St Ethelburga-the-Virgin is dedicated to St Ethelburga, a 7th-century abbess of Barking Abbey. It was first recorded in 1250 as the church of St Adelburga-the-Virgin and is a rare survival of the medieval City churches that were mostly destroyed during the 1666 Great Fire of London.
The church was rebuilt in the 15th century – possibly around 1411 – and a small square bell turret was added in 1775. In order to raise revenue for the church, a wooden porch was built over its exterior in the 16th century to house two shops.
In 1932, Bishopsgate was widened and the shops and porch were demolished.
It suffered modest bomb damage during the Second World War and was restored in 1953.
Severely damaged by an IRA bomb in 1993, following rebuilding the church re-opened as a Centre for Reconciliation and Peace.
