2-879-472 - Historic England Archive/Heritage Images

Paternoster Square, City of London, 03/09/1962. Looking west over the Paternoster development during its construction, showing the Old Bailey in the background and Christchurch Greyfriars on the right. Work on the Paternoster development was carried out in a joint venture by John Laing Construction Limited, Trollope and Colls Limited, and George Wimpey and Company Limited. The scheme involved the redevelopment of a seven acre site on the north side of St Paul’s Cathedral. The site had been almost entirely devastated during an incendiary raid in December 1940. The development consisted of a series of office blocks, a shopping precinct, an extensive piazza and a three-level car park. The various blocks were named after former Bishops of London. The tallest block was 18-storeys in height and was called Sudbury House. The three 10-storey blocks were Courtenay, Walden and Grendall Houses, and the five-storey blocks were Laud, Sheldon and Bancroft Houses.