Four lamp posts outside the western entrance to St Pauls Cathedral

Summary

Four large cast iron Victorian lamp posts of 1874, by FC Penrose.

Reasons for Designation

The four lamp posts, 1874, by FC Penrose, outside St Paul's Cathedral are listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Design quality: designed by the noted architect FC Penrose, they are impressive examples with good quality detailed cast mouldings;
* Intactness: they are an intact set with complete glass lanterns and without the additions normally associated with electrical conversion;
* Rarity: although gas lamps were once a common feature of the street scene, original examples of this quality are increasingly rare;
* Group value: forming an important part of the street furniture ensemble, including the listed statue of Queen Anne and granite bollards, with a backdrop of the western elevation to St Paul's Cathedral.

History

The area to the west end of St Paul's Cathedral was redesigned by FC Penrose, who was the Cathedral Surveyor from 1852-97. The irregular curved area had previously been centred on the approach from Ludgate Hill to the west. Penrose regularised the area and centred it symmetrically on the statue of Queen Anne.

Plans and designs in the St Paul's Cathedral archives include sketches of lamp posts, and various layout options dating from 1870-4. Each option uses granite bollards to define and protect the area, but there are differing designs for the lamp posts and their positioning. The main improvements for the chosen design were carried out from 1873-5, with the lamp posts date stamped 1874, and also displaying the Cathedral Dean and Chapter coat of arms.

London's first electric street lighting was introduced in 1878, and accordingly these four street lights of 1874 must originally have been gas powered. Notwithstanding their later conversion to electricity, their private ownership and historic location may explain how they have retained their original form, whereas other contemporary examples have been upgraded via the fitment of an external electrical junction box.

Details

Four large cast iron Victorian lamp posts of 1874, by FC Penrose.

MATERIALS: cast iron, and glass.

DESCRIPTION: four identical late C19 large gas lamp posts, converted to electrical supply in the C20. The lamp posts stand on a piazza outside the western entrance to St Paul's Cathedral, within a granite bollard boundary. A pair stand either side of the central Queen Anne statue.

The bases are circular, topped by a moulded square-section pillar with decorative brackets. The mouldings have cast panels of foliage, crossed-swords, and a date mark of 1874. The base mouldings are terminated by four protruding cherubs, which are set into more foliage. A tall, four-sided column with panelled fluting rises to the base of the lantern which has further cast decoration including rose medallions. Four brackets support an opaque glass lantern which has a slender octagonal cast iron frame and a single access door. Above the lantern there is a ventilation grille which sits beneath a saucer shaped dome. The dome is surmounted by a ball moulding with flame-shaped petals and a pointed finial.

Sources

Websites
St Paul's Cathedral Conservation Area characterisation, accessed 14/2/2016 from http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/planning/heritage-and-design/conservation-areas/Documents/st-paul%27s-cathedral-conservation-area-spd-march-2013-adopted-version.pdf
St Paul's Cathedral Arcitectural Archive, accessed 3 March 2016 from https://www.stpauls.co.uk/history-collections/the-collections/architectural-archive
History of street lighting by Simon Cornwell, accessed 3 March 2016 from http://www.simoncornwell.com/lighting/timeline/index.htm

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry