St Margaret's, Lee of the restoration, the church is one of the best preserved examples of a decorated gothic revivalist interior in London. Between 1813-1830 there had been an attempt to rebuild the medieval church, involving the architect Joseph Gwilt. This failed when it became clear that the foundations of the old church were incapable of supporting a new building. The ruins of the original building are in the medieval churchyard on the north side of Lee Terrace. The tomb of Edmond Halley (1656–1742), from 1720 England's second Astronomer Royal and the discoverer of the periodicity of Halley's Comet is in the churchyard,
Samuel Whitbread (1720–1796) Samuel Whitbread (1720–1796) Samuel Whitbread (30 August 1720 – 11 June 1796) was an English brewer and Member of Parliament. In 1742, he established a brewery that in 1799 became Whitbread & Co Ltd. Samuel Whitbread was born at Cardington in Bedfordshire, the seventh of eight children. He left for London aged 14 and became an apprentice to a London brewer, John Witman. Whitbread became very rich and bought Lord Torrington's Southill Park, Elstow Manor, and other substantial property. When he died on 11 June 1796, "The Gentleman's Magazine" speculated that he was "worth over a million pounds" (). Whitbread