The Tower of St Alban, Wood Street, is the only surviving part of the church rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666. The medieval church was destroyed in the fire, and Wren’s reconstruction was completed by 1685. The building suffered severe damage during the Blitz in 1940, and the main body was demolished in the 1950s, leaving only the tower standing.
Traditions suggest that a church existed on this site as early as 930 AD, possibly linked to King Offa of Mercia, but no historical records confirm this. The first reliable references appear in medieval tax rolls from the 12th or 13th century, where it is listed as ‘St Alban Wuderstrate’. While its early history remains uncertain, it was established as a significant parish church in medieval London until its destruction in the 20th century.
Christopher Wren’s reconstruction in 1685 followed his characteristic Baroque approach but incorporated elements of English Perpendicular Gothic, a feature seen in some of his post-Fire churches, where medieval influences remained strong. The church had a rectangular nave with side aisles, separated by Tuscan columns, reflecting Wren’s preference for Classical order. The tower, positioned at the northwest corner, retained a strong vertical emphasis and some Perpendicular Gothic influences, particularly in its proportions and pinnacles. However, the overall execution remained closer to Wren’s restrained, geometric Baroque rather than an entirely Gothic revival.
The tower consists of three diminishing stages. The lower stage features rusticated stonework, creating a solid visual base. The middle section has arched belfry openings with decorative keystones and pilasters, a feature consistent with Wren’s Classical detailing. The upper section is marked by voluted stone consoles supporting a parapet, above which rise four stone pinnacles. These pinnacles, a distinctly Gothic element, were restored during the 19th-century alterations by George Gilbert Scott, who also added structural reinforcements to the tower.