St Giles, Cripplegate

Thomas Hosmer Shepherd's drawing of St. Giles Cripplegate was published in 'Metropolitan Improvements; or London in the Nineteenth Century' in 1827. With text by the architect James Elmes and illustrations by Shepherd, the publication celebrated the new buildings, streets and squares of the city.

This view offers an interesting contrast between the modernity of shop facades, costumes and vehicles in the foreground with the medieval structure of St. Giles Cripplegate in the background. Although the church survived the Great Fire of 1666, which claimed so many others, it was badly damaged by the Cripplegate fire of 1897.