The discovery of a singularly ancient drawing of the original steeple of this church, previously to its destruction in , cannot but be thought an object of curiosity to the antiquary. St. Michael's steeple is admired for its elegance; though but a modern imitation, and censurable for having departed, in many instances, from the true standard. Those who compare it with its predecessor before the fire, and the still more ancient representation here given, will see that this ornament of the city has, for ages, been nearly of the same form, and will, consequently, be able to appreciate Sir Christopher Wren's claim to originality in this, his masterpiece, in the old style of building.

The drawing is made with pen and ink, on the fly-leaf of a large vellum vestry-book, commencing in the early part of the reign of Henry V.; opposite to which are the explanatory lines we have engraved in the plate. This vestry-book, and others, have furnished the extracts which follow; all of which are unnoticed, and were probably , by former writers.