{ "title": "Pelicans in Her Piety: London", "updated": "2026-08-27", "geographic_scope": "Greater London", "definition": "A pelican in her piety is a pelican shown wounding her breast to feed or revive her young. The census includes fixed architectural and commemorative motifs, and separately identifies London collections that hold portable objects using the motif.", "scope_note": "This is an evidence-backed census assembled from public heritage records, church and museum pages, collection catalogues, and identifiable photographs. London has no iconographic register, so the three unresolved leads are preserved rather than silently counted as facts.", "summary": { "surviving_fixed_sites": 28, "collection_locations": 4, "unresolved_leads": 3, "documented_losses": 2 }, "places": [ { "id": "st-mary-abchurch", "name": "St Mary Abchurch", "area": "City of London", "borough": "City of London", "address": "Abchurch Yard, EC4N 7BA", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Three carvings and metalwork", "date": "1686 and later", "location_within_site": "Gilded pelican on Grinling Gibbons's reredos; Robert Bird's copper weathervane above the north door; a third on the post-war rectors' board", "access": "Usually open on selected weekdays; check the church calendar before travelling.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The church's own guide identifies all three motifs and explains their connection to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.", "sources": [ {"title": "St Mary Abchurch — About us", "url": "https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15387/about-us/"}, {"title": "St Mary Abchurch — The reredos", "url": "https://www.stmaryabchurch.org.uk/reredos"} ] }, { "id": "st-michael-cornhill", "name": "St Michael Cornhill", "area": "City of London", "borough": "City of London", "address": "St Michael's Alley, EC3V 9DS", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Freestanding wood carving", "date": "1775", "location_within_site": "Church interior", "access": "Open around services and weekday events; check ahead.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The church guide dates its Pelican in her Piety to 1775; the statutory list also records the carving.", "sources": [ {"title": "St Michael Cornhill — The pelican", "url": "https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15372/page/44742/view/"}, {"title": "Historic England list entry 1286688", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1286688"} ] }, { "id": "st-james-piccadilly", "name": "St James's Piccadilly", "area": "Piccadilly", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Reredos carving", "date": "Late 17th century", "location_within_site": "Dominating the centre of Grinling Gibbons's reredos", "access": "Normally open daily outside services and events.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The church's building guide explicitly identifies the pelican and its Eucharistic meaning.", "sources": [ {"title": "St James's Piccadilly — The church building", "url": "https://www.sjp.org.uk/the-church-building/"}, {"title": "St James's Piccadilly — Grinling Gibbons", "url": "https://www.sjp.org.uk/grinling-gibbons/"} ] }, { "id": "st-martin-within-ludgate", "name": "St Martin-within-Ludgate", "area": "Ludgate Hill", "borough": "City of London", "address": "40 Ludgate Hill, EC4M 7DE", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Carved relief", "date": "17th century", "location_within_site": "Near the font in the small north-side room", "access": "Limited weekday opening; check before travelling.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "Two architectural accounts identify the pelican-and-young relief beside the font.", "sources": [ {"title": "A London Inheritance — St Martin Ludgate", "url": "https://alondoninheritance.com/london-churches/st-martin-ludgate/"}, {"title": "Looking at Buildings — Baptism, preaching and music", "url": "https://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/cities/london/st-martin-ludgate-a-wren-church/baptism-preaching-and-music.html"} ] }, { "id": "st-peter-london-docks", "name": "St Peter's, London Docks", "area": "Wapping", "borough": "Tower Hamlets", "address": "Wapping Lane, E1W 2RW", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Font-cover finial", "date": "19th century", "location_within_site": "Crowning the elaborate timber font cover", "access": "Usually accessible around Mass and parish opening times.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The statutory list describes the font cover as crowned by a pelican in her piety.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1065844", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1065844"} ] }, { "id": "st-john-holland-road", "name": "St John the Baptist, Holland Road", "area": "Holland Park", "borough": "Kensington and Chelsea", "address": "Holland Road, W14 8AH", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Stained-glass roundel", "date": "19th century", "location_within_site": "St Saviour's Chapel", "access": "Check service and opening times.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "Historic England records the roundel; Heritage of London documents its restoration by Chapel Studio.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1080593", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1080593"}, {"title": "Heritage of London — St John the Baptist", "url": "https://www.heritageoflondon.org/projects/st-john-the-baptist-church"} ] }, { "id": "westminster-cathedral", "name": "Westminster Cathedral", "area": "Victoria", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "Victoria Street, SW1P 1LT", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Metalwork relief", "date": "1907", "location_within_site": "Above the gates to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel", "access": "Cathedral normally open daily; chapel access may vary during worship.