The Mediæval London skyline was dominated by church spires. There were 126 parish churches crammed into the "Square Mile" in the 12th century. By the 14th century the number had been reduced to 110. This is the last in a series of four articles which provides a brief description and history of each mediæval parish church. Where possible the dates of foundation or the date of the first documentary reference are given. The dates of destruction, reconstruction and suppression, where appropriate, are given for each parish church. These articles are the prologue to a more comprehensive coverage of the individual parish churches which will follow later in the year.
The Church was one of the most important agencies in the shaping and characterisation of mediæval London. Not only was London the seat of an important Bishopric but it also had a large number of wealthy monasteries, friaries and nunneries within the City walls or just outside. And it had more than 100 Parish Churches. The panorama of the city above shows how in 1611, the skyline was dominated by church spires. This series of articles lists the Mediæval parish churches whose names are known to us. For each is given the common name used today together with the original or alternative names where applicable, the date of its original foundation if known, its location and the dates of reconstruction and/or destruction. For ease of future reference, the churches are numbered consecutively from east to west. Detailed descriptions of individual churches will follow in later articles. There are links to other articles in the series at the end of the article.
A: Churches within the Walls |
From The Walbrook to Cheapside |
St Antholin
56. St Martin Pomary.
Also: St Martin Irenmonger.
Situated Ironmonger Lane EC2.
Destroyed 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Olave Jewry 1670.United with St Margaret Lothbury 1886 57. St Antholin
Also St Antonin.
Situated Watling Street EC4.
Destroyed 1666 and rebuilt by Wren.
Sold in 1874 and demolished 1875.
United with St Mary Aldermary 1873
St Michael Paternoster Royal
58. Michael Paternoster Royal
Also St Michael Paternoster in the Riole.
Situated College Street EC4.First mentioned 1219.
Rebuilt at expense of Dick Whittington in 1409.
Burned down in Great Fire and rebuilt by Wren 1689-94. 59. St Pancras
Situated Soper Lane EC4.First mentioned 1257.
Destroyed 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Mary le Bow 1670.
St Lawrence Jewry60. St Lawrence Jewry
Situated: Gresham Street EC2
Founded in 12th century.
Destroyed in 1666. And rebuilt by Wren 1671-7.
Suffered bomb damage in 1940.
Rebuilt by Cecil Brown 1954-7. 61. St Thomas the Apostle
Situated Queen Street EC4.
First mentioned 1170.
Rebuilt by John Barnes, the Lord Mayor, 1371.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Mary Aldermary 1670.
62. St Martin Vintry
Also St Martin de Beremand
Situated College Hill EC4
First mentioned in 11th century.
Rebuilt in 1399 and restored in the mid 15th century.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Michael Paternoster Royal 1670 St Mary le Bow
63. St Mary Aldermanbury
Also: St Mary The Virgin Aldermanbury
Situated Aldermanbury EC2.
Destroyed 1666 and rebuilt by Wren.
Destroyed in 1940 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Alphage London Wall 1917.
United with St Giles Cripplegate 1954. 64. St Mary Le Bow
Also: Bow Church
Situated: Cheapside EC2
First mentioned 1091.
Tower collapsed in 1271 and was not rebuilt until 1521.
Destroyed in the Great Fire and rebuilt by Wren 1670-3.
The upper part of the spire was rebuilt by George Gwilt in 1818-20.
The interior was refurbished by Sir Arthur Blomfield in 1878-9.
Bombed in WW2 and rebuilt 1956-62 by Laurence King. 65. St Mary Aldermary
Also St Mary Aldermarychurch
Situated Queen Victoria Street EC4
Possibly earlier than the 11th century.
Rebuilt, except for the tower, in 1510-18.
Destroyed in the Great Fire and rebuilt by Wren 1681-2.
The tower was completed 1702-4.
Restored in 1867-8.
Damaged in WW2 and restored again in 1954. 66. All Hallows Honey Lane
Situated Honey Lane EC2.
First mentioned in 1235 and repaired in 1625.
Destroyed 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Mary le Bow 1670. 67. St James Garlickhithe
Situated: Garlick Hill EC4.
Founded in the 12th century and rebuilt in 1326.
Destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren 1676-83.
