All Hallows Honey Lane
Encyclopedia
The Church of All Hallows, Honey Lane was a small Roman Catholic, and later Church of England
, parish
in the City of London
, England
. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
in 1666 and not rebuilt.
. The church was surrounded on three sides by churchyard and enclosed by private houses. It was situated about 200 feet (61 m) north of Cheapside. John Stow
's Survey of 1603 indicates the parish was part of Cheap Ward
of the City of London.
After the Great Fire, the site, together with that of the adjoining church of St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street and several houses, was acquired by the City, cleared, and laid out as a market-place, called Honey Lane Market. The former church was situated in the northwest corner of this market.
The market closed in 1835 and the Corporation of London
built the first City of London School
there. After the bombings of World War II
, the area was comprehensively redeveloped. The alignment of present Honey Lane is about 140 feet (42.7 m) east of the original lane. The church site is now occupied by a British Telecom shop at 114 Cheapside.
A very small parish, it may originally have comprised only the area of those properties which surrounded Honey Lane and the churchyard and then been subsequently enlarged in the early 13th century. Even after this enlargement, the parish of All Hallows, covering only about 1 acre (0.4 hectare) in area, was one of the smallest in the City. There was a suggestion in 1658 that the parish should be united with St. Mary le Bow, but this was dropped and the two remained separate until after the Great Fire.
In the late 12th and early 13th century, the small parish of All Hallows Honey Lane became one of the first centers in the City for the trade of mercery
: trading in cloth, typically silk and other fine cloth that was not produced locally. The parish had several small shops and selds, or covered markets, specializing in the trade.
The earliest known patron of the church was Henry de Wokyndon, in the mid-13th century. The advowson
then passed to various private owners until 1446, when it was willed to the Grocers' Company. The Grocers' Company retained the advowson until the Great Fire. The Grocers' Company had a custom of appointing learned men as rector of the church, at least until 1540. In the mid-16th century, the Company appointed graduates from the Universities of Oxford
and Cambridge
, apparently in strict alternation.
At the time of the Protestant Reformation
, the church was known for its Lutheran
sympathies. Dr. Robert Forman, rector from 1525 to his death in 1528 and president of Queens' College, Cambridge
, over the same period, was a well-known early reformer famous for his sermons and his interest in Lutheran books and doctrines. His curate at All Hallows, Thomas Gerrard
(or Garret), himself appointed rector in 1537, was even more active in spreading Lutheran doctrines. In 1540, Gerrard was found guilty of heresy and burnt at the stake in Smithfield
with other Protestants. In 1543, other members of the parish were also examined for allegedly holding “heretical” doctrines.
had been passed and a committee set up under the stewardship of Sir Christopher Wren
to plan the new parishes. Fifty-one were chosen, but All Hallows, Honey Lane was one of the unlucky minority never to be rebuilt. Its parish was united with that of St. Mary le Bow, but its name lived on as a ward precinct.
It is not known whether there had been any medieval rebuilding or enlargement of the church. However, because the structure described in the 1550s was apparently very simple, it is possible that this was the original church, altered little if at all. In the mid 16th century the church appears to have been a simple rectangular building, measuring about 60 ft. (18.29 m) in length by 23 ft. (7.01 m) in width. The church occupied the ground floor of the structure and the cellar below was owned separately, at least from the early 14th to the early 17th century. There was door on the south side of the church near the west end (opposite Honey Lane) and a chancel door, also on the south side.
The church was surrounded to north, west, and south by its churchyard
. In addition, excavations in 1954-5 on the site of the former No. 111 Cheapside uncovered a number of burials “clearly of medieval date.” It seems probable that they represent an area of early churchyard subsequently encroached upon by private building. It is not clear whether this early churchyard would have extended as far south as Cheapside.
In addition to those in the churchyard, some burials were done in the church, presumably between the floor of the church, part of which was paved with stone and part boarded, and the ceiling of the cellar. A vault near the chancel is also mentioned. Despite its narrowness part of the church was referred to as the “south aisle;” several burials took place there in the 16th century and it may be the same as the “burial aisle” also mentioned in the register. In 1611 the parish bought the cellar, as a “more convenient place of burial for any of the inhabitants.” The first burial took place in the cellar (referred to as the “cloister” in the burial register) in 1613.
