Wren’s Church
1685-1879
St Benet is the only unaltered Wren church in the City. All but four were damaged in the Second World War and the other three either suffered the effects of an IRA bomb or have been restored.
The royal connection continued with Charles II having a special door at the side of the building and a private room from which he could take part in services. The Stuart arms can be seen above the west door marking the vantage point from which the king observed proceedings below.
Until 1867 St Benet was the parish church of Doctors Commons, a legal institution which, among its other activities, could provide facilities for hasty marriages. There is a record, for instance, of some 1300 weddings taking place in one year alone in the Eighteenth Century.
In 1747, Henry Fielding, the author of Tom Jones, Joseph Andrews and Shamela, married his second wife here.
In 1879 Queen Victoria removes St Benet from the list of churches to be demolished and grants the use of the church to the Welsh Anglicans for services.
1685
The rebuilt Church of St Benet, designed by Sir Christopher Wren, opens for services.1555
St Benet becomes the church of the College of Arms.
1708-1731
13,423 marriages are arranged through Doctors Commons which provided facilities for hasty marriages.
1747
Henry Fielding, author of Tom Jones, marries his second wife at St Benet.
1879
Queen Victoria removes St Benet from the list of churches to be demolished and grants the use of the church to the Welsh Anglicans for services. The parish is united with St Nicholas Cole Abbey.