A Lost Churches (East) Walk
Route & what to see
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london-footprints.co.uk |
A 2 mile walk from Cannon Street Station to Bank Station looking at sites and remains of lost City churches.
INTRODUCTION
In 1666 there were 109 churches in the City of London. Eighty
nine of these were destroyed in the Great Fire and only 52
rebuilt, mainly by Sir Christopher Wren. From the late 18th
century some churches were lost to rebuilding schemes [satirical print]. As the resident population of the City
began to fall so did the church congregations. The Union of
Benefices Act of 1860 allowed the London diocese to sell their
churches and built new ones in the suburbs with the proceeds.
This accounted for the loss of some 22 churches. After WWI a
commission recommended the demolition of a further 19 but many
famous names lent their support in protest. By 1939 there were 47
churches left but many were damaged in air raids of 1940 &
1941. Three were never rebuilt, four retained only their towers
and the remains of St Mary Aldermanbury were relocated to
Missouri. There are now 39 churches in the City of which 23 were
built by Wren.
Exit Cannon Street Station
ST MARY BOTHAW
Name from boathaw (yard). Destroyed 1666. Materials used in St
Swithin with which it was united. Site of Cannon Street Station [plaque].
Cross Cannon Street into
Salters Hall Court
ST SWITHIN LONDON STONE
Repaired after Fire (see above) by Wren. London Stone [pix]
built into south wall in 1798 (now on replacement building).
Destroyed in WWII. Section of churchyard now garden [pix]. St
Swithin's Lane. Pulpit at All Hallows by the Tower.
Return to and continue
eastwards along Cannon Street. Right at Laurence Pountney Hill.
ST LAURENCE POUNTNEY
Destroyed in Fire and united with St Mary Abchurch. Retained as
an open space (private).
Take pathway across Laurence
Poultney Lane through to Martin Lane and go left.
ST MARTIN ORGAR
Damaged in Fire and united with St Clement Eastcheap. Used by
French Protestants until 1820 when it was demolished. New tower
& clock built 1853 as rectory. Small open space (private)
with [plaque].
Right at Cannon Street and
right along King William Street.
ST MICHAEL CROOKED LANE
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished for approach to
new London Bridge in 1831. United with St Magnus the Martyr where
a modern window depicts the church.
Take steps down to Lower
Thames Street and go eastwards.
ST BOTOLPH BILLINGSGATE
Destroyed in Fire and united with St George Botolph Lane. Small
section of burial ground in Monument Street as One Tree Park
(private) [pix].
Cross to Monument Street and
go left.
ST MARGARET NEW FISH STREET HILL
Destroyed in Fire and united with St Magnus. Fire hydrant [pix] on
The Monument.
Right at Fish Street Hill
and right along Eastcheap.
ST LEONARD EASTCHEAP
Destroyed in Fire and united with St St Benet Gracechurch. Site
of church remained as a burial ground until 1882. [plaque]
Right at Pudding Lane then
left through St Georges Lane.
ST GEORGE BOTOLPH LANE
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Closed as unsafe in late
19th century. Demolished in 1904 and united with St Mary at Hill
which received some fittings. St Georges Lane [boundary marker].
Left at Botolph Lane then
right at Eastcheap.
ST ANDREW HUBBARD
Destroyed in Fire and united with St Mary at Hill.
Right at St Mary at Hill
then left along St Dunstan's Lane.
ST DUNSTANS IN THE EAST
Tower and steeple destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Main
part of church rebuilt in the 1800s but mostly destroyed by enemy
action in 1941. United with All Hallows by the Tower. Garden
created on the site in 1971.
Continue along Idol Lane,
then left at Great Tower Street. Continue along Eastcheap and go
right at Philpot Lane. Detour into Brabant Court. Cross Fenchurch
Street into Lime Street.
ST DIONIS BACKCHURCH
Stood behind shops & houses. Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by
Wren. Demolished in 1878 and united with All Hallows Lombard
Street [plaque]. Financed St Dionis in Parsons Green reusing
some fittings. Fire Hydrant [pix] in Brabant Court.
Return to Fenchurch Street
and go right. Left at Gracechurch Street.
ST BENET GRACECHURCH
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished for road
widening in 1867 and united with All Hallows Lombard Street [plaque].
Financed St Benet Mile End Road. Pulpit to St Olave Hart Street.
St Benet's Place.
Return to junction and go
left along Lombard Street.
ALL HALLOWS LOMBARD STREET
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Closed in 1937. Tower
reconstructed at All Hallows, North Twickenham. Parish united
with St Edmund the King.
Left at Nicholas Lane.
ST NICHOLAS ACONS
Destroyed in Fire and united with St Edmund Lombard Street. Fire
Hydrant [pix] and parsonage [plaque] in Nicholas Lane.
Right along King William
Street. Bear left to Mansion House.
ST MARY WOOLCHURCH HAW
Damaged in Fire and not rebuilt. United with St Mary Woolnorth.
The Mansion House built on the site has a [plaque].
Cross to Poultry.
ST MILDRED POULTRY
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished for road
widening in 1872 and united with St Olave Jewry where the ship
weather vane was transferred [plaque]. Financed St Paul's Goswell Road
reusing some fittings.
Cross to the Bank of
England.
ST CHRISTOPHER LE STOCKS
Damaged in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished in 1781 for Bank
of England extension. United with St Margaret Lothbury which has
some fittings. The reredos was transferred to St Vedast Foster as
an altarpiece.
Continue along Threadneedle
Street.
ST BARTHOLOMEW BY THE EXCHANGE
Damaged in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished in 1841 when the
Royal Exchange was rebuilt [plaque]. United with St Margaret Lothbury.
Fittings transferred to St Bartholomew's Tottenham. The organ
reinstalled at St Vedast Foster.
ST BENET FINK
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished in 1844 when
the Royal Exchange was rebuilt [plaque]. United with St Peter le Poer and later
St Michael Cornhill. Financed St Benet Fink in Tottenham.
ST MARTIN OUTWICH
Escaped 1666 Fire but damaged by fire in 1765 and rebuilt in
1798. Repaired by Sir Charles Barry in 1822-8. Demolished in 1874
and united with St Helens Bishopsgate [plaque].
The churchyard was separate from the church on a site in Camomile
Street, marked by a raised shrub bed with plaque recording the
church.
Right at Bishopsgate and first right along Cornhill to Bank Station.
Resources
Vanished Churches of the Ciy of London by Gordon Huelin
The London Encyclopaedia by Weinreb & Hibbert
Wren's London by Colin Amery
London Gardens database
london-footprints.co.uk 2013