Description
St Laurence Pountney is so-named after Sir John Poultney or de Pulteney, Lord Mayor of London in the 1330s, who founded Corpus Christi College in the parish of St Lawrence. Church and college were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and not rebuilt, the parish then united with that of St Mary Abchurch. The site consists of two raised and railed gardens divided by a lower pedestrian passage to Martin Lane, the area in the north being the site of the church, which was used for burial after its destruction, with the original burial ground to the south. Both gardens are private, and contain trees, shrubs and a number of tombs, that to the south for private use of adjoining residences.
Practical Information
| Site location | Laurence Pountney Lane/Laurence Pountney Hill, Cannon Street |
|---|---|
| Postcode | EC4N 6EU |
| What3Words | ///future.places.alone |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Occasionally |
| Opening Times | private, but visible from outside |
| Public Transport | Tube: Bank (Central, DLR, Northern, Waterloo & City) / Monument (Circle, District) |
| Research Updated | 1 June 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Sir John Poultney or de Pulteney, Lord Mayor in 1330, 1331, 1333 and 1336, founded Corpus Christi College in the parish of St Lawrence and his name was given to the church. The chapel of Corpus Christi probably stood to the north of St Laurence in Candlewick Street by 1392. A lane has been known to exist here since the mid C13th, later called Laurence Pountney Lane after the church. According to John Stow, in 1370 the churchyard was used as the place where Flemish weavers were to gather for the purposes of hiring, whereas weavers of Brabant were to gather for the same purpose in the churchyard of St Mary Somerset (q.v.). The reason for this separation was due to disputes among the weavers. The church and college were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and not rebuilt, the parish then united with that of St Mary Abchurch (q.v.). A plaque on site recalls this as the site of the church and College.
The former burial ground consists of two raised garden areas divided by a sunken pedestrian passageway to Martin Lane, the area on the north being the former site of the church. Both gardens have trees, shrubs and a number of tombs and are bounded by railings over a wall, which date from c.1780. Sir John Poultney's house had been on the west of Laurence Pountney Hill. A number of fine late C17th and early C18th houses survive in this area, including No. 7a Laurence Pountney Lane facing the former churchyard, built c1670 and the offices of the architectural practice of Edward I'Anson from 1851. L'Anson, who later moved to 6 Laurence Pountney Hill, was the architect of the doorway into the churchyard of 1860, and also carried out works to St Mary Abchurch. Restoration works were undertaken in the south ground in 2003 as a private residential garden of adjoining property.
The former burial ground consists of two raised garden areas divided by a sunken pedestrian passageway to Martin Lane, the area on the north being the former site of the church. Both gardens have trees, shrubs and a number of tombs and are bounded by railings over a wall, which date from c.1780. Sir John Poultney's house had been on the west of Laurence Pountney Hill. A number of fine late C17th and early C18th houses survive in this area, including No. 7a Laurence Pountney Lane facing the former churchyard, built c1670 and the offices of the architectural practice of Edward I'Anson from 1851. L'Anson, who later moved to 6 Laurence Pountney Hill, was the architect of the doorway into the churchyard of 1860, and also carried out works to St Mary Abchurch. Restoration works were undertaken in the south ground in 2003 as a private residential garden of adjoining property.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ327808 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.0534 |
| Site Ownership | Diocese of London |
| Site Management | private |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: 1 - 2 Laurence Pountney Hill. LBII: Vestry House; retaining wall and railings of churchyard; 5 and 9 Laurence Pountney Lane, 6 Laurence Pountney Hill. |
| 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 | Laurence Pountney Hill |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Strategic Viewing Corridor |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The church of St Martin Orgar formerly stood here, its name arising from a Deacon called Ordgarus who owned the church, which he presented prior to c.1181 to the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's. It had a churchyard by c.1250. The building was damaged but not entirely destroyed in the Great Fire and part of the tower and nave were subsequently repaired and converted as a meeting place and chapel for French Huguenot Protestants. By c.1820 this had become ruinous and all but the tower was demolished, which acted as the entrance to the burial ground for the parish of St Clement and now occupied the site of the old church. The former churchyard remains as a raised garden in private use.
The Fishmongers' Company has its origins in at least the C12th and was granted its first Charter in 1272. The Company has had premises here since the C16th, the current Hall built in 1831-35 to replace an earlier hall when part of its site was needed for the new London Bridge Approach. Additional offices were built it 1976/7 facing Upper Thames Street and Swan Lane, at which time the courtyard between the wings was enlarged and laid out as a small garden open to the river. It is on two levels and largely paved with a flower border and a few trees. A statue of James Hulbert, benefactor of the Fishmongers' Company, was brought from the Fishmongers' Almshouses at Bray in Berkshire, and on one wall are the arms from the entrance of the C17th Hall.
A church dedicated to St Clement, a C1st Roman converted to Christianity, was recorded here in a charter of 1067, the locality called Eastcheap by reason of the medieval market or 'Cheap' that served the east of the City. Celebrated lectures on the Creed were delivered here in the later C17th by Bishop Pearson, who became Bishop of Chester and at one time Henry Purcell was organist. The church had been rebuilt in 1658 but was destroyed in the Great Fire and rebuilt by Wren in 1683/87, one of the smallest of his parish churches. The parish was joined by that of St Martin Orgar whose site became the burial ground for the parishes. The former churchyard of St Clement survives as a raised garden with entrance gate and C18th-style railings on the alleyway of St Clement's Court on the north side of the church.
