Page "St John's, Smith Square" Paragraph 11

For the next 213 years, the Church of St. John the Evangelist served the surrounding parish-although the life of the building appears somewhat accident-prone.

In 1742 ( the year before Archer's death ) its interior was damaged by fire and required extensive restoration ; in 1773 it was struck by lightning and in 1815 the towers and roof had to be shored up.

Finally on 10 May 1941, the church was directly hit by an incendiary bomb and gutted by fire during a bombing raid on London.

A handwritten account of the events of that night hangs in a frame at the top of the stairs leading from the rear of the hall down to the Crypt ( now the Footstool Restaurant ).

Subsequently, the church stood a ruin, open to the sky, for over 20 years.