St. Helen Bishopsgate (London)
St. Helen Bishopsgate is one of the very interesting churches in the City of London.
It is situated in Great St. Helens, between Bishopsgate and St. Mary Axe.
It was originally two churches in one building, with the church of a nunnery situated in the North aisle and the rest of the nave as the parish church.
There is a delightful surviving bell tower.
St. Helen`s boasts a fine collection of tombs, including that of Sir Thomas Gresham, founder of the Royal Exchange, who died in 1579, and of Sir John Crosby, who died in 1476. He was the owner of Crosby House next door. Richard III was offered the crown there, and the building was demolished in 1908 and rebuilt in Chelsea.
St. Helen`s, along with the nearby St. Ethelburga`s, was severely damaged by IRA bombs in 1992 and 1993. It was restored by Quinlan Terry.