Building    From 1299  To 1798

St Augustine church, Hackney

Categories: Religion

Built as St Augustines by the end of the 13th century, probably on grounds belonging to the Knights Templar. When this order was taken over by the Order of St John, the church was renamed St John at Hackney. The congregation increased and the church was altered to accommodate them. Eventually a new church was needed, was built alongside in 1791 and is still there today (to the north-east) with a war memorial in front of it.

The old church became redundant, and was demolished in 1798 but the tower was kept to house the bells since the new church lacked a steeple. Even when this was built in 1814 the bells stayed in the old tower because the new steeple was not strong enough to bear their weight. (We expect the project manager lost his job at this stage.) In 1854 the new church was underpinned and, at last, the bells could be moved there. By which time no one could be bothered to demolish the old tower. The picture source has more history.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
St Augustine church, Hackney

Commemorated ati

St Augustine's tower

The Gentle Author has great photos of this tower: outside, inside and the vie...

Read More

Other Subjects

American troops in WW2 in London

American troops in WW2 in London

During WW2 the US armed forces worshipped at the Grosvenor Chapel and partied at Rainbow Corner. This seems a good place to mention the searchable on-line honour roll of 28,000 Americans based in ...

Group, Armed Forces, Religion, USA

3 memorials
James Walworth

James Walworth

Monk at London Charterhouse. Exiled to the Charterhouse in Hull and then executed in York.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
St Lawrence Jewry

St Lawrence Jewry

St Lawrence Jewry is so called because the original twelfth century church stood on the eastern side of the City, then occupied by the Jewish community. That church, built in 1136, was destroyed in...

Building, Religion

3 memorials
John Derifall

John Derifall

Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.

Person, Execution, Religion

1 memorial
First synagogue after resettlement

First synagogue after resettlement

A house in Creechurch Lane was converted to a synagogue for the Sephardi Jews (Spanish and Portuguese) which opened in 1657. This was enlarged but the increase in numbers quickly made a purpose-bui...

Building, Religion

1 memorial