ALL HALLOWS BY THE TOWER.

All Hallows, is a beautiful treasure, which lies opposite one of the world's most famous London Tourist Attractions, the magnificent Tower of London, from where it's name is derived.

This remarkable gem has a wealth of history attached to it. Founded in 675 A.D. nearly four hundred years before the foundations of it's much larger and more famous neighbour were laid out, there has been a Church on this site ever since, it boasts of being the oldest church in the City of London.

It still is, first and foremost a Church and is open every day to visitors for prayer and offers a spiritual haven away from the hustle and bustle of everyday city life. Having narrowly escaped the Great Fire of London in 1666, it was badly damaged in the London blitz during the Second World War. Although extensively rebuilt, it contains enough surviving historical artifacts for it to be on the must see list of anyone, even people with only the slightest interest in London's fabulous history.

As you enter the Church, walk across the nave heading towards the baptismal font, which is located in the southwest corner.

You will arrive at a 7th century Saxon doorway, belonging to the original church, where beneath it's arch stood a Roman pavement, which was discovered in 1926. Both of these surviving relics from the long distant past, are in an excellent state of preservation and, alone are worth a visit to this remarkable church.

All Hallows by the Tower, was rebuilt and/or renovated several times between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries, it's outer walls dating back to the fifteenth century, and within which are to be found three beautiful fifteenth and sixteenth century wooden statues.

The exquisitely carved Baptismal font cover, attributed to Christopher Wren's Master Wood Carver, Grinling Gibbons, is regarded by many, (this writer included), as one of the finest, if not THE finest piece of carving in London. Dating from 1682 it is said he was paid £12 to carry out the work.

There has been a lot of work in London's City Churches attributed to Grinling Gibbons, but the only positive proof we have, that any of the work was indeed his, (apart from St. Paul's Cathedral of course) are receipts still in existance for monies paid for the works carried out for St.Mary Abchurch.

The Saxon built undercroft of All Hallows by the Tower, has been made into a small museum, housing the church records, with many famous names contained in them. Also housed in this ancient undercroft is the oldest exhibit in the building, a Roman pavement dating back to the second century A.D. It is the most perfectly preserved artifact of it's kind in the City of London.

An interesting exhibit down there is the Crows Nest Used By Sir Ernest Shackleton On His Last Antarctic Expedition In The Good Ship "Quest" Brought here by "Tubby" In Quest Of "Siller"For Talbot House.

With its close proximity to the Tower of London, All Hallows by the Tower, was used as a temporary burial site for the executed victims from nearby Tower Hill. Their remains would be taken to this church and buried, until arrangements had been made for their permanent interment. Many noteable victims were taken here including, Bishop John Fisher, Sir Thomas More and Archbishop Laud.

In 1666, All Hallows by the Tower, survived the first two days mainly because of the easterly gale which was blowing the flames away from the church. However, the firestorm which blew up, began to create it's own weather system, resulting in burning embers and sparks being flung onto the thatched roofs and timbers of the buildings between the location of the start of the fire, in Pudding Lane and the Church and the Tower of London.

When the gale finally abated on Wednesday 5th September 1666, there was nothing to save the church or the Tower. If it had not been for the combined heroic and determined efforts of Admiral Penn, father of the founder of Pennsylvania, the Garrison stationed in the Tower of London and the workmen from the King's yards, in taking matters into their own hands and blowing up all the surounding buildings to make a fire break, all surely would have been lost.

In his diary entry for that day,Samuel Pepys wrote:

'But going to the fire, I find, by the blowing up of houses and the great help given by the workmen out of the King's yards,sent up by Sir W Penn,there is a good stop given to it.'

It was from the church tower that Samuel Pepys and Admiral Penn looked in horror at the devastation caused by the Great Fire of London, after it was extinguished. Here is what the diarist had to say:

After getting his feet hot, by walking all over the smouldering City, Samuel Pepys climbed the steeple of Barking Church ( this refers to the Church of All Hallows by the Tower, in Byward Street, in the City of London, which was previously dedicated to St.Mary the Virgin. It was first established in 675 A.D. by the Saxon Abbey at Barking and was for many years named after the Abbey).

"I up to the top of Barkeing steeple, and there saw the saddest sight of desolation I ever saw." he wrote.

In the second Great Fire of London, during the London Blitz, the church did not escape, it was completely gutted. Only the tower and the walls were left standing. The interior is entirely post war, enclosed by fifteenth century outer walls. The late Queen Mother in 1948 laid the new foundation stone, returning 9 years later in 1957 to attend the rededication service.

The church in general has been very nicely restored. There are three wooden statues of Saints dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth century and a beautiful Baptismal font cover, carved by that master carver Grinling Gibbons regarded by many to being one of the nicest pieces of carving in London.

'Tubby' Clayton, the founder of Toc H was a one time Vicar of All Hallows by the Tower. The movement's lamp of maintenance still burns in the Lady Chapel and the founder's effigy and the body rest in the church.

The lectern dates from 1613,many brasses remain inside,there is also a brass rubbing centre here.

In the undercroft the church registers can be found and they contain some very famous names indeed.

There is a Mariners' Chapel in the South Aisle with models of ships just about everywhere.

HERE ARE SOME FAMOUS NAMES ASSOCIATED WITH ALL HALLOWS BY THE TOWER.

JOHN FISHER. after execution on Tower Hill was thrown naked into a temporary grave in the churchyard. Two weeks later his body was placed beside that of Sir Thomas More in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula inside the Tower of London.

SIR THOMAS MORE. His body was brought here for temporary burial after execution on Tower Hill.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. Sixth President of the United States of America, whose wife was born in London, was married here in 1797.

JUDGE JEFFREYS. the notorious "hanging judge" was married here in1667.

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY WILLIAM LAUD. was temporarily buried here after his execution at The Tower in 1645.

LANCELOT ANDREWS. who succesively served as Bishop of Chichester, Ely and Winchester, during the reign of King James I, and who oversaw the translation of the King James (authorized) version of the Bible during that Kings reign, was baptized here.

WILLIAM PENN. founder of Pennsylvania was baptized here in 1644.

PHILIP CLAYTON. also known as 'Tubby', former Vicar and Founder of Toc H.

CHARLES YOUN, organist at All Hallows by the Tower, from 1713-1758.

CHARLES JOHN FREDERICK LAMPE organist at the church from 1758-1767.

CECIL THOMAS, a sculptor who provided several funerary figures between the wars.

How to Link to This Page

To link to this page from your website, simply copy and paste the following code to your web page.

It will appear on your page as:

FOR MORE INFO.ON ALL HALLOWS BY THE TOWER CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THIS LINK

Return to London Churches

Return From All Hallows By The Tower To A London Tourist Guide Home Page.

Submit Ask Directory

World and Travel

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy