Description
The church of St Mary at Hill is referred to in the late C12th and there was a churchyard on the north side by 1299. A number of former Lord Mayors of the C14th to C16th were buried here. The medieval church was partially destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren in 1670-74 re-using the medieval west end and heightening the north and south walls of the earlier building, much of which had survived. The churchyard was closed to burials in 1846 and it is simply laid out as a public garden, with paving stones, a central rectangular flower bed and a small tree; a lead rainwater butt (dated 1788) is used as a planter and two seats were provided by the MPGA. It is surrounded by a brick retaining wall.
Practical Information
| Site location | St Mary at Hill/Lovat Lane |
|---|---|
| Postcode | EC3R 8EE |
| What3Words | ///option.gains.others |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | As church: Mon-Fri 11am-4pm |
| Public Transport | Tube: Monument (District, Circle) / Bank (Central, DLR, Northern, Waterloo & City) |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2002 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The church of St Mary at Hill is referred to in the late C12th and there was a churchyard on the north side by 1299. At one time the Abbots of Waltham Abbey had a house adjacent on the south side, the then abbot Walter de Gaunt having acquired the ground for the purpose in 1177. A chantry was founded here in 1336 by Rose de Wrytell. In 1500 when a new south aisle was being built on the site of the Abbot of Waltham's kitchen a timber coffin was discovered containing the body of Alice Hackney, wife of Richard Hackney who was Sheriff in 1321. A number of former Lord Mayors of the C14th to C16th were buried here. There are references in the C15 and C16th to 'The Great Churchyard' ,'The Great South Churchyard' and the 'Pardon Churchyard', which suggests that it was once considerably larger in extent and the current site is to the north of the church. The medieval church was partially destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren in 1670-74 re-using the medieval west end and heightening the north and south walls of the earlier building, much of which had survived. The parish of St Andrew Hubbard was joined with St Mary at Hill after the Fire. A lantern was added to the west tower in 1694/5, but a brick tower replaced the old one in 1780. Alterations were made to the church in the 1820s and 1840s by James Savage and in 1988 the church suffered a bad fire when roof and ceiling were burnt, since restored.
The entrance to St Mary at Hill churchyard is through a gateway and passage from the street. The churchyard was closed to burials in 1846 and a stone plaque by the church door records this. The garden is simply laid out with cracked paving stones and a central rectangular flower bed and a small tree. It is surrounded by a brick retaining wall with a stone coping and is approximately two feet higher than the path around it. Within the garden is a lead rainwater butt (1788) now used as a planter, two seats with plaques provided by the MPGA, in need of repair. The east end is marred by two portacabins. A good example of a completely enclosed churchyard, which still retains a peaceful tranquillity.
The entrance to St Mary at Hill churchyard is through a gateway and passage from the street. The churchyard was closed to burials in 1846 and a stone plaque by the church door records this. The garden is simply laid out with cracked paving stones and a central rectangular flower bed and a small tree. It is surrounded by a brick retaining wall with a stone coping and is approximately two feet higher than the path around it. Within the garden is a lead rainwater butt (1788) now used as a planter, two seats with plaques provided by the MPGA, in need of repair. The east end is marred by two portacabins. A good example of a completely enclosed churchyard, which still retains a peaceful tranquillity.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ330807 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.0228 |
| Site Ownership | Diocese of London |
| Site Management | City of London Corporation Open Spaces Dept. |
| Dates | C12th, 1670-6 |
| Listed Structures | LBI: St Mary at Hill 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 | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Lovat Lane |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Strategic View - Consultation Area |
Gallery
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Nearby parks and gardens
One Tree Park is on the site of the Upper Burying Ground of the parish of St Botolph by Billingsgate, with a plaque to this effect set into the paved courtyard. Old gate and stone piers, possibly dating from the C18th, remain at the corner of Monument Street. The medieval church of St Botolph Billingsgate stood south of Lower Thames Street to the east of the former churchyard; it was rebuilt in the late C16th but later destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and not rebuilt. Part of the site was used for the widening of Thames Street. The parish was joined to that of St George Botolph Lane, for which the churchyard become an additional burial ground.
There has been a church dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch on this site for some 900 years. The fourth church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and rebuilt by Wren. St Margaret Pattens was so-called to distinguish it from other City churches dedicated to St Margaret, the name possibly originating from a benefactor, or more likely connected with 'pattens', a type of undershoe made and sold near here. Rood Lane was at one time called St Margaret Pattens, its name changing when a rood or cross was erected in the churchyard while the church was being rebuilt. The small paved area to the south of the church features a single tree, but is important in the transition from the medieval street to the modern street of Eastcheap.
There has been a church here from ancient times, with a large churchyard in existence by the C12th. St Dunstan-in-the-East suffered damage in the Great Fire of 1666, after which the shell was repaired by Christopher Wren in 1695-1701, who added the tower and steeple. The church was rebuilt in 1817-21, but destroyed by enemy action in 1941 although the spire was reconstructed in 1953, and the tower later restored in 1970/1. The Corporation of London acquired the ruins in 1967, which with the former churchyard were incorporated into a well-designed garden, which opened to the public in 1971.
