St. Bride's - Fleet Street

Fleet Street is an amazing part of London -- bustling with lawyers, bankers, newspaper men and everyone in between.  On manic weekdays one is particularly grateful to find a  place of calm and tranquility nestled right in the heart of it all.  One quick turn off Fleet Street into St. Bride's and you can find a lovely courtyard (which The Old Bell also backs on to) to sit and eat your sandwich in quiet solitude.

It is particularly heartening to find a big wide ramp leading to the courtyard, as well as a sign asking visitors not to park their bikes along the ramp as this might block access to the disabled.  How thoughtful!  

I should include a brief history of St. Bride's, but with over 2000 years of history it is quite daunting to do so.  Some highlights include that it was rebuilt seven times. The last time it was rebuilt was after it was bombed in World War II.  The bomb led to the discovery of forgotten underground crypts which are quite a sight to behold.  As far as I can tell, the crypts are inaccessible, but the church is accessible via a side entrance that is very elegantly designed.  

Go for the service, the lunch hour concerts, a tour of the church (tours held on Tuesdays from 3 - 4.30 pm) or just to talk to the kind staff, who also sell used paperbacks for 50 p.  Oh, and don't forget to look up -- evidently the steeple is what the first tiered wedding cakes were modeled after.

Details:

St. Bride's Church

Fleet Street
London
EC4Y 8AU
+44 (0)20 7427 0133

Transportation:

Buses (all accessible): 4, 11, 15, 23, 76

Train: City Thameslink

Tube: St. Pauls, Central Line (not accessible) 

http://www.stbrides.com/