The steeple was added 1714-17.
Damaged in WWII it was restored in 1954-63 by Lockhart Smith and Alexander Gale.
The tower of St Alban's
68. St Mary Magdalen
Situated Milk Street EC2.
Known at least from the mediaeval period.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Lawrence Jewry 1670 69. St Alban
Situated Wood Street EC2.
Built on alleged site of the palace chapel of King Offa in 793.
Rebuilt in the Gothic style in 1633-4.
Destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren 1682-7.
Destroyed in 1940.Only the Tower now remains (in the middle of the road).
Parish united with St Vedast Foster Lane 1954 70. Holy Trinity The Less
Situated Knightrider Street EC4.
First mentioned in 1258 and rebuilt in 1607-8.
Destroyed 1666 and not rebuilt.
Site was acquired for the German church by Hanseatic merchants.
Parish united with St Michael Queenhithe 1670.
United with St James Garlickhithe 1875 Interior of St Michael's
71. All Hallows Bread Street
Also All Hallows Watling Street.
Situated Bread Street EC4.
First mentioned in 1221.
Enlarged in 1349 and chapel added in 1350.
In 1559 the steeple was destroyed by lightning.
Church itself was substantially repaired in 1625.
Destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren.
Demolished in 1876.
Parish united with St Mary le Bow 1876 72. St Michael Wood Street
Situated Wood Street EC2
First mentioned in 1170.
Destroyed 1666.
Rebuilt by Wren 1670-5.
Demolished 1894.
Parish united with St Alban Wood Street 1894,St Vedast Foster Lane 1954.
Interior of St Mildred's
73. St Peter Westcheap
Also St Peter's at the Crosse in Cheap.
Situated Cheapside EC2.
Built in the 12th century in and rebuilt in the 16th.
Destroyed 1666 and not rebuilt.
Part of churchyard remains.
Parish united with St Matthew Friday Street 1670.
United with St Vedast Foster Lane 1882
74. St Olave Silver Street
Situated Noble Street EC2.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Part of churchyard remains.
Parish united with St Alban Wood Street 1670. United with St Vedast Foster Lane 1954 75. St Mildred Bread Street
Situated Bread Street EC4.
Built before 1252.
Destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren 1677-83.
Bombed and completely destroyed in 1941 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Mary le Bow 1954. 76. St Michael Queenhithe
Situated Upper Thames Street EC4.
First recorded in the 12th century.
Destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren 1676-7.
Demolished 1875. Parish united with Michael Paternoster Royal 1875. 77. St Mary Staining
Situated Staining Lane EC2.
First mentioned in 1189 and rebuilt in the late 16th century.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt.
A garden in Oat Lane contains some surviving tombstones.
Parish united with St Michael Wood Street 1670.
United with St Alban Wood Street 1894. United with St Vedast Foster Lane 1954 78. St John The Evangelist Friday Street
Situated Friday Street EC4.
Originally dedicated to St Wereburga in the mid 13th century.
Re-dedicated to John the Evangelist in the 15th century.
Repaired in 1626.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with All Hallows Bread Street 1670.
United with St Mary le Bow 1876. 79. St Margaret Moses
Also St Margaret Moyses.
Situated in Friday Street EC4.
Very little is known about it.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Mildred Bread Street 1670. United with St Mary le Bow 1954.
St Mary le Bow in the 18th century
80. St John Zachary
Also St John the Baptist.
Situated Gresham Street and Noble Street EC4.
First mentioned in 1120 and rebuilt in 1390.
It was repaired several times in the 17th century.
Destroyed in 1666 and not rebuilt. The churchyard is now a garden.
Parish united with St Anne and St Agnes 1670, St Vedast Foster lane 1954 81. St Matthew Friday Street
Situated Friday Street EC4.
First mentioned in 1261.
Destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren 1681-7.
Repaired in 1861 but demolished in 1881.
Parish united with St Vedast Foster Lane 1882. 82. St Nicholas Olave
Situated Bread Street Hill EC4.
First mentioned in 1188.
Destroyed in1666 and not rebuilt.
Parish united with St Nicholas Cole Abbey 1670.
Find it on the Map
The following looped links will allow you to scroll through the series:
| 
