All Hallows Staining

All Hallows Staining

On the west side of Mark Lane, where the Tower and churchyard still stand, entrance by a passage out of Fenchurch Street (O.S.). In Langbourne Ward. The parish extends into Tower and Aldgate Wards.

Earliest mention found in records: A deed of 1177 relating to land of Blanchesapeltuna is endorsed "Staniggecherch" (Anc. Deeds, A. 7295).

Names and forms of names: "Parish of Stanenechirche," c. 1170–87 (Anc. Deeds, A. 2406). "Ecelesiam de Staningehage," 1 Rich. I. (Cott. MS. Faust. B. II.). "Onmium Sanctorum de Stanene Chch. c. 1218 (Ducarel, St. Katherine's, p. 108). "All Hallows de Staningecherch," 1280–1 (Ct. H.W. I. 51). "All Hallows de Stanyng," 1372 (ib. II. 146).

"Commonly called Stane Church as may be supposed for a difference from other Churches of that name in this Citie, which of olde time were builded of timber, and since were builded of stone" (S. 205).

Loftie suggests that the name may be derived from a certain holding in the City mentioned in Domesday Book, and in a charter of Edward the Confessor, as belonging to the manor of Staines (London, p. 164), and Kingsford that it was known as the "parochia de Stanenetha" (stone hithe), 1194 (Cart. de Colchester, 298) (ed. Stow, II. 308). But this is not a general form of the name.

Povah suggests 1140 as the date of the erection of the stone church, rendered desirable by the Fires of 1087 and 1136 (Annals, 317). Repaired 1630. Escaped the Fire 1666, but afterwards fell down 1671 and rebuilt about 1683. (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 158–9). Again fell down 1761 (Welch).

Church, except the tower, taken down 1870 and the parish united to St. Olave Hart Street. The tower is still standing and is in the Perpendicular style, over 400 years old. It was purchased, together with the site of the church, by the Company of Clothworkers from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners on the understanding that they would keep the tower in repair and would not build on the site, except on defined portions fronting Mark Lane (Povah, Annals of St. Olave, Hart Street, and All Hallows Staining, 317, 324).

A Rectory. Patrons: in 31 Ed. I., in private hands, J. de la Barre (Lib. Cust. I. 238). Afterwards belonged to the de Walthams and eventually was given by the Bishop of London to the Abbot and Convent of St. Mary Graces (Newcourt, I. 255–6). After the Dissolution, it remained in the hands of the Crown.

It is open to question whether the church and parish of "All Hallows Colemancherche" and "Colemancherche," which are treated as separate churches in the Nomina Beneficiorum (Lib. Cust. I. 230 et seq.), coalesced subsequently with the church of All Hallows Staining, or whether, as seems more probable, All Hallows Colemancherche is identical with St. Katherine Colman (q.v.).

Allhallows Staining, the church of, is situated near the eastern extremity of Langbourn Ward, on the west side, and near to the north end of Mark-lane, within four houses of Fenchurch-street. It is believed to be of Saxon origin from its cognomen Stane, corruptly Staining, the Saxon word for stone, probably to distinguish it from some other that was of wood. It is mentioned as early as 1329, when Edward Camel was its incumbent. It was anciently a rectory, under the patronage of the De Walthams, till 1365, when Simon, Bishop of London, presented it to the abbot and convent of De Grace, near the Tower. At the reformation it devolved to the crown, and was afterwards sold by James I. to George Bingley and others in soccage.* It came afterwards into the possession of Lady Slany, who bequeathed it to the Grocer's Company, who still hold the advowson, but it is not in charge.

Allhallows Staining, in Langbourne Ward, or Allhallows in Mark Lane.

Commonly called Stane Church (as may be supposed) for a difference from other churches of that name in this city, which of old time were built of timber, and since were built of stone.—Stow, p. 77.

The old church escaped the Fire, but fell down, all but the tower, in 1761. The living was, in 1870, united to the rectory of St. Olave, Hart Street, and the church pulled down with the exception of the tower. The site was purchased by the Clothworkers' Company, the back of whose hall looks on to the churchyard, and whose lessees erected a large block of offices on the site of the church. Part of the churchyard has been laid out as a garden, and is to be kept unbuilt upon "for ever." From the endowments and proceeds of the site three new churches have been built and endowed within six miles of St. Paul's Cathedral, one of these is Allhallows Bromley, by Bow, and the second St. Anthony, Stepney. The Scottish patriot, Sir William Wallace, was lodged as a prisoner, on his first arrival in London, in the house of William de Leyre, a citizen in the parish of All Saints, Fenchurch Street, i.e. Allhallows Staining, at the end of Fenchurch Street.¹ Queen Elizabeth, it is said, attended service here on her release from the Tower in 1554, and dined off pork and peas afterwards, at the King's Head, in Fenchurch Street. [But see Fenchurch Street.] Allhallows Staining was one of the four London churches in which King James II.'s Second Declaration of Indulgence was read. The rector was Timothy Hall, "a wretch," as Macaulay calls him, made Bishop of Oxford by the King for his zeal and forwardness on this occasion. The churchwardens' Accounts exhibit a payment to the bell-ringers for ringing the bells for joy on King James's return from Feversham, and a further payment two days after for ringing a joyful peal on the arrival of the Prince of Orange. When the church was pulled down the monuments were removed to St. Olave's, where they were re-erected.

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¹ Compare Stow, by Howes, ed. 1631, p. 209.