All Hallows by the Tower is an ancient church on Byward Street in London, overlooking the Tower of London. It claims to be the oldest church in the City of London, dating back to AD 675. But how did it survive the devastating bombings of World War Two? In this blog post, we will explore its history and resilience during one of the darkest periods of London’s history.
All Hallows by the Tower – Byward Street
All Hallows Barking was blasted by German bombs in December 1940 and three weeks later was completely burned out. It was one of the most complete mediaeval churches. When the ruins were cleared parts of an 11th century cross were found, also an arch belonging to the original Saxon church.
All Hallows by the Tower: A Survivor of WW2
Images from East London showing the destruction from German bombs during World War Two. Images scanned from a genuine copy of The London Evening news magazine, handed down to me from my grandfather.
All Hallows survived the devastating explosion in a neighbouring ship chandler’s shop in 1649, when 27 barrels of gunpowder exploded. Sixty houses went up and 67 people were killed.
The Origins of All Hallows by the Tower
The church was founded by Erkenwald, a Saxon bishop who also established Chertsey Abbey and became Bishop of London in 675. He gave the land to his sister Ethelburga, who was the abbess of Barking Abbey, a wealthy Benedictine nunnery in Essex. The church was known as “Berkyncherche” or “All Hallows Barking” because of its association with Barking Abbey.
The church has witnessed many historical events over the centuries. It was here that William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, was baptized in 1644. It was here that John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, married Louisa Johnson in 1797. It was here that Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire of London from its tower in 1666.
The Blitz and All Hallows by the Tower
The church survived the Great Fire of London thanks to a change in wind direction that spared it from destruction. However, it was not so lucky during World War Two, when it suffered two direct hits from German bombs in December 1940.
On 29 December 1940, which was known as “the second Great Fire of London”, incendiary bombs set fire to many buildings in the City of London, including St Paul’s Cathedral and All Hallows by the Tower. The fire brigade managed to save St Paul’s Cathedral from collapse, but All Hallows by the Tower was gutted by flames.
The north and south walls and tower remained standing, but everything else at ground level was destroyed. The wooden roof collapsed into the nave and choir, burning many priceless treasures and records. The crypt below, which contained Saxon and Roman remains, was flooded with water from burst pipes.
The Reconstruction and Reopening of All Hallows by
Despite the devastation, the parishioners of all hallows by the tower did not give up hope. They began to clear the rubble and salvage what they could from the ruins. They also received donations and support from around the world, including a new altar cloth from Queen Elizabeth II.
The reconstruction work took 17 years, and involved restoring the walls, rebuilding the roof, and installing new stained glass windows. The crypt was also renovated and turned into a museum, displaying artefacts from various periods of London’s history. The church reopened on 4 November 1957, with a service attended by