An original church on this site was destroyed by the Great Fire of London, and was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren between 1686 and 1688 to its current design.

The name of the church derives from the area's former trade - pattens, a device manufactured in medieval times. A patten was worn under shoes to elevate the wearer several inches off the ground, enabling them to avoid the mud and sewage with which London streets used to be awash.