St. Benet Fink
Names
- St. Benet Fink
- St. Benet Finck
- St. Benedict Fink
- St. Bndci Wink
- St. Benedict Fyngh
Street/Area/District
- St. Benet Fink
Maps & Views
- 1553-9 Londinum (Braun & Hogenberg, 1572): St. Benet Fink
- 1553-9 London ("Agas Map" ca. 1633): St. Benet Fink
- 1560 London (Jansson, 1657): St. Benet Fink
- 1666 London after the fire (Bowen, 1772): St. Bennet
- 1677 A Large and Accurate Map of the City of London (Ogilby & Morgan): St. Benet Fink
- 1720 London (Strype): Benet Fink
- 1736 London (Moll & Bowles): St. Bennet Finc
Descriptions
from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)
St. Benet Fink
On the south side of Threadneedle Street in Broad Street Ward (Elmes, 1831).
Earliest mention found in records: St. Benet Finck, 1216 (Cott. MS. Faust. B. 11). Parish of "St. Benedict Fink" by Cornhill, 36 H. III. (Anc. Deeds, A. 1922).
Stow says it was new built by Robert Finke the Elder (who lived in Finch Lane), and named after him (S. 184). From the Cott. MS. Faustina, B. II. fol. 8o, it appears that Rosamund Finke gave her stone house in parish of St. Benet Finck to Clerkenwell Priory, and that Priory regranted it to Robert, son of Robert Finke.
The house of Alwini Fink was in the parish in 1285 (MSS. D. and C. St. Paul Lib. L. 93).
The church is called "S. Bndci Wink" in this MS. "S. Benedict Fyngh," 1311 (Ct. H.W. I. 223).
Repaired 1633. Burnt in the Great Fire and rebuilt by Wren 1679. Taken down 1842–4 for the New Royal Exchange, and the parish united to St. Peter le Poor, and the monuments removed to that church.
A Rectory. Patrons: John de Nevyle, 10 Ed. I. (Ch. I. p.m.).
Newcourt says this family probably gave the advowson to the Hospital of St. Anthony. At any rate it was appropriated to the Hospital by the Bishop of London 1440 (Rep. I. 299).
In 1474 it was given by Ed. IV. to the Collegiate Church of St. George's Windsor, in whose hands it has since remained (ib.).
See St. Benedict Cornhill.
from Lockie's Topography of London, by John Lockie (1810)
St. Benedict, or St. Bennet-Fink-Church, Threadneedle-Street,—about two or three doors E. from the north side of the Royal'Exchange.
from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)
St. Bennet or St. Benedict Fink, the Church of, is situated on the south side of Threadneedle-street, and derives its name and addition from having been dedicated to St. Benedict, and Italian saint, who was founder of the order of Benedictine monks, and from having been rebuilt by one Robert Fink or Finch, whose name is also borne by a neighbouring lane. It is of ancient origin, and though at present only a curacy, was formerly a rectory, John de Brakentree being rector thereof before the year 1333. The old church, having been destroyed by the great fire in 1666, the present edifice was erected by Sir Christopher Wren, in its stead. The church, although a fine specimen of its author's genius, is scarcely so well known to the public as the celebrated vender of biscuits and fancy bread next door. It is built of stone, in an elliptical form, sixty-three feet in length, and forty-eight in width. It is covered by an elliptical cupola, surmounted by a glazed lantern light, and supported by six columns of the Composite order, between each of which, under a spacious arch, is a large window. The interior is wainscotted seven feet high, with fine Dutch wainscot, is well pewed after the manner of English churches, and has a handsome carved pulpit, and desks, of the same description of wood. The altar-piece is in a handsome bold style, and well carved. The tower is square, built of Portland stone, and covered with a cupola and turret.
The patronage of this church was formerly in the noble family of the Nevils; but falling to the crown in the reign of Edward IV., that king gave it to the Dean and Chapter of Windsor. The impropriation is still in the said dean and chapter, who generally supply it with one of their own canons, who is licensed by the Bishop of London. The present curate is the Rev. C.R. Ashfield, who was instituted by the Dean and Chapter in 1818.
from London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions, by Henry Benjamin Wheatley and Peter Cunningham (1891)
Benet (St.) Fink, a church in Broad Street Ward, "commonly called Finke, of Robert Finke the founder." [See Finch Lane.] The church described by Stow was destroyed in the Great Fire, and the church erected (1679) by Sir C. Wren to supply its place was taken down (1842–1844) to make way for the new Royal Exchange, and the improvements which its erection rendered necessary. The church stood immediately east of the present Royal Exchange. It was an elegant little elliptic edifice, with a cupola borne on six composite columns; "a free imitation of the twin churches by the Piazza, del Popolo, Rome.1 All that remained of the church (for the tower was taken down before the body of the building) was sold by auction on January 15, 1846. The sepulchral tablets were removed at the same time to the church of St. Peter-le-Poor, to which parish St. Benet Fink was united. The parish registers record the marriage of Richard Baxter, the celebrated Nonconformist, to Margaret Charlton (September 10, 1662); and the baptism of "John, the son of John Speed, merchant tailor" (March 29, 1608).
1 Elmes, Wren and his Times, p. 421, and in his Life of Wren, 4to ed., p. 326.