath. Cant., vol i. p. 21.
³ Cam. Soc. 1863, p. 130.