Old St Paul's Cathedral Church
Medieval London cathedral destroyed in the 1666 Great Fire
Old St Paul's Cathedral at a Glance#
Address: Site near current St Paul’s Cathedral, City of London, England
About Old St Paul's Cathedral#
Old St Paul’s refers to the medieval cathedral that once stood on Ludgate Hill in the City of London on the site of the present St Paul’s Cathedral. It was a principal medieval church of the city until its destruction in 1666.
There is no intact medieval cathedral to visit; interest focuses on historical records, archaeological remains in and beneath the present St Paul’s site, and markers and displays about the medieval building found in the surrounding area. The present Baroque St Paul’s dominates the site and contains museum material and references to the earlier cathedral.
A succession of Christian churches occupied the Ludgate Hill site through the medieval period, with the medieval Romanesque and Gothic cathedral rising to prominence in the later Middle Ages. That medieval cathedral was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in September 1666 and the current St Paul’s Cathedral was commissioned and built on the same site in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The site lies on Ludgate Hill in the City of London, central London, within the cluster of historic streets and institutions that form the financial and civic heart of the city.
- Destruction and replacement: the medieval cathedral on the same site was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and subsequently replaced by the present St Paul’s Cathedral designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
How to Get to Old St Paul's Cathedral#
The site lies in the City of London near the present St Paul’s Cathedral. The nearest Tube station is St Paul’s (Central Line). Many walking tours of the City include the Old St Paul’s footprint when discussing the Great Fire and the Wren rebuild.
Tips for Visiting Old St Paul's Cathedral#
- Look for the paved remnants and the Romanesque foundations that survive beneath later rebuilding - the site is more archaeological than cathedral now.
- Pair a visit with the Museum of London or a walk along the Thames to place Old St Paul's into the broader tapestry of London's rebuilding after 1666.
- Guided walking tours that discuss the city before and after the Great Fire offer valuable context for understanding the site's significance.
Best Time to Visit Old St Paul's Cathedral#
Best visited as part of a walking tour of the City of London; the site itself is an archaeological and commemorative location rather than an active building.
Weather & Climate near Old St Paul's Cathedral#
Old St Paul's Cathedral's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 2°C to 23°C. Moderate rainfall (659 mm/year), distributed fairly evenly throughout the year.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | 2° - 8° | 2° | 65 mm | overcast | 93% | 4.3 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.2h |
| February | Acceptable | 2° - 8° | 2° | 42 mm | overcast | 90% | 4.2 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.8h |
| March | Acceptable | 3° - 11° | 4° | 55 mm | overcast | 86% | 4.3 m/s | 0.4 low | 11.7h |
| April | Acceptable | 5° - 14° | 7° | 49 mm | overcast | 81% | 4.0 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 13.7h |
| May | Good | 8° - 18° | 13° | 49 mm | overcast | 79% | 3.9 m/s | 1.2 high | 15.4h |
| June | Good | 11° - 21° | 16° | 55 mm | overcast | 78% | 3.5 m/s | 1.4 high | 16.3h |
| July | Very Good | 13° - 23° | 18° | 43 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 1.4 high | 15.9h |
| August | Very Good | 13° - 23° | 18° | 50 mm | overcast | 78% | 3.3 m/s | 1.1 high | 14.4h |
| September | Good | 11° - 19° | 15° | 59 mm | overcast | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 12.5h |
| October | Acceptable | 8° - 15° | 11° | 65 mm | overcast | 87% | 3.6 m/s | 0.3 low | 10.5h |
| November | Acceptable | 4° - 11° | 5° | 66 mm | overcast | 92% | 3.7 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.7h |
| December | Poor | 3° - 9° | 3° | 61 mm | overcast | 94% | 4.0 m/s | 0.0 low | 7.7h |
