In St. Paul's Churchyard, in Castle Baynard Ward.
Stow says it was first founded by Ethelbert king of Kent, about 610 (
In Athelstan's Charter to St. Paul's, 915-22, he describes King Sebbi as the first benefactor with Bishop Erkenwold (Thorpe, Dip. A.S. 176-7).
Burnt down 962 and rebuilt (Ang.-Sax. Chr., Thorpe, I. 220).
The Church with a considerable portion of the city was again destroyed by fire in 1086-7 (Ang.-Sax. Chr., Earle and Plummer, I. 218).
The rebuilding was commenced by Bishop Mauritius, and carried on by his successor Richard de Belmeis, and from a charter of H. I. set out in Dugdale it appears that the King gave "so much of the ditch of my castle on the south towards the Thames as was necessary for making the wall of the church, so much of the same ditch as sufficed for making the way outside the wall, and on the other side of the church towards the north, as much of the same ditch as had been destroyed by the Bishop" (Dugdale, St. Paul's, App. 21).
It is explained in Lib. Cust. that the castle in question was Castle Baynard, so that the moat of this castle must originally have extended as far as the north side of St. Paul's (I. p.339).
The process of rebuilding, if much progress had been made, must have been seriously interfered with in when the church was again burnt (Lib. de Ant. Leg. p.197).
In 1230 it was struck by lightning (Ann. Lond. p.29).
Dedicated 1240 (ib. 37). In 1259 the new fabric was commenced (Chr. M. and S. p.40).
In 1314 a new cross was put up on the bell tower of St. Paul's. The dimensions of the cathedral at this time were 690 ft. in length, 130 ft. in breadth, and 102 ft. in height. The steeple was 88 ft. The area comprised 3 1/2 acres, 1 1/2 roods, 6 virgates. The bell tower was 260 ft. high (Ann. Paulini, p.277).
These dimensions do not altogether agree with those set out in L. and P. Chas. I. 1634-5, p.427, which are as follows: Area the same. Length 280 ft, breadth 130, height of western roof from altar 102 ft., height of roof of new building from altar 88 ft. Height of bell tower 520 ft. Belfry cross 15 ft. high with a cross beam of 6 ft.
It would appear from these various records that the church took nearly two centuries in rebuilding after the fire of 1087, and in consequence it exhibited specimens of Norman and early English architecture, and also of the commencement of the Decorated period. There was a Lady Chapel at the east end, a chapel north of the Lady Chapel dedicated to St. George, and one south dedicated to St. Dunstan.
In the crypt was the parish church of St. Faith, and in the churchyard at the south west angle the parish church of St. Gregory.
This old cathedral was a stately and magnificent building. Perhaps the most beautiful portions of the church were the nave, consisting of twelve bays, the central tower open as a lantern, the choir windows of unusual length, and the east window circular in form and rich in colour and design. Two bell towers stood at the western end of the church.
The Steeple was burnt 1443-4, having been struck by lightning and the fire put out with difficulty (Chr. of Lond. ed. Kingsford, p. 156).
It was again struck by lightning and completely destroyed in 1561, and not rebuilt
Plans for rebuilding it and for the general repair of the church were discussed temp. Chas. I. and Chas. II. , but not much progress had been made with the work when the old church was completely destroyed in the Fire, 1666. The new foundations of the present cathedral were laid 1673-5. It was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the form of a long cross and is built of Portland stone. The East end or quire was commenced first (L. and P. Chas. II. XVII. p.119).
Consecrated 1697, but not finally completed until 1710, at a cost of over £747,000.
Interesting papers on the situation of the old cathedral, etc., are to be found in Arch. XLVII. (2), 381, and of the details of the new work in Trans. L. and M. Arch. Soc. III. p.39 et seq., and St. Paul's Eccl. Soc. I. 177 et seq.
The constitution of the capitular body and the duties devolving upon the various officials of the church are set out at length in Newcourt's Repertorium and in Dugdale's History of St. Paul's, which contain valuable information relating to the early history of the church.
The library contains a most valuable collection of early deeds and documents, throwing considerable light upon the history of the church and its possessions.
The contents of many of them are admirably set out in H. MSS. Com. 9th Rep.
The cathedral is said to have been erected on the site of an old Roman temple to Diana.