St John's, Smith Square, London

St John's, Smith Square is one of the most beautiful English Baroque churches in the London. It is located in Smith Square, in the City of Westminster, London.

St John's, Smith Square, was designed by Thomas Archer and completed in 1728. It features four corner towers and monumental broken pediments. It resembles overturned stools, and is popularly referred to as Queen Anne's Footstool. According to legend, while Archer was designing the church, he asked the Queen how she wanted it to look like. The queen is said to have kicked her footstool over and said, "Like that!" In fact the four towers were added to stabilize the building against subsidence.

During the Second World War it was firebombed, laying it in ruins. A charitable Trust bought it up and restored it. Now it is a grade I listed heritage building. It is often a venue for classical music concerts due to its fine acoustics.

St John's, Smith Square
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_john_smith.jpg
Author: Steve Cadman

How to reach St John's, Smith Square

Take the Circle Line, District Line or Jubilee Line of the London Underground to the Westminster Tube Station. Walk south along St Margaret Street until Millbank, then turn right at Dean Stanley Street until you reach St John's, Smith Square.

List of Churches in London