St Paul's Cathedral: Archaeology and History

This is the first volume concerned solely with the archaeology of a major late 17th century building in London, and the major changes it has undergone. St Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London was built in 1675–1711 to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren and has been described as an iconic building many times. In this major new account, John Schofield examines the cathedral from an archaeological perspective, reviewing its history from the early 18th to the early 21st century, as illustrated by recent archaeological recording, documentary research and engineering asssessment. A detailed account of the construction of the cathedral is provided based on a comparison of the fabric with voluminous building accounts which have survived and evidence from recent archaeological investigation. The construction of the Wren building and its embellishments are followed by the main works of later surveyors such as Robert Mylne and Francis Penrose. The 20th century brought further changes and conservation projects, including restoration after the building was hit by two bombs in World War II, and all its windows blown out. The 1990s and first years of the present century have witnessed considerable refurbishment and cleaning involving archaeological and engineering works. Archaeological specialist reports and an engineering review of the stability and character of the building are provided.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Forward Summary   1. Introduction Purpose and research setting Histories, documentary evidence and main graphic sources Archaeological recording of the Wren cathedral and in St Paul’s Churchyard Conventions of archaeological recording   2. The construction of the Wren cathedral, 1666–1720 Temporary arrangements for worship, demolition of the medieval cathedral and removal of debris, and features of the construction site Adapting the medieval chapter house, 1667–1714 (Wren’s site office from 1671) Construction of the cathedral, 1675–1711 The drainage system for the site, 1687–1710 The railings and gates around the cathedral Buildings around the edge of the Churchyard, and the Deanery Use of materials: reused stone, new stone, brick, pantiles and timber   3. The cathedral in the 18th and 19th centuries The interior and general stability concerns, 1711 to 1897 The archaeology of burials, 1680 to 2000 The outside of the building, 1711–1900 St Paul’s Churchyard inside and outside the railings, 1711–1900 Use of stone and other building materials, 1711–1900   4. St Paul’s 1897–2013: protection and conservation The first decades of the 20th century, the works of 1925–35, and the creation of St Paul’s Heights and St Paul’s Depths Damage in World War II Post-War planning and archaeological work to 2014   5. Conclusions: towards an archaeology of Christopher Wren within the history of the cathedral   6. Specialist reports Pottery and clay tobacco pipes Non-ceramic artefacts Bricks Detailed notes on the investigation of the nave roof, 2013 Human bone Coffins and coffin furniture Lawrence Spencer, Clerk of Works, and his family   7. The engineer’s view of St Paul’s Introduction Description of the structure Concerns over the stability of the structure The material in the core of the masonry Conclusion   8. Gazetteer of sites Bibliography and abbreviations

About the Author :
John Schofield is Cathedral Archaeologist for St Paul’s Cathedral. He worked at the Museum of London from 1974 until 2008, and is now a freelance archaeologist and architectural historian. He has written widely on the archaeology and building history of London and European towns, with several well-received books: The building of London from the Conquest to the Great Fire (3rd ed, 1999); Medieval London houses (2nd ed, 2003), [with Alan Vince] Medieval towns (2005), St Paul’s Cathedral before Wren (2011) and London 1100–1600: the archaeology of a capital city (2011). His next book will be on the historic waterfront of the City of London.

Review :
[The author] is to be hugely congratulated on producing two splendid books covering all the archaeology of the cathedral from AD 604 to the present day. A great achievement. This book is an excellent demonstration of the key role archaeological analysis plays in understanding buildings. It is a genuine contribution to the scholarship, containing much that has not been published elsewhere, and undoubtedly enhancing our understanding of one of England’s most important landmarks. Adds immeasurable value to how we perceive and understand this building. Did we need another book on this majestic cathedral? In this case it is a resounding ‘yes’. This is a well-produced book, with many clear illustrations properly captioned and indexed into the text… With the previous volume on the medieval cathedral, it provides a concise, fully referenced account of the archaeological discoveries made in the capital's greatest building and sits comfortably alongside the many architectural studies. It is a glossy, beautifully presented, volume but that should not detract from its serious and major contribution to the archaeology both of St Paul's itself and of London. Here is the first archaeological perspective of this great building. John Schofield, long-time cathedral archaeologist, offers an engaging fresh perspective because it is not only about walls and drains but also the people who constructed and cared for this great edifice. A well-written - and a beautifully illustrated - guide to Wren’s cathedral and its subsequent development.