St Mary Colechurch
Encyclopedia
St Mary Colechurch was a parish church in the City of London
destroyed in the Great Fire of London
in 1666 and not rebuilt.
to plan the new parishes. Fifty-one were chosen, but St Mary Colechurch was one of the minority not to be rebuilt. The church was situated at the junction of Poultry and the south end of Old Jewry
. Named after its first benefactor, it was a prosperous parish able to support a grammar school (which was rebuilt
on the site after the fire
and continued in that locality until 1787. The parish was united with St Mildred, Poultry
, although the parishioners objected on the grounds that
When St Mildred's too was deemed surplus to requirements, following the passing of the 1860 Union of Benefices Act
, it passed successively through partnerships with St Olave Jewry and St Margaret Lothbury
. Pearce notes that the last traces of any building vanished in 1839 although a Parish Boundary Mark inside the Mercers’ Hall
still exists.
A plaque commemorates the church on the southwest corner of Old Jewry. The site is currently occupied by the Alliance & Leicester at 82 Cheapside.
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...
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.
History
The Great Fire of London of 1666 destroyed 86 of the 97 parish churches in the City of London.. By 1670 a Rebuilding Act had been passed and a committee set up under the stewardship of Sir Christopher WrenChristopher 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 St Mary Colechurch was one of the minority not to be rebuilt. The church was situated at the junction of Poultry and the south end of Old Jewry
Old Jewry
Old Jewry is the name of a street in the City of London, in Coleman Street Ward, linking Gresham Street with The Poultry.William the Conqueror encouraged Jews to come to England soon after the Norman Conquest; some settled in cities throughout his new domain, including in London. According to Rev....
. Named after its first benefactor, it was a prosperous parish able to support a grammar school (which was rebuilt
Mercers' School
The Mercers' School was a private school in the City of London, England, with a history going back to at least 1542, which closed in 1959.After the disestablishment of the Hospital of St Thomas of Acon in 1538, the hospital's land was bought by the Mercers' Company , and the school was founded in...
on the site after the fire
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...
and continued in that locality until 1787. The parish was united with St Mildred, Poultry
St Mildred, Poultry
St Mildred, Poultry was a parish church in the Cheap ward, of the City of London. It was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London and demolished in 1872.-History:...
, although the parishioners objected on the grounds that
This was a noisy, crowded parish perpetually disturbed by carts and coaches, and wants sufficient place for burials .
When St Mildred's too was deemed surplus to requirements, following the passing of the 1860 Union of Benefices Act
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
, it passed successively through partnerships with St Olave Jewry and St Margaret Lothbury
St Margaret Lothbury
St. Margaret Lothbury is a Church of England parish church in the City of London; it spans the boundary between Coleman Street Ward and Broad Street Ward. Recorded since the 12th century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and rebuilt by the office of Sir Christopher Wren....
. Pearce notes that the last traces of any building vanished in 1839 although a Parish Boundary Mark inside the Mercers’ Hall
Worshipful Company of Mercers
The Worshipful Company of Mercers is the premier Livery Company of the City of London and ranks first in order of precedence. It is the first of the so-called "Great Twelve City Livery Companies". It was incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1394...
still exists.
A plaque commemorates the church on the southwest corner of Old Jewry. The site is currently occupied by the Alliance & Leicester at 82 Cheapside.