Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury
Its History The story of St. Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury's relocation from London to Westminster College is fascinating and we encourage you to take a guided tour of the church when you visit the Churchill Museum.
The church was first built in London near the turn of the 12th century. It was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666 and then rebuilt in 1676 by Sir Christopher Wren, the famous English architect. In the 17th century, the church was recognized as the social and religious center for a number of England's major figures.
The church, slightly damaged in World War I when a zeppelin bomb struck the churchyard, was gutted in the blitz of London in 1940, when a German incendiary bomb struck the center of the roof. For 25 years after the attack, the church sat roofless and moss-grown, slated for demolition.
It was in the early 1960's that the proposal was made for the creation of a memorial to Sir Winston Churchill and his famous "Iron Curtain" speech, which he delivered at Westminster College in 1946. In 1965, the church was dismantled in London and shipped, 7,000 stones in all, to Westminster College, where it was reassembled and restored to the condition we see today. It serves as the ecumenical, inter-denominational chapel for the college.
In the 17th century, the church was recognized as the social and religious center for a number of England's major figures including John Milton and William Shakespeare.
The Relocation Process
To read more about the Church of St. Mary's relocation from London to Fulton,
click here. For WeddingsThe links to the left provide you with valuable information on planning a wedding at the Church of St. Mary. We have done our best at providing you with as much information as possible. However, if you still have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our regular office hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. Contact: Sara Winingear, Assistant Director, 573-592-5234 or
sara.winingear@churchillmemorial.org.