Saint James, Piccadilly

Side entrance to the entry court, showing later addition of fountain and stair; Post-Reformation England had been generally over-provided with churches, and Wren was thus the first architect to face seriously the problem of designing for the Anglican liturgy. In 1711, in a paper of advice written for the benefit of another church-building programme, he succinctly identified the prime requirement as an 'auditory' in which all could see and hear, with additional seating in galleries placed over the side aisles - a formula not unlike that of his Sheldonian Theatre. He used this form, with a token chancel containing the altar table, in all the larger churches. The example he cited, St James, Piccadilly, is not in the City but in Westminster: it was built by Wren in 1676-1684 to serve a new area of growth in London's West End; although virtually rebuilt after war damage in 1940, this is also in appearance the best surviving example. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.groveart.com/ (accessed 1/25/2008