Description
The former churchyard lies to the west of the Wren tower, all that remains of Christchurch Greyfriars. A Priory was established here in 1225, following the arrival from Italy of a group of Franciscan monks, called Greyfriars from the colour of their clothing. The Priory was later dissolved by Henry VIII but in 1546 the church and other Priory buildings became 'Christ Church within Newgate'. The church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and a new church by Christopher Wren completed in 1704. Smaller than the church it replaced, the remainder of the site to the west was enclosed as the burial ground. The walled and railed churchyard became a garden and public open space in 1872, and is largely grass, a few mature trees, two chest tombs and a number of headstones.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Newgate Street Garden |
|---|---|
| Site location | Newgate Street/Greyfriars Passage |
| Postcode | EC1A 7BA |
| What3Words | ///twin.aspect.sunk |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: St Paul's (Central) |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The former churchyard lies to the west of the Wren tower which is all that remains of Christchurch Greyfriars (q.v.). The Franciscan Church of Greyfriars was established in 1225, following the arrival from Italy in 1224 of nine monks of the Franciscan Order, called Greyfriars from the colour of their clothing. Four of the monks came to London, the remainder going to Canterbury. They first had a temporary establishment in Cornhill; as their influence grew, a mercer called John Ewin then bought them a piece of land in the parish of St Nicholas Shambles and various buildings were erected, one Lord Mayor of London building them a choir, another the body of a church. In 1306 building of a larger church commenced, with support from Edward I's second wife Margaret and other influential benefactors, the second largest medieval church in the City. Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor, founded a library here in 1429.
After the Dissolution the church was used to house spoils taken from the French, but in 1546 Henry VIII gave the various buildings of the Priory, together with the parish churches of St Ewin in Newgate Market and St Nicholas in the Shambles and part of that of St Sepulchre, to the Mayor and Corporation of London, to be formed into one parish of 'Christ's Church within Newgate, founded by Henry VIII' on condition that the Corporation provided a vicar and five priests, one to attend the prisoners at Newgate when required. The church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and rebuilding of a new church designed by Wren commenced in 1687, completed in 1704. At that time the parish of St Leonard Foster Lane, burnt down but not rebuilt, was added to the parish of Christ Church. Wren's church was smaller than the church it replaced, the remainder of the site to the west enclosed as the burial ground.
The walled and railed churchyard became a garden and public open space in 1872. From 1931 an annual grant was paid by the Corporation of London towards its maintenance as open space. The garden is largely grass, with a number of mature trees; there are two chest tombs and a number of headstones. A central path runs through the garden to gates on Greyfriars Passage in front of Vestry House and the remains of Christ Church.
After the Dissolution the church was used to house spoils taken from the French, but in 1546 Henry VIII gave the various buildings of the Priory, together with the parish churches of St Ewin in Newgate Market and St Nicholas in the Shambles and part of that of St Sepulchre, to the Mayor and Corporation of London, to be formed into one parish of 'Christ's Church within Newgate, founded by Henry VIII' on condition that the Corporation provided a vicar and five priests, one to attend the prisoners at Newgate when required. The church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and rebuilding of a new church designed by Wren commenced in 1687, completed in 1704. At that time the parish of St Leonard Foster Lane, burnt down but not rebuilt, was added to the parish of Christ Church. Wren's church was smaller than the church it replaced, the remainder of the site to the west enclosed as the burial ground.
The walled and railed churchyard became a garden and public open space in 1872. From 1931 an annual grant was paid by the Corporation of London towards its maintenance as open space. The garden is largely grass, with a number of mature trees; there are two chest tombs and a number of headstones. A central path runs through the garden to gates on Greyfriars Passage in front of Vestry House and the remains of Christ Church.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ319813 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.1231 |
| Site Ownership | Diocese of London |
| Site Management | City of London Corporation, Open Spaces Dept. |
| Dates | 1680s; 1872 |
| Listed Structures | LBI and SAM: Remains of Christ Church |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | City of London |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - St Paul's Heights Policy Area |
| Other LA Designation | Strategic Viewing Corridor |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
Christchurch Greyfriars Church Garden is on the site of the Franciscan Church of Greyfriars, established in 1225, following the arrival from Italy of 9 Franciscan monks, called Greyfriars from the colour of their clothing. Their monastery had many influential benefactors including Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor, who founded a library here in 1429. Numerous well-known people were buried in the old church, including four queens. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries the church was converted for use as a parish church. Destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 it was rebuilt by Christopher Wren, but later destroyed all but the west tower in WWII. It was decided not to rebuild the church and some land was lost to road widening in the 1960s. The present rose garden was laid out on the site in 1989 with rose beds and box hedges outlining the nave of Wren's church, with wooden towers representing the pillars that held up the roof.
Warwick Square takes its name from the Earls of Warwick who had a mansion in Warwick Lane from 1351. The square is overlooked from the north by buildings erected in 1966-72 to extend the Central Criminal Court, which had been built in 1902-07 on the former site of Newgate Gaol. Part of the earlier building was replaced and remnants in the form of four columns are within a small formally landscaped garden adjacent to Warwick Square. Landscaping in the square consists of two trees within an oval traffic island and a paved area in the south-west with shaped beds, a birdbath and a few seats.
Paternoster Square is an ancient space, rendered sacred by association with Paternoster Row where the clergy of St Paul's used to walk in procession, telling their rosary beads and reciting the Paternoster prayer. It was once the site of the Newgate Meat Market. Bombed in 1940, Paternoster Square was laid out in 1956 as part of post-war reconstruction as a large pedestrian plaza surrounded by office blocks. Predominantly hard landscaped, it had seating, some planting and a bronze sculpture by Elisabeth Frink commissioned in 1975. Redevelopment plans were under discussion in the mid 1980s, but building only commenced in 2001, completed in 2003. The paved square retained the Frink sculpture in the north end and in the centre is the 23m high Paternoster Square Column. The historic Temple Bar was re-erected here as the entrance from St Paul's Cathedral and opened to the public in late 2004.