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The statutory list identifies the Pelican in her Piety over Marshall's 1907 grilles.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1066500", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1066500"} ] }, { "id": "fitzrovia-chapel", "name": "Fitzrovia Chapel", "area": "Fitzrovia", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "2 Pearson Square, W1T 3BF", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "White-marble roundel", "date": "Early 20th century", "location_within_site": "Above the aumbry in the chancel", "access": "Public opening is intermittent and event-led; check the chapel programme.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "Historic England records the roundel; it was erected in memory of Prince Francis of Teck.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1223496", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1223496"}, {"title": "Fitzrovia Chapel — Visit", "url": "https://www.fitzroviachapel.org/visit"} ] }, { "id": "great-ormond-street-chapel", "name": "St Christopher's Chapel, Great Ormond Street Hospital", "area": "Bloomsbury", "borough": "Camden", "address": "Great Ormond Street, WC1N 3JH", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Painted ceiling emblem", "date": "1870s", "location_within_site": "Centre of the chapel's dome", "access": "Inside a working children's hospital; access is controlled and should be arranged.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The statutory list describes musician angels around a central pelican in piety.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1113211", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1113211"} ] }, { "id": "all-saints-margaret-street", "name": "All Saints, Margaret Street", "area": "Fitzrovia", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "7 Margaret Street, W1W 8JG", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Ceiling tiles", "date": "1850s", "location_within_site": "Baptistery ceiling", "access": "Church is regularly open; avoid services and private events.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The baptistery's marble-and-tile scheme includes a prominent pelican in her piety.", "sources": [ {"title": "All Saints Margaret Street — The building", "url": "https://asms.uk/about/building/"}, {"title": "Historic England list entry 1066504", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1066504"} ] }, { "id": "st-mary-bourne-street", "name": "St Mary, Bourne Street", "area": "Belgravia", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "30 Bourne Street, SW1W 8JJ", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Gilded timber finial", "date": "Early 20th century", "location_within_site": "Top of J. Harold Gibbons's Gothic-Rococo font canopy", "access": "Open around services; check ahead.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The statutory list calls out the pelican finial on the font canopy.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1357230", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1357230"} ] }, { "id": "our-lady-warwick-street", "name": "Our Lady of the Assumption & St Gregory", "area": "Soho", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "10 Warwick Street, W1B 5LZ", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "White-marble relief", "date": "Installed 1958; earlier fabric", "location_within_site": "Central roundel on the St Gregory altar beneath the north gallery", "access": "Normally accessible around Mass and parish opening times.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The Survey of London describes the round plaque in high relief and traces the altar's move from Foxcote House.", "sources": [ {"title": "Survey of London — Warwick Street church", "url": "https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols31-2/pt2/pp167-173"}, {"title": "Warwick Street church", "url": "https://warwickstreet.org.uk/"} ] }, { "id": "st-george-the-martyr", "name": "St George the Martyr", "area": "Borough", "borough": "Southwark", "address": "Borough High Street, SE1 1JA", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Stained glass", "date": "Post-war", "location_within_site": "Centre of Marion Grant's east window, beneath the saints", "access": "Church is regularly open for worship and community use.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The Survey of London explicitly locates the pelican in piety in the east window.", "sources": [ {"title": "Survey of London — St George the Martyr", "url": "https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol25/pp26-38"} ] }, { "id": "st-george-beckenham", "name": "St George's, Beckenham", "area": "Beckenham", "borough": "Bromley", "address": "High Street, BR3 1AX", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Marble memorial relief", "date": "c. 1800", "location_within_site": "Monument to Dame Ann Frances Hoare", "access": "Check church opening times; the memorial is inside.", "confidence": "photo-documented", "evidence": "A detailed photographic study identifies the pelican feeding her brood on the Hoare monument.", "sources": [ {"title": "Shadows Fly Away — Symbol of the Month", "url": "https://shadowsflyaway.blog/2016/07/08/symbol-of-the-month-the-pelican-in-her-piety/"}, {"title": "St George's Beckenham", "url": "https://www.stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk/"} ] }, { "id": "st-mary-st-mary-cray", "name": "St Mary, St Mary Cray", "area": "St Mary Cray", "borough": "Bromley", "address": "High Street, BR5 3NL", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Pelican lectern", "date": "19th century", "location_within_site": "Transferred here from St Paulinus, St Paul's Cray", "access": "Open around services and parish events; check ahead.