A chapel of St. Mary within the church is mentioned in a will of 1380. In 1545, apart from the high altar in the church there were altars to Our Lady (possibly in the chapel mentioned) and to St. Thomas the Martyr. By the 1550s there was a gallery, reached by stairs, and the church had several pews and a font. Churchwardens' accounts, beginning in 1618, indicate there were two or more bells, hung probably in a belfry with a steeple.
In Stow's Survey of 1603, of All Hallows Honey Lane he notes only, "there be no monumentes in this church worth the noting. I find that John Norman
, Draper, Mayor
1453, was buried there."
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Location
All Hallows Honey Lane was located at the north end of Honey Lane, a narrow lane leading north from CheapsideCheapside
Cheapside is a street in the City of London that links Newgate Street with the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Mansion House Street. To the east is Mansion House, the Bank of England, and the major road junction above Bank tube station. To the west is St. Paul's Cathedral, St...
. The church was surrounded on three sides by churchyard and enclosed by private houses. It was situated about 200 feet (61 m) north of Cheapside. John Stow
John Stow
John Stow was an English historian and antiquarian.-Early life:The son of Thomas Stow, a tallow-chandler, he was born about 1525 in London, in the parish of St Michael, Cornhill. His father's whole rent for his house and garden was only 6s. 6d. a year, and Stow in his youth fetched milk every...
's Survey of 1603 indicates the parish was part of Cheap Ward
Cheap (ward)
Cheap is a small ward of the City of London. It stretches west to east from King End Street, the border with Farringdon Within to Old Jewry, which adjoins Walbrook and north to south from Gresham Street, the border with Aldersgate and Bassishaw to Cheapside, the boundary with Cordwainer.The...
of the City of London.
After the Great Fire, the site, together with that of the adjoining church of St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street and several houses, was acquired by the City, cleared, and laid out as a market-place, called Honey Lane Market. The former church was situated in the northwest corner of this market.
The market closed in 1835 and the Corporation of London
Corporation of London
The City of London Corporation is the municipal governing body of the City of London. It exercises control only over the City , and not over Greater London...
built the first City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
there. After the bombings of World War II
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
, the area was comprehensively redeveloped. The alignment of present Honey Lane is about 140 feet (42.7 m) east of the original lane. The church site is now occupied by a British Telecom shop at 114 Cheapside.
| Postcode | Grid reference | Bartholemew's Co-ordinates |
|---|---|---|
| EC2V 6DY | TQ324 811 | E:532400 N:181100 |
History
The church may have originated as a private chapel associated with a nearby property, though it is not certain which property this might have been. The earliest historical reference to the church dates from the end of the 12th century in a deed (dated between 1191 and 1212) referring to a “Helias presbyter de Hunilane.” Other early spellings include: parochia Omnium Sanctorum de Hunilane (1204–1215), St. Elfegi de Hunilane (1216–1222, the only occurrence of an apparent alternative dedication), All Hallows de Honilane (1279), All Hallows in Honylane (1287), and Parish of Honylane (1297).A very small parish, it may originally have comprised only the area of those properties which surrounded Honey Lane and the churchyard and then been subsequently enlarged in the early 13th century. Even after this enlargement, the parish of All Hallows, covering only about 1 acre (0.4 hectare) in area, was one of the smallest in the City. There was a suggestion in 1658 that the parish should be united with St. Mary le Bow, but this was dropped and the two remained separate until after the Great Fire.
In the late 12th and early 13th century, the small parish of All Hallows Honey Lane became one of the first centers in the City for the trade of mercery
Mercery
Mercery initially referred to silk, linen, and fustian textiles imported to England in the 12th century.The term later extended to goods made of these and the sellers of those goods.-Mercer:...
: trading in cloth, typically silk and other fine cloth that was not produced locally. The parish had several small shops and selds, or covered markets, specializing in the trade.
The earliest known patron of the church was Henry de Wokyndon, in the mid-13th century. The advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
then passed to various private owners until 1446, when it was willed to the Grocers' Company. The Grocers' Company retained the advowson until the Great Fire. The Grocers' Company had a custom of appointing learned men as rector of the church, at least until 1540. In the mid-16th century, the Company appointed graduates from the Universities of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
and Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, apparently in strict alternation.
