Paul's Cross

At the northeast corner of Old St Paul’s stood a covered outdoor pulpit called Paul’s Cross. This was used for proclamations and topical sermons on events of the day. It seems to have been open to use by any of the clergy who wanted to hold forth on some issue of general interest, much like Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park today. It was here that Hugh Latimer preached his famous ‘Sermon on the Plough’. But unpopular speakers took considerable risk of life and limb, as a crowd could be ugly and there was no such thing as police protection. Wycliffite Bibles were burned publicly here and Tyndale’s New Testaments as well. While Old St Paul’s has completely disappeared, the outline of Paul’s Cross may still be seen outside the northeast end of the present building.

See also