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "Historic England records the lectern and its transfer to St Mary Cray.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1064396", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1064396"}, {"title": "St Mary Cray — Find us", "url": "https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/9846/find-us/"} ] }, { "id": "all-hallows-twickenham", "name": "All Hallows, Twickenham", "area": "Twickenham", "borough": "Richmond upon Thames", "address": "Erncroft Way, TW1 1EW", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Gilded reredos carving", "date": "17th century", "location_within_site": "Centre of the relocated reredos from All Hallows Lombard Street", "access": "Open around services; check with the parish for visits.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The great reredos preserves a gilded pelican feeding her young, moved here with other City-church fittings.", "sources": [ {"title": "All Hallows Twickenham", "url": "https://www.allhallowstwick.org.uk/"}, {"title": "All Hallows — Find us", "url": "https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15502/"} ] }, { "id": "english-martyrs-streatham", "name": "English Martyrs, Streatham", "area": "Streatham", "borough": "Lambeth", "address": "Mitcham Lane, SW16 6RR", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Silver-gilt tabernacle door", "date": "Late 19th century", "location_within_site": "High altar in the chancel", "access": "Normally accessible around Mass; respect liturgical use.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "Both the statutory list and Taking Stock describe the vulning pelican on the tabernacle door.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1357894", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1357894"}, {"title": "Taking Stock — The English Martyrs", "url": "https://taking-stock.org.uk/building/streatham-the-english-martyrs/"} ] }, { "id": "former-ark-of-the-covenant", "name": "Former Church of the Ark of the Covenant", "area": "Stoke Newington", "borough": "Hackney", "address": "Rookwood Road, N16 6SS", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Apse mosaic", "date": "1895", "location_within_site": "Symbolic band beneath the apse windows", "access": "Now in Orthodox use; arrange access through the current congregation.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The statutory list names the Pelican in her Piety alongside the phoenix in the mosaic band.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1235310", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1235310"} ] }, { "id": "former-london-chest-hospital", "name": "Former London Chest Hospital", "area": "Bethnal Green", "borough": "Tower Hamlets", "address": "Bonner Road, E2 9JX", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Carved stone capital", "date": "19th century", "location_within_site": "Stair hall capital", "access": "Private redevelopment site; there is no routine public interior access.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "Historic England describes the capital as carved with a pelican in her piety, goblets, and the head of Bacchus.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1433870", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1433870"} ] }, { "id": "campbell-mausoleum", "name": "Campbell Family Mausoleum", "area": "Kensal Green", "borough": "Brent", "address": "St Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Harrow Road, NW10 5NU", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Stained glass", "date": "1904", "location_within_site": "South thermal window", "access": "The cemetery is visitable; the mausoleum interior is normally closed.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The statutory list identifies the Pelican-in-her-Piety glass in the mausoleum's south window.", "sources": [ {"title": "Historic England list entry 1079822", "url": "https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1079822"} ] }, { "id": "royal-foundation-st-katharine", "name": "Royal Foundation of St Katharine", "area": "Limehouse", "borough": "Tower Hamlets", "address": "2 Butcher Row, E14 8DS", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Medieval misericord", "date": "Medieval; rehoused 1951", "location_within_site": "Chapel misericord, with three chicks and swan supporters", "access": "The foundation is active; chapel visits should be arranged or made during an open event.", "confidence": "photo-documented", "evidence": "A photographic inventory identifies the misericord; the foundation documents the chapel's history.", "sources": [ {"title": "Spitalfields Life — Misericords at St Katharine's", "url": "https://spitalfieldslife.com/2016/09/22/misericords-at-st-katharines-chapel/"}, {"title": "Royal Foundation of St Katharine — History", "url": "https://www.rfsk.org.uk/history"} ] }, { "id": "all-saints-fulham", "name": "All Saints, Fulham", "area": "Fulham", "borough": "Hammersmith and Fulham", "address": "Pryors Bank Pavilion, SW6 3LA", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Historic stained glass", "date": "Early glass reset in later windows", "location_within_site": "Among the church's old stained-glass fragments", "access": "Church and churchyard are regularly accessible; check interior opening.