Paternoster Squareis a former historic square, renamed from Newgate Market c. 1872,[1]and now a post-war urban redevelopment, owned by theMitsubishi Estate,next toSt Paul's Cathedralin theCity of London.The area was previously namedPaternoster Row,after the street of the same name, once centre of the Londonpublishingtrade and was devastated by aerial bombardment inThe BlitzduringWorld War II.It is now the location of theLondon Stock Exchangewhich relocated there fromThreadneedle Streetin 2004. It is also the location of investment banks such asGoldman Sachs,MerrillandNomura Securities,and of fund managerFidelity Investments.The square itself, i.e. the plaza, isprivately owned public space.In 2004,Christopher Wren's 1669Temple Bar Gatewas re-erected here as an entrance way to the plaza.
 Paternoster Square, redeveloped in 2003, is nearSt Paul's Cathedral. | |
  | |
| Namesake | Paternoster Row |
|---|---|
| Type | Urban development |
| Owner | Mitsubishi Estate |
| Coordinates | 51°30′53″N0°5′58″W/ 51.51472°N 0.09944°W |
| Other | |
| Known for | Location of theLondon Stock Exchange |
| Website | paternosterlondon.co.uk |
The square is near the top of a modest rise known asLudgate Hill,formerly one of the two highest points in the City of London. It is characterised by its pedestrianisation and colonnades.
Historic square
editThe historic square was formerly the site of Newgate Market, a meat market serving much of London. By the late nineteenth[1]century it was called Paternoster Square, taking the name from Paternoster Row. It was accessed on the north by Rose Street (originally Roe Street), the west by White Hart Street and the south and east by alleys, which came out in the centre of the sides of the square. In comparison, the modern, extended, White Hart Street meets a longer Rose Street (which now runs just west of the original square) north of the current Paternoster Square. The only area the old and new square have in common is a small strip outside Warwick Court, where part of the building is set further back.
World War II bombing
editThe City of London was hit by one of the heaviest night raids of The Blitz on the night of 29 December 1940. Buildings onPaternoster Row,housing the publishing companiesSimpkin & Marshall,Hutchinsons,Blackwood,LongmanandCollinswere destroyed. St Paul's Cathedral remained intact.[2]
1960s rebuilding
editIn 1956, the Corporation of London publishedSir William Holford's proposals for redeveloping the precinct north ofSt Paul's Cathedral.Holford's report attempted to resolve problems of traffic flow in the vicinity of the cathedral, while protecting the cathedral's presence as a national monument on some of the highest ground of the City, at the top ofLudgate Hill,on the north bank of theRiver Thames.[3]The report was controversial, however, because it introduced a decisively modern note alongside the foremost work of Britain's foremost 17th-century architect,Christopher Wren.
Rebuilding was carried out between 1961 and 1967, but it involved only part of Holford's concept — the area of Paternoster Square between St Paul's churchyard andNewgate Street— and this included undistinguished buildings by other architects and the omission of some of Holford's features.Robert Finch,theLord Mayor of London,wrote of it inThe Guardianin 2004, that it was made up of "ghastly, monolithic constructions without definition or character".[4]
1980s and 1990s
editIn the late 1980s, many tenants moved to other London sites, resulting in a number of premises being left vacant. That prompted landlords and the City of London to welcome proposals to redevelop the area. In 1990, architectJohn Simpsondeveloped a scheme, sponsored by a newspaper competition and championed by thePrince of Wales.It featuredclassically inspiredarchitecture, which would have been sympathetic with the nearby cathedral.[5]
In 1996, permission was granted for a master plan bySir William Whitfield,which was finally built. The development was implemented by developers,Stanhope plcandMitsubishi Estate.[6][7]By October 2003, the redeveloped square was complete, lined with buildings by Whitfield's firm among others. Among the first new tenants was theLondon Stock Exchange.[8]
Occupy London and public space controversy
editTheLondon Stock Exchangewas the initial target for the protesters ofOccupy Londonon 15 October 2011. Attempts to occupy Paternoster Square were thwarted by police,[9]Police sealed off the entrance to Paternoster Square. A High Courtinjunctionhad been granted against public access to the square, defining it as private property.[10]The square was repeatedly described as 'public space' in the plans for Paternoster Square, meaning the public is granted access but does not designate the square as aright of way under English law,thus the owner can limit access at any time.[11]
Monuments and sculpture
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The main monument in the redeveloped square is the 75 feet (23 m) tall Paternoster Square Column.[12]It is aCorinthian columnofPortland stonetopped by agold leafcovered flaming copper urn, which is illuminated byfibre-opticlighting at night. The column was designed by William Whitfield's firm Whitfield Partners, and also serves as a ventilation shaft for a service road that runs beneath the square.[5]
At the north end of the square is thebronzePaternoster(also known asShepherd and Sheep) byDame Elisabeth Frink.The statue was commissioned for the previous Paternoster Square complex in 1975, and was given a new plinth following the redevelopment. Another sculpture in the adjoining Paternoster Lane isPaternoster VentsbyThomas Heatherwick.
Temple Bar Gate,a Wren-designed stone archway constructed between 1669 and 1672 onFleet StreetatTemple Bar(the historic western ceremonial entrance to the City), has been in front of the cathedral side entrance since 2004.[13]Contractors were paid £3,000,000 to restore it and move it from a site inTheobalds Parkby theCorporation of London,which received donations from the Temple Bar Trust and more than onelivery company.[14]Its original site on Fleet Street, where it stood until 1878, is occupied by theTemple Bar Memorial.
References
edit- ^ab"Parrot Alley, Aldgate high Street - Paternosterchurch Street | British History Online".
- ^"Bomb damage to Paternoster Square during the Blitz".Museum of London.Archived fromthe originalon 15 August 2017.Retrieved13 June2014.
- ^Pevsner, Nikolaus and Games, Stephen (ed),Pevsner: The Complete Broadcasts,"A Setting for St. Paul's", Ashgate 2014
- ^Robert Finch, Lord Mayor of London (24 May 2004)."Wonders and blunders".The Guardian.Retrieved13 September2011.
- ^abGiles Worsley (5 November 2003)."Peace descends on St Paul's".London:The Daily Telegraph.Archived fromthe originalon 31 October 2005.Retrieved13 September2011.
- ^"Work starts on Mitsubishi and Stanhope's Warwick Court refurb".Commercial News Media.15 March 2021.Retrieved15 May2024.
- ^"Translating Good Growth for London's Historic Environment".Historic England. p. 45.Retrieved15 May2024.
- ^"Relief in City as London Stock Exchange chooses Paternoster Square".The Guardian.8 April 2001.Retrieved15 May2024.
- ^Davies, Caroline (16 October 2011)."Occupy London protest continues into second day".The Guardian.London.
- ^"Stock exchange occupation blocked".WalesOnline.Wales. 15 October 2011.
- ^Moore, Rowan (13 November 2011)."The London River Park: place for the people or a private playground?".The Guardian.London.
- ^Paternoster Square ColumnArchived3 August 2004 at theWayback Machine
- ^"CWO – Stone Building Restoration and Repair, Paternoster Square Temple Bar, London".Cwo.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 24 July 2012.Retrieved13 September2011.
- ^"Temple Bar".Cityoflondon.gov.uk. 10 November 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 25 September 2011.Retrieved13 September2011.
External links
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- CWOconstruction of Paternoster Column