Bank

The Church is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10am to 4pm, Wednesday 10am to 2pm and Friday 11am to 2pm. Entry is FREE, but donations are welcome.

020 7626 9000

St Stephens Walbrook is considered the finest of Sir Christopher Wren’s city churches. It is in fact the Lord Mayor’s parish church. Dating back to a Saxon church from the 7th century, it is on the former site of the River Walbrook, which now runs underground. It originally stood on the west bank of the stream, but was rebuilt around the mid 15th century on the east side. The church was then destroyed in the great fire of London in 1666.

Sir Christopher Wren designed and built the current church in the late 17th century. From the outside it is quite plain, with a classic square tower. This all changes however when you go inside and discover the magnificent 63-feet high dome with its ornate plasterwork. There is no doubt that Wren built this dome as a prototype for St Paul’s and it is centred over a square of twelve columns.

Two interesting features can be found inside the church. The first is the massive white polished stone altar, created by the sculptor Sir Henry Moore. It was placed here in 1987, and has earned the nickname Camembert.

The second is the telephone in the glass box. This is a tribute to Dr Chad Varah, a rector of St Stephens, who in 1953 installed a telephone in the crypt of the church as a hot-line for people in emotional need. The phone was manned by volunteers who became known as Samaritans. Today over 17,000 volunteer staff operate a 24-hour 365 days-a-year service offering emotional support, not just by telephone, but also via email and even text message.

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