Description
The parish of St Martin Outwich dates from c.1196, with a church first mentioned in 1217, erected at the cost of the Oteswich family, hence its name. In 1385 it was vested in the Merchant Taylors' Company. The church escaped the Great Fire of 1666 but was destroyed by a fire in 1765. Although the church was rebuilt in 1796-98, it was later demolished in 1874, after the parish was united with that of St Helen Bishopsgate in 1872. The churchyard was separate from the church on a site in Camomile Street, presented by Robert Hide in 1538, now marked by a raised shrub bed.
Practical Information
| Site location | Camomile Street |
|---|---|
| Postcode | EC3A 6DQ |
| What3Words | ///keeps.sits.wishes |
| Type of Site | Other |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Liverpool Street (Central, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Circle). Rail: Liverpool Street. |
| Research Updated | 1 January 2016 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The parish of St Martin Outwich dates from c.1196, with a church first mentioned in 1217, erected in Bishopsgate Street at the cost of the Oteswich family, hence its name. In 1385 it was vested in the Merchant Taylors' Company, presented by John Churchman acting as trustee of William and John Oteswich, whose alabaster effigy is now in St Helen Bishopsgate (q.v.), as is the tomb of Hugh Pemberton both originally in St Martin's. The church escaped the Great Fire of 1666 but was destroyed by a fire in the area in 1765 after which, in 1796-98, it was rebuilt, the architect being S P Cockerell, and the new church was consecrated in 1798 by the Bishop of London. Repaired by Sir Charles Barry in 1822-28, it was demolished in 1874 the parish having united with that of St Helen Bishopsgate in 1872. The churchyard was separate from the church on a site in Camomile Street, presented by Robert Hide in 1538, today its site is marked by a raised shrub bed with plaque recording the church. The site of the church itself is near St Helen's Bishopsgate.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ332813 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.0103 |
| Site Ownership | City of London Corporation |
| Site Management | Open Spaces Dept. |
| Dates | medieval; 1538 |
| 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 | No |
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
Jubilee Gardens is a small public garden created for the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. The layout consisted of raised brick planters within a paved area and some seating. It was closed in the mid 1980s when the LEB Substation was built. The garden was refurbished in 2004 when more structured planting and box hedging was added to reflect the outlines of the hard landscaping and surrounding buildings. (Please note, the gardens are currently closed for refurbishment - February 2022)
There has been a church here since at least 1180 and the first mention of 'St Adelburga' is in 1250. St Ethelburga was one of the oldest medieval churches in the City, having survived the Great Fire of London and the Blitz, but was devastated by an IRA bomb in April 1993. It was completely rebuilt and re-opened in November 2002 as a Centre for Reconciliation and Peace. The former churchyard, which prior to the IRA bomb was laid out as a garden, was re-designed as a small peace garden, planted with a specially-created St Ethelburga's Rose, a statue of the saint and a fountain that had previously stood in a garden beyond the current boundary wall.
Until 1675 this was part of lands owned by the Earl of Devonshire, and was the site of the garden of his mansion. The Earl sold his lands to Dr Nicholas Barbon who was responsible for developing Devonshire Square between 1678-1708. By 1770 residential development in the area included a circus, crescent and square, of which only Devonshire Square remains with two surviving mid-C18th houses. C19th and C20th building broke up the symmetry of the square although the centre was marked by a small oval street garden, re-landscaped post 2004 with paving, seating and a circle of 12 pleached lime trees.
