The City of London's 'Christmas Present'

_{4 mins to read | December 14th, 2025}

On Christmas Eve, 1924, the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral received what's come to be known as the 'Citys Christmas Present', although it wasn't a welcome gift at the time. It took the form of a Dangerous Structures Notice from the City of London's Surveyor and warned the Cathedral authorities that unless immediate work was carried out the safety of the dome and those below it could not be guaranteed. Worst case scenario, the crowning glory of Sir Christopher Wren's English Baroque masterpiece, and an iconic presence on the London skyline, could collapse!

The Cathedral had noticed beforehand that there were problems relating to cracks, crumbling masonry and a worrying tilt to parts of the structure and had attempted to remedy them but not to the satisfaction of the City's Surveyor. More was needed to be done, and fast!

With the indefatigable Canon Treasurer, Sidney Alexander, raising funds to pay for the necessary repairs (£250,000 in the late 1920s which would be just under £14 million today, although the aggregate raised over the years was much higher), there followed five years of intensive remedial work carried out by hundreds of workmen. Known as The Great Restoration, steel bars were inserted into the main piers supporting the dome then surrounded by cement, and masonry was renewed or replaced.

St Paul's has an ingenious and unique 'three dome structure comprising an inner brick dome that visitors to the Cathedral can look up at and admire; an 18-inch-thick brick cone that supports the weight of the lantern that tops the Cathedral; and a wooden framework supporting a lead outer dome, the one we can all admire from outside.

Wren's use of metal chains on the brick cone to compress the outward pressure of this supporting structure had been innovative. Alive to the threat of deterioration, he had for the most part made sure that the iron was not exposed to the air, but where total protection was not possible, some decay had followed. To overcome this a steel chain was inserted and reinforced with concrete.

In undertaking this extensive work to keep St Paul's Cathedral standing it was necessary to close off the area around the dome, and the nearby quire. This meant services had to take place in the nave. Even the organ was relocated to ensure up to 1,000 people could still attend services.

Eventually, in 1930, the works were completed. Following a special service on 25 June that year, attended by King George V, and with workmen taking pride of place in a procession, St Paul's was fully open again welcoming worshippers and visitors to all areas as it had done since before being officially declared complete back in 1711.

During the Blitz of the Second World War the Cathedral took direct hits from high explosive bombs. One on 17 April 1941 landed on the north transept and exploded between the roof and the floor. The force of the explosion was so powerful that it actually lifted the dome by about 1 cm into the air before coming to rest again. However, this was only discovered years later when a crack was found around the base of the dome, and the structure was able to withstand this powerful blast. Why? Well, it was as a result of The Great Restoration following the delivery of the "City's Christmas Present", without which the dome would in all likelihood have collapsed.

Not welcome at the time, the City's Christmas Present was probably the greatest gift the Cathedral, London and indeed the nation had received in the history of the mighty church at the top of Ludgate Hill. Because of The Great Restoration Wren's masterpiece was able to continue to be the shining beacon of faith, hope and resilience that it always has been.

If you're raising a glass of mulled wine this Christmas spare a thought for Sidney Alexander and all those who toiled on The Great Restoration. Without them, Christmas cards featuring St Paul's could look very different today.

Merry Christmas from all at London City Mouse Tours!