When was the Church of St Magnus the Martyr founded?

The Westminster Charter (a manuscript in Latin from the Cottonian Library) purports to document a grant by William I in 1067 of land near London Bridge to Westminster Abbey and refers to St Magnus as a stone church (‘lapidee eccle sci magni prope pontem’). It is now generally accepted, however, that the charter is a 12th century forgery. The latest edition of Pevsner suggests an early 12th century foundation for St Magnus.

It is not clear to whom the church was originally dedicated, there being several saints named Magnus, but the history and archaeology of the area around the church helps to determine the likely date of its foundation. The Romans built a riverside wall, which followed a course along what is now the north wall of St Magnus's Church. The site of the current church was at that time part of the shoreline of the River Thames. The Roman bridge seems to have fallen out of use in the 330s AD and excavations have shown that after the end of Roman London there was little activity within the walls of the old City, notwithstanding the foundation of St Paul's Cathedral.

Most settlement in the middle Saxon period was along the Strand and the Aldwych (the old 'wic'). Activity returned within the walls after 886 when Alfred the Great recaptured London from the Danes. A harbour was soon built at Queenhithe. London Bridge was probably rebuilt by 1000 AD as it appears in documents from that date and in 1014 was burnt down by King Ethelred and King Olaf of Norway to divide Danish forces (giving rise to the rhyme "London Bridge is falling down"). Settlement near the bridge seems to have begun at the same time with the development of a number of north-south streets, such as Fish Street Hill, running from London Bridge and wharves on the river into the centre of the City.

Archaeological evidence suggests that Thames Street appeared in the late 11th century (ie in the period after the Norman Conquest). Its course ran immediately behind (north of) the old Roman riverside wall and crossed the existing north-south streets. Churches such as St Magnus came into being south of the new thoroughfare of Thames Street to meet the needs of the growing population along the waterfront. It therefore seems likely, as suggested by Steedman, Dyson and Schofield in 'The Bridgehead and Billingsgate to 1200', that the church of St Magnus was founded by about 1100.

Michael Cooper: Churchwarden of St Magnus the Martyr

Who was St Magnus?

In March 1926 the Bishop of London pronounced that henceforth St Magnus, Earl of Orkney, should be the patron saint of the church.

Have you any questions about City Churches you would like answered? Why not send them to the City Events office or email them to martin@cityevents.co.uk

top