According to the official history of St. Bride’s Church, the site that the church rests on has been a place of worship not long after the Romans established Londonium in 43 CE. Around the early 6th century, the first stone-walled church was built on the site – it is believed that the church was either founded by St. Bride (Saint Brigid of Kildare) herself of Celtic monks who has settled in London.
Due to its fortuitous location as the first church encountered on the route between London and Westminster, St. Bride’s became an important gathering place. One of St. Bride’s biggest claim to fame is that the churchyard was the site of England’s first printing press with movable type in 1501. Unfortunately, St. Bride’s was completely destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. Eventually, the church was completely rebuilt and today, it is designated as a Grade I listed building, making St. Bride’s Church a protected historical site.
