Description
St James Garlickhythe is probably so-called due to its proximity to a hithe or wharf where garlic was landed and sold. The earliest date of a church here is 1170; it was rebuilt in 1326 probably through the will of Sheriff Richard Rothing. Among others buried here were Richard Lions, a wine merchant beheaded by Wat Tyler's rebels, and a number of Lord Mayors of London of the C14th, C15th and C16th. In 1808 the churchyard was enclosed by iron railings and in 1814/5 a small engine house for the parish fire engine was erected at the north east corner, surviving until WWII. New railings and gates ornamented with grape vines were donated by the Vintners' Company in c.1965 enclosing the small area of churchyard that remains in front of the church. A bronze statue of 'The Barge Master and Swan Marker of the Vintners Company' is installed in the landscaped area to the west of the church.
Practical Information
| Site location | Upper Thames Street/Skinners Lane/Garlick Hill |
|---|---|
| Postcode | EC4V 2AF |
| What3Words | ///rainy.magma.modest |
| Type of Site | Churchyard |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | As church: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm |
| Public Transport | Tube: Mansion House (District, Circle) |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The church of St James Garlickhythe is probably so-called due to its proximity to a hithe or wharf where garlic was landed and sold. The earliest date of a church here is 1170; it was rebuilt in 1326 probably by Sheriff Richard Rothing who was buried here and left money in his will for the church. By 1481 the church had numerous chantries and a guild, and the church was granted collegiate status. This was dissolved in the 1540s, the resulting loss of income to the church made up by increasing the number of in-church burials. Among those buried here were Richard Lions, a wine merchant beheaded in Cheapside by Wat Tyler's rebels, and a number of Lord Mayors of London of the C14th, C15th and C16th. The church was repaired in the 1620s and 1630s but then destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren by 1683, the steeple probably by Hawksmoor dates from 1714-17; further restoration took place in 1838. In 1808 the churchyard in front was enclosed by iron railings; in 1814/5 a small engine house for the parish fire engine was erected at the north east corner of the churchyard, which survived until World War II. A north-east vault was built and when burial vaults were cleared a mummified body was found in the chancel. The vaults were officially closed in 1853/4. New railings and gates ornamented with grape vines were donated by the Vintners' Company in c.1965 in front of the small area of churchyard which remains in front of the church.
To the west is a paved landscaped area with planters, shrubs and some trees, screening the traffic of Upper Thames Street. A bronze statue of 'The Barge Master and Swan Marker of the Vintners Company' is installed in the landscaped area by the church.
To the west is a paved landscaped area with planters, shrubs and some trees, screening the traffic of Upper Thames Street. A bronze statue of 'The Barge Master and Swan Marker of the Vintners Company' is installed in the landscaped area by the church.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ323808 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.0137 |
| Site Ownership | Diocese of London |
| Site Management | Church (landscaping to west of church maintained by City of London Corporation Open Spaces Dept. |
| Dates | medieval; 1676 |
| Listed Structures | LBI: St James Garlickhythe |
| 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Queen Street |
| 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
The Whittington Garden is named after Lord Mayor Richard Whittington, who rebuilt the church of St Michael Paternoster Royal at his own expense in 1409, also founding a college and almshouses. Destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666, the church was rebuilt by Wren by 1694. The site of the public garden was on the riverbank in Roman times and later had buildings connected with the fur trade. These were demolished after bomb damage in WWIII and the Corporation of London acquired the site in 1955. The garden was laid out in 1960 with a largely paved area in the west and grass, flower beds and trees in the east. A small fountain was erected in the west section in the late 1960s. The east section is now surrounded by hedge, and remains largely grass, shaded by trees.
Cleary Garden is a terraced garden originally created following bomb damage in WWII. A plaque records Joseph Brandis, member of the Cordwainers Company, who created the garden on the bomb-site. The area originally housed Roman baths and in the Middle Ages vintners used the site for trading and growing vines. The garden was later named after Frederick Cleary, Chairman of the MPGA, when it was re-landscaped in 1985-88 with pergolas on a number of levels, paved areas and seating, sloping lawn and a wide variety of planting. In 2007 the garden underwent major re-refurbishment as the Loire Valley Wines Legacy Garden with vines and aromatic plants evoking the wines of the Loire region.
The raised forecourt of Nos. 27 and 28 Queen Street, a pair of fine C18th private houses now used by Gresham Computing Personnel, is on part of the site of the former burial ground of the church of St Thomas-the-Apostle. The church was first recorded in 1170, rebuilt in 1371 but destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and not rebuilt. The churchyard remained until 1851 when Queen Street was widened and remains were interred in a vault on the east side. The paved forecourt, accessed by a flight of steps each side, has a large plane tree and shrubbery; a stone plaque relating to the site is set into the front wall.
