Description
St Olave's House is the tower of the church of St Olave Jewry, its former churchyard now a secluded railed garden. Among those buried here were Thomas Morsted, surgeon to Henry IV, V and VI and one-time Sheriff of London, and Giles Dewes, clerk of the libraries of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Following the Great Fire of 1666, the medieval church was replaced by a Wren church, itself demolished in 1892 apart from the tower, which was converted for the rectory for St Margaret Lothbury. The garden has been open to the public since the 1890s and St Olave's House is leased as offices to solicitors.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St Olave Jewry |
|---|---|
| Site location | Ironmonger Lane/St Olave's Court |
| Postcode | EC2V 8EY |
| What3Words | ///rapid.rocks.deaf |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | front garden publicly accessible, with garden area to north private. |
| Public Transport | Tube: Bank (Central, DLR, Northern, Waterloo & City) / Monument (Circle, District) |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The former churchyard of St Olave Jewry, now a secluded railed garden, is overlooked by St Olave's House, all that remains of St Olave's Church. Old Jewry was the neighbourhood where Jews first lived after their arrival with William the Conqueror and where they stayed until expelled by Edward I; when they were re-admitted to England they chose to live elsewhere, hence this area becoming known as Old Jewry. The church was once called St Olave Upwell, probably due to a well under the east end of the church. The rectory was in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's, later the Prior and Convent of Butley in Suffolk, until it was taken by the Crown on the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Following the Great Fire in 1666, the earlier medieval church was replaced by a new church by Sir Christopher Wren in 1671-79. By 1892, like a number of the City churches, St Olave's Church was redundant and was demolished apart from the west tower, west wall and part of the north-west wall, which were converted as the rectory for St Margaret Lothbury (q.v.). A number of the church furnishings were at that time removed to St Margaret's, including the font, reredos, communion tables and rail, and monuments to Ephraim Skinner (d.1678) and Sir Nathaniel Herne (d.1679).
No longer used for burials, the churchyard was cleared of human remains in 1888/9, and laid out as a garden. Excavations at that time provided evidence of the medieval foundations and later excavations in 1985/6 revealed previous foundations dating from C9th -C11th and Roman brick. The medieval church of St Martin Pomery had also been located near the site on Ironmonger's Lane until it too was destroyed in 1666, but not rebuilt, and the parish then joined that of St Olave. Its name may have derived either from an apple garden or 'pomary' here or there may have been a family called Pomeroy connected to the church.
St Olave's churchyard dates back to at least 1348 and among those buried here were Thomas Morsted (d.1450), surgeon to Henry IV, V and VI and one-time Sheriff of London, who built a new aisle on the north side of the church; Giles Dewes (d.1535) who was clerk of the libraries of Henry VII and Henry VIII and taught French to Prince Arthur and Lady Mary; and John Boydell (d.1804) a famous engraver and print seller who was a member of the Stationers' Company and Lord Mayor of London in 1790. Along the south side of the former churchyard runs St Olave's Court, a paved alleyway between Ironmonger Lane and Old Jewry. The garden has railings to the south and stone gate piers with gates, surmounted by the words 'ST OLAVE'S HOUSE'. A cobbled path from the entrance gate leads to the main entrance of St Olave's House with shrubs either side, and seating shaded by a few trees. St Olave's House is now leased by the London Diocesan Fund to Winter Scott Solicitors, maritime and commercial lawyers, who are responsible for maintenance of the garden.
No longer used for burials, the churchyard was cleared of human remains in 1888/9, and laid out as a garden. Excavations at that time provided evidence of the medieval foundations and later excavations in 1985/6 revealed previous foundations dating from C9th -C11th and Roman brick. The medieval church of St Martin Pomery had also been located near the site on Ironmonger's Lane until it too was destroyed in 1666, but not rebuilt, and the parish then joined that of St Olave. Its name may have derived either from an apple garden or 'pomary' here or there may have been a family called Pomeroy connected to the church.
St Olave's churchyard dates back to at least 1348 and among those buried here were Thomas Morsted (d.1450), surgeon to Henry IV, V and VI and one-time Sheriff of London, who built a new aisle on the north side of the church; Giles Dewes (d.1535) who was clerk of the libraries of Henry VII and Henry VIII and taught French to Prince Arthur and Lady Mary; and John Boydell (d.1804) a famous engraver and print seller who was a member of the Stationers' Company and Lord Mayor of London in 1790. Along the south side of the former churchyard runs St Olave's Court, a paved alleyway between Ironmonger Lane and Old Jewry. The garden has railings to the south and stone gate piers with gates, surmounted by the words 'ST OLAVE'S HOUSE'. A cobbled path from the entrance gate leads to the main entrance of St Olave's House with shrubs either side, and seating shaded by a few trees. St Olave's House is now leased by the London Diocesan Fund to Winter Scott Solicitors, maritime and commercial lawyers, who are responsible for maintenance of the garden.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ325812 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.039 |
| Site Ownership | London Diocesan Fund, leased to Winter Scott Solicitors |
| Site Management | Winter Scott Solicitors |
| Dates | medieval onwards; 1671-9; 1890s |
| Listed Structures | LBI: Tower of St Olave Jewry |
| 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 | Guildhall |
| 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
The Grocers' Company, which had grown out of the Guild of Pepperers recorded in 1180, purchased the house of Lord Fitzwalter in 1427, at that time a much larger site. The Company's first Hall dated from 1428-33 and was rebuilt over the years; it was let to the Bank of England from 1690-1734. The present Hall was built in 1970 after its late C19th predecessor was destroyed in a fire. There was a garden in Victorian times, although it was reduced in size when the Bank was extended and Prince's Street realigned in 1798-1805, and encroached further when the Midland Bank was extended in the 1920s. What remains of the garden is a triangular courtyard with a small amount of planting along one side; a statue of St Anthony of Vienne is by the main entrance, formerly in the Hall of 1889.
This was the site of the medieval church of St Pancras Soper Lane, which was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666, after which the parish joined that of St Mary Le Bow. Land had been granted for St Pancras Churchyard in 1379 and it was used as a burial ground until the C19th. It was converted into a garden post WWII and the small site is surrounded on three sides by buildings and has a few trees, but no evidence of gravestones. The front boundary wall has a plaque recording the site of St Pancras church.
The Guildhall was established in the C12th, although the building today is C15th. Earlier buildings included a chapel and a library, and a gatehouse once separated Guildhall Yard from the street by the C12th St Lawrence Jewry, whose former churchyard is now incorporated into the piazza. The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed the church, which was rebuilt by Christopher Wren, and necessitated some rebuilding of the Guildhall. Various other buildings were added over the years, including Civic Offices on the site of St Michael's church, demolished in 1900. From 1908 rebuilding the entire complex was planned but not carried out until post WWII, following bomb damage. Guildhall Piazza and Guildhall Yard are largely hard landscaped, the area to the south abutting the church having a pond and planting. The piazza to the north has a number of sculptural features.
