▁for ▁their ▁mar ble ▁and ▁other ▁valuable ▁materials ; ▁monuments ▁were ▁def ac ed . ▁In ▁ 1 5 4 6 ▁ ▁Henry ▁VIII ▁gave ▁the ▁pri ory ▁and ▁its ▁church , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁churches ▁of ▁St ▁Nicholas ▁Sh amb les ▁and ▁St ▁E win , ▁New gate ▁Market , ▁to ▁the ▁City ▁Corporation . ▁A ▁new ▁parish ▁of ▁Christ ▁Church ▁was ▁created , ▁incorpor ating ▁those ▁of ▁St ▁Nicholas ▁and ▁St ▁E win , ▁and ▁part ▁of ▁that ▁of ▁St ▁Sep ul ch re . ▁ ▁The ▁pri ory ▁buildings ▁later ▁hous ed ▁Christ ' s ▁Hospital ▁school , ▁founded ▁by ▁Edward ▁VI , ▁and ▁the ▁church ▁became ▁its ▁pup ils ' ▁ ▁principal ▁place ▁of ▁ ▁worship . ▁In ▁ 1 6 4 0 s ▁Christ ▁Church ▁was ▁the ▁church ▁of ▁the ▁Pres by ter ian ▁po lem ic ist ▁Thomas ▁Edwards , ▁and ▁during ▁May ▁ 1 6 4 7 ▁became ▁a ▁centre ▁of ▁operations ▁for ▁attempts ▁to ▁dis band ▁and ▁pay ▁ar re ars ▁to ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Model ▁Army . ▁ ▁W ren ' s ▁church ▁ ▁The ▁medieval ▁church ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁the ▁Great ▁Fire ▁of ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 6 . ▁Re const ruction ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁W ren , ▁who ▁o vers aw ▁a ▁dec ades ▁long - program me ▁▁ ▁that ▁re built ▁St . ▁Paul ' s ▁C athedral ▁and ▁approximately ▁ 5 0 ▁parish ▁churches ▁in ▁the ▁fire ▁zone . ▁There ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁some ▁debate ▁about