This building, reputed to be from designs by Sir Christopher Wren, was erected as a church by Lord Hatton to serve the needs of the neighbourhood after St. Andrew's Holborn had been destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. It was adapted for use as a charity school about 1696, was severely damaged by incendiary bombs during the 1939 - 1945 war, and has since been reconstructed internally to provide offices - the original facades being restored and retained. The figures of scholars in 18th century costume, taken down and sent for safe keeping during the war to Bradfield College, Berkshire, have been replaced in their original positions as a memorial of the former use of the building.
2023: Lionel Wright has drawn our attention to an error in this plaque: St Andrew's Holborn was not destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. The fire did not reach that church, but it was already in a dilapidated so it was included in Wren's post-Fire rebuilding scheme, which probably explains the error.
Site: Charity School - Hatton Garden (3 memorials)
EC1, Hatton Garden
tells us "A pair of schoolchildren flanked each entrance, as was customary, but one pair was later transferred to St Andrew."
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