St. Margarets was founded in 1197 but the original church burned down in 1440. It was rebuilt at the expense of Robert Large who was Lord Mayor of London at the time of the disaster. The second church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666 but rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren in 1690. The "Bullseyes and Targets" refer to archery which was practised in the nearby fields. In 1363 King Edward III had commanded the obligatory practice of archery on Sundays and holidays. This tradition continued, thus ensuring the safety of the Realm, until Bows were replaced with guns. |