At the time of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, the church was known for its Lutheran
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
sympathies. Dr. Robert Forman, rector from 1525 to his death in 1528 and president of Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, over the same period, was a well-known early reformer famous for his sermons and his interest in Lutheran books and doctrines. His curate at All Hallows, Thomas Gerrard
Thomas Gerrard
Thomas Gerrard was an English Protestant reformer. In 1540, he was burnt to death for heresy, along with William Jerome and Robert Barnes.-Life:...
(or Garret), himself appointed rector in 1537, was even more active in spreading Lutheran doctrines. In 1540, Gerrard was found guilty of heresy and burnt at the stake in Smithfield
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
with other Protestants. In 1543, other members of the parish were also examined for allegedly holding “heretical” doctrines.
Destruction
The Mortality Bill for the year 1665, published by the Parish Clerks' Company, shows 97 parishes within the City of London. In the Great Fire of 1666, 86 churches were destroyed. By 1670 a Rebuilding ActRebuilding of London Act 1670
The Rebuilding of London Act 1670 is an Act of the Parliament of England with the long title "Act for the rebuilding of the City of London, uniting of Parishes and rebuilding of the Cathedral and Parochial Churches within the said City."...
had been passed and a committee set up under the stewardship of Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
to plan the new parishes. Fifty-one were chosen, but All Hallows, Honey Lane was one of the unlucky minority never to be rebuilt. Its parish was united with that of St. Mary le Bow, but its name lived on as a ward precinct.
Architecture
Archaeologically no trace of the church is known to survive. After the church’s destruction in the Great Fire, the site was cleared. When the City of London School was built there in 1835, the site was excavated to a depth of over 15 ft. (4.57 m.) before concrete foundations were laid. Tiles, the pavement, and vaults of a church described as “Anglo-Norman” were found at that time. A rough pencil sketch made at about the same time, and entitled “part of old church discovered in Honey Lane,” shows the remains of masonry walls including three pointed arches over what appear to be blocked openings. Two “Norman” capitals and the capital of a “Saxon” column “adorned with twisted serpents.” were also found. These remains could have belonged to either of the two churches beneath the site of the school, or even to one of the houses nearby. At the very least they indicate that there was a stone structure there, perhaps the church of All Hallows, which was enriched with sculptural decoration, probably of 12th-century date.It is not known whether there had been any medieval rebuilding or enlargement of the church. However, because the structure described in the 1550s was apparently very simple, it is possible that this was the original church, altered little if at all. In the mid 16th century the church appears to have been a simple rectangular building, measuring about 60 ft. (18.29 m) in length by 23 ft. (7.01 m) in width. The church occupied the ground floor of the structure and the cellar below was owned separately, at least from the early 14th to the early 17th century. There was door on the south side of the church near the west end (opposite Honey Lane) and a chancel door, also on the south side.
The church was surrounded to north, west, and south by its churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
. In addition, excavations in 1954-5 on the site of the former No. 111 Cheapside uncovered a number of burials “clearly of medieval date.” It seems probable that they represent an area of early churchyard subsequently encroached upon by private building. It is not clear whether this early churchyard would have extended as far south as Cheapside.
In addition to those in the churchyard, some burials were done in the church, presumably between the floor of the church, part of which was paved with stone and part boarded, and the ceiling of the cellar. A vault near the chancel is also mentioned. Despite its narrowness part of the church was referred to as the “south aisle;” several burials took place there in the 16th century and it may be the same as the “burial aisle” also mentioned in the register. In 1611 the parish bought the cellar, as a “more convenient place of burial for any of the inhabitants.” The first burial took place in the cellar (referred to as the “cloister” in the burial register) in 1613.
A chapel of St. Mary within the church is mentioned in a will of 1380. In 1545, apart from the high altar in the church there were altars to Our Lady (possibly in the chapel mentioned) and to St. Thomas the Martyr. By the 1550s there was a gallery, reached by stairs, and the church had several pews and a font. Churchwardens' accounts, beginning in 1618, indicate there were two or more bells, hung probably in a belfry with a steeple.
In Stow's Survey of 1603, of All Hallows Honey Lane he notes only, "there be no monumentes in this church worth the noting. I find that John Norman
John Norman, Lord Mayor of London (1453)
John Norman was a 15th century draper, sheriff, alderman and for a term the Lord Mayor of London . He is known as being the first lord mayor to take a boat to Westminster to pledge his allegiance...
, Draper, Mayor
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
1453, was buried there."