An outdoor pulpit, called St Paul’s Cross, stood here from
at least 1241 until it was torn down in 1643.
But this was much more than just a pulpit. Royal or Religious proclamations could be
made, religious sermons delivered, politics debated, trials held and heretics
embarrassed. In 1527 copies of William
Tyndale’s English translation of the Bible were burnt here.
John Rogers (1500-1555) was a supporter of William Tyndale
and Miles Coverdale in getting the Bible translated into English. He delivered a very anti-Catholic sermon from
here and preached against “pestilent popery, idolatry and superstition.” When Queen Mary came to the throne he was an
obvious target and he was burned at the stake in Smithfield making him the
first English Protestant martyr under Mary’s reign. He said, “That which I have preached I will
seal with my blood.”
Today’s column was constructed in 1910 with a drinking
fountain basin. The actual site of the
original St Paul’s cross is marked in the pavement nearby.
This is an excerpt from the FREE tour St Paul's Precincts found on www.obelisktours.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment