St Andrew by-the-Wardrobe

The Church of St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe is located on Queen Victoria Street in London, UK.

Of the 51 churches designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666, St. Andrew by-the-Wardrobe is among the simplest of his designs. The history of the church dates to the 13th century when the church was a part of Baynard's Castle, an ancient royal residence. In 1361, Edward III moved his Royal Wardrobe (basically a storehouse for royal accoutrements) from the Tower of London to just north of the church. It was from this association that the church acquired its unique name. The Wardrobe and the church, however, were both lost in the Great Fire.

St. Andrews can boast of one of its former parishoners, William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was a member of this parish for about 15 years while he was working at the Blackfriars Theater nearby and later he bought a house within the parish in Ireland Yard. In his honour, a memorial was erected in the church.

It was during the London Blitz that this church received serious damage. It has since been restored.