The move comes as police forces across the UK have warned that criminals have been stealing cars and scrap metal during the lockdown.

It is understood that the church plate, much of which is hundreds-of-years-old, will be stored in the Tower of London for the duration of the coronavirus lockdown.

A Tower of London spokeswoman said: “We are very happy to look after the church plate during the lockdown,” and added that the the historic site has often stepped in to protect valuable items of important heritage during periods of unrest or uncertainty. Meanwhile, the church plate stored at St Paul’s Cathedral, the mother church of the Church of England, is staying put as the historic cathedral boasts 24-hour security.

Many of its own historic plates were stolen during a large theft in 1810. During the English Civil War (1642-1651), looting was rife and indiscriminate, with both Royalists and Parliamentarians stealing precious items to sell them into funds to support their rapidly expanding armies.

Raiders hoped to steal silver and melt it down into one of the many emergency mints that had sprung up across the country.

Harry Williams-Bulkeley, International Head of Silver at Christie’s, said that: “As a result, there are virtually no pre-Civil War silver pieces left in the country today.

“What little has survived is either church plate or can be found in certain Oxbridge colleges influential enough at the time to have hung on to it.”

During the Restoration period, new banqueting and ceremonial church plate was commissioned and stored by the Tower of London’s Jewel House.

As a result, these items are considered part of the Crown Jewels, in addition to the regalia used by the monarch during coronation services. New plate was particularly required for King Charles II's coronation banquet, which was held at Westminster Hall, a short walk from Westminster Abbey.

Ritual and decadent feasting was an important chance for the king to assert his wealth and status, however the existing gold plate for this purpose had been sold during the Interregnum.