 St Mary le Strand was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1717 , to replace a previous church demolished to make way for Somerset House . It was the first building to be designed by Gibbs , who was influenced by Wren and Michelangelo . The column on top of the church was originally designed to support a statue of Queen Anne , but was replaced with a spire following Anne 's death in 1714 . It survived the Blitz but was in poor shape until John Betjeman led a campaign to restore it in the 1970s . Essex Street Chapel , the birthplace of British Unitarianism , abuts onto the Strand . The original chapel was built in 1774 , but damaged in the Blitz . It was restored after the war , and now serves as the denominational headquarters . 
 St Mary le Strand was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1717 , to replace a previous church demolished to make way for Somerset House . It was the first building to be designed by Gibbs , <a href='null_relcl' title='1'><mark>who</mark></a>was influenced by Wren and Michelangelo . The column on top of the church was originally designed to support a statue of Queen Anne , but was replaced with a spire following Anne <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>death in 1714 . It survived the Blitz but was in poor shape until John Betjeman led a campaign to restore it in the 1970s . Essex Street Chapel , the birthplace of British Unitarianism , <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>abuts</mark></a> onto the Strand . The original chapel was built in 1774 , but damaged in the Blitz . It was restored after the war , and now <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>serves</mark></a> as the denominational headquarters . 
St Mary le Strand was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1717 , to replace a previous church demolished to make way for Somerset House . It was da first building to b designed by Gibbs , was influenced by Wren and Michelangelo . Tdacolumn on top of thdahurch was originally designed to support a statue of Queen Anne , but was replaced with a spire following Anne  death in 1714 . It survived the Blitz but was in poor shape until John Betjeman led a campaign to restore it in theda70s . Essex Street Chapel , the dathplace of British Unitarianism , abut onto the Sdand . The original chapel was built in 1774 , but damaged in the Blitz . It was restored after the war , and now serve as the denominational headquarters .