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The Royal Commission inventory records old glass depicting a pelican in her piety.", "sources": [ {"title": "RCHME inventory — All Saints Fulham", "url": "https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/london/vol2/pp28-33"}, {"title": "All Saints Fulham — Stained glass", "url": "https://allsaints-fulham.org.uk/church-building/stained-glass/"} ] }, { "id": "st-clement-danes", "name": "St Clement Danes", "area": "Strand", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "Strand, WC2R 1DH", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Stained glass", "date": "Post-war", "location_within_site": "East window by Carl Edwards", "access": "Usually open daily; services and RAF events take priority.", "confidence": "photo-documented", "evidence": "An identifiable photographic record shows the motif; the church attributes its windows to Carl Edwards.", "sources": [ {"title": "Photographic record — Pelican in Her Piety album", "url": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/47859152%40N05/albums/72157649264312522/"}, {"title": "St Clement Danes — Church, history and bells", "url": "https://stclementdanesraf.org/about-st-clement-danes-church/"} ] }, { "id": "st-giles-in-the-fields", "name": "St Giles-in-the-Fields", "area": "St Giles", "borough": "Camden", "address": "60 St Giles High Street, WC2H 8LG", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Altar-piece carving", "date": "18th century", "location_within_site": "Centre of the scrolled pediment above the altar-piece", "access": "Church is regularly open; check current hours.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The Survey of London describes the pelican feeding her young on the surviving altar-piece.", "sources": [ {"title": "Survey of London — St Giles-in-the-Fields", "url": "https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol5/pt2/pp127-140"}, {"title": "St Giles — History", "url": "https://www.stgilesonline.org/history"} ] }, { "id": "southwark-cathedral", "name": "Southwark Cathedral", "area": "London Bridge", "borough": "Southwark", "address": "London Bridge, SE1 9DA", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Medieval stone carvings", "date": "c. 1520, with later restoration", "location_within_site": "Repeated on Bishop Richard Fox's Great Screen, immediately above the rows of angels", "access": "Normally open daily; visitor charges or service restrictions may apply.", "confidence": "documented", "evidence": "The cathedral identifies the pelican as Bishop Fox's badge and regards the small carvings as probably original.", "sources": [ {"title": "Southwark Cathedral — The Great Screen", "url": "https://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/about-us/our-history/the-great-screen-and-altar-piece/"} ] }, { "id": "st-andrew-stockwell", "name": "St Andrew's, Stockwell Green", "area": "Stockwell", "borough": "Lambeth", "address": "5 Stockwell Green, SW9 9JF", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Wood carving", "date": "Probably Victorian", "location_within_site": "Reredos in the adjoining chapel", "access": "Check parish opening and service times.", "confidence": "photo-documented", "evidence": "A detailed architectural photographic survey identifies the self-sacrificing pelican feeding her young.", "sources": [ {"title": "The Victorian Web — St Andrew's Stockwell", "url": "https://victorianweb.org/art/architecture/churches/79.html"} ] }, { "id": "kings-chapel-savoy", "name": "The King's Chapel of the Savoy", "area": "Strand", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "Savoy Hill, WC2R 0DA", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Painted decorative panel", "date": "19th-century decorative scheme", "location_within_site": "Chapel interior", "access": "Normally open Monday–Thursday and for Sunday worship; check temporary closures.", "confidence": "photo-documented", "evidence": "A clearly identified photograph records the chapel's pelican in her piety; the chapel publishes current visiting information.", "sources": [ {"title": "Wikimedia Commons — Savoy Chapel pelican", "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Savoy_Chapel,_London_(27949863406).jpg"}, {"title": "The King's Chapel of the Savoy", "url": "https://www.royalchapelsavoy.org/"} ] }, { "id": "st-georges-cathedral-southwark", "name": "St George's Cathedral, Southwark", "area": "Southwark", "borough": "Southwark", "address": "Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7HY", "category": "surviving_fixed", "form": "Stained glass", "date": "Post-war", "location_within_site": "Great East Window", "access": "Cathedral is normally open daily; respect Mass and private liturgies.", "confidence": "photo-documented", "evidence": "An identified detailed photograph locates the pelican in her piety in the Great East Window.", "sources": [ {"title": "Photographic record — Great East Window", "url": "https://www.flickr.com/photos/32445100%40N03/5854788544"}, {"title": "St George's Cathedral", "url": "https://www.stgeorgescathedral.org.uk/"} ] }, { "id": "william-morris-gallery", "name": "William Morris Gallery", "area": "Walthamstow", "borough": "Waltham Forest", "address": "Lloyd Park, Forest Road, E17 4PP", "category": "collection", "form": "Finished drawing by Edward Burne-Jones", "date": "c. 1880–81", "location_within_site": "Museum collection; not guaranteed to be on display", "access": "Free