A plain exterior hiding a Roman past. This watercolour captures St Stephen Walbrook from Walbrook street, its modest Portland stone facade and Hawksmoor spire rising behind Mansion House near Bank.
 
Built between 1672 and 1679 by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire destroyed its medieval predecessor, the church occupies a site with nearly two millennia of sacred history, a Roman temple to Mithras once stood here, and a Saxon church was built on its foundations as early as the 7th century.
 
The Walbrook stream, which gave the church and street their name, once ran down to the Thames beside it, and the church moved to the east bank of the river in 1429. The church's spire, added in 1713–15, is thought to be the work of Nicholas Hawksmoor, Wren's most famous assistant. The exterior is deliberately understated compared to the interior, reflecting Wren's focus on the domed space within.
 
Interesting facts...
 
The church was damaged by bombing in 1941 and rededicated in 1954, before a major restoration in 1978–87 recovered the original fenestration by reopening blocked windows. The church is often cited as Wren's finest City church, described by Sir John Summerson as 'the pride of English Architecture.'
 
I think this building is important in understanding Wren  The church was Wren's own parish church, he lived just steps away at number 15 Walbrook. The exterior's plain Portland stone facade was a deliberate choice by Wren, who reserved his architectural ambition for the domed interior. Showing his practicality with cost and ability to see whats most important.
The church survived the Great Fire of London's aftermath, being rebuilt on the same site as its medieval predecessor, which was destroyed in the 1666 fire.
 
Location: Walbrook, City of London, EC4N 8BN