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St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe is an Anglican church
located on Queen Victoria Street, London
in the City of London,
near Blackfriars station.

First mentioned around 1170, the church was almost certainly founded considerably earlier; during the 13th century the church was a part of Baynard's Castle, an ancient royal residence. In 1361, Edward III moved his Royal Wardrobe (a storehouse for Royal accoutrements, housing arms and clothing among other personal items of the Crown) 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 of London in 1666. Of the 51 churches designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Fire, St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe is among the simplest of his designs, rebuilt in 1695.

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Shakespeare was a member of this parish for about 15 years
while he was working at the Blackfriars Theatre nearby
and later he bought a house within the parish in Ireland Yard.
In his honour, a memorial was erected in the church.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe


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