museum; confirm display status before travelling for this object.", "confidence": "catalogued", "evidence": "The gallery catalogue records the full-scale design made for Morris & Co.'s Brampton stained-glass window.", "sources": [ {"title": "William Morris Gallery — Pelican in her Piety", "url": "https://www.wmgallery.org.uk/:/object/pelican-in-her-piety/"} ] }, { "id": "victoria-and-albert-museum", "name": "Victoria and Albert Museum", "area": "South Kensington", "borough": "Kensington and Chelsea", "address": "Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL", "category": "collection", "form": "Jewellery, drawings, textiles and medallic art", "date": "16th–20th centuries", "location_within_site": "Museum collection; display status varies", "access": "Free museum; check object display records before visiting.", "confidence": "catalogued", "evidence": "Catalogued examples include a c.1550–75 Spanish enamelled-gold pendant, a Philip Webb stained-glass design, and a 1919 Voysey work.", "sources": [ {"title": "Art UK — C. F. A. Voysey, The Pelican in her Piety", "url": "https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-pelican-in-her-piety-669173"}, {"title": "V&A Images — Philip Webb design", "url": "https://www.vandaimages.com/2006AG5482-The-Pelican-in-her-Piety-by-Philip-Webb-England.html"}, {"title": "Wikimedia Commons — V&A pendant", "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Victoria_and_Albert_Museum_Jewellery_11042019_Pendant_Pelican_in_her_piety_16th_century_3031.jpg"} ] }, { "id": "british-museum", "name": "The British Museum", "area": "Bloomsbury", "borough": "Camden", "address": "Great Russell Street, WC1B 3DG", "category": "collection", "form": "Brooches, seals, a pilgrim badge, clock and other objects", "date": "Medieval–modern", "location_within_site": "Museum collection; most examples are not continuously displayed", "access": "Free museum; use the catalogue and enquire about display or study-room access.", "confidence": "catalogued", "evidence": "The museum catalogue returns multiple explicit Pelican in her Piety records across departments.", "sources": [ {"title": "British Museum — gold brooch AF.2767", "url": "https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_AF-2767"}, {"title": "British Museum — pilgrim badge 1904,0720.15", "url": "https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1904-0720-15"}, {"title": "British Museum — signet ring AF.824", "url": "https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_AF-824"} ] }, { "id": "old-admiralty-building", "name": "Old Admiralty Building / Government Art Collection", "area": "Whitehall", "borough": "Westminster", "address": "Admiralty Place, SW1A 2BL", "category": "collection", "form": "Painting by David Jones", "date": "20th century", "location_within_site": "Government Art Collection location record; not public", "access": "Government office. The work may not be hung and there is no routine public access.", "confidence": "catalogued", "evidence": "Art UK's Government Art Collection record assigns David Jones's Pelican in Her Piety to the Old Admiralty Building.", "sources": [ {"title": "Art UK — David Jones, Pelican in Her Piety", "url": "https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/pelican-in-her-piety-1107566"} ] } ], "unresolved_leads": [ { "name": "St Giles-without-Cripplegate", "area": "Barbican", "claim": "A pelican may appear among the Passion emblems at the top of Gerald Smith's 1960 east window.", "why_unresolved": "The window and its iconographic programme are documented, but the sources found do not explicitly identify the pelican.", "source": "https://www.stgileschurch.com/history-of-st-giles" }, { "name": "All Saints, Highgate", "area": "Highgate", "claim": "A photographed interior motif is described as a Pelican in its Piety.", "why_unresolved": "Only social-photo attribution was found; an architectural inventory or in-person check is still needed.", "source": "https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/15616/" }, { "name": "Borough High Street architectural sculpture", "area": "Borough", "claim": "A façade sculpture is described as a pelican feeding its young, used as an emblem of protective sacrifice.", "why_unresolved": "The secondary photo catalogue did not make the exact building identity recoverable during this census.", "source": "https://www.speel.me.uk/sculptlondon/boroughhighst.htm" } ], "documented_losses": [ { "name": "St Giles-without-Cripplegate — former pulpit tester", "area": "Barbican", "fate": "A 1704 pelican carved above the pulpit was destroyed in the Second World War bombing of the church.", "source": "https://www.stgileschurch.com/history-of-st-giles" }, { "name": "Military Ground clubhouse, Gerrard Street", "area": "Soho", "fate": "A pedimented pelican-in-her-piety emblem is recorded in the historical Survey of London; the clubhouse no longer survives.", "source": "https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vols33-4/pp384-411" } ], "method": [ "Searched exact and variant terms including pelican in her piety, pelican in its piety, vulning pelican, and pelican feeding her young.", "Prioritised Historic England, Survey of London, church-owned pages and museum catalogues; used identifiable photographs where text inventories were silent.", "Counted a place once even when it contains multiple motifs, as at St Mary Abchurch.", "Kept portable collection objects separate from motifs fixed to London buildings.", "Excluded sites outside Greater London and omitted ordinary pelican lecterns unless chicks, blood or an explicit piety identification established the full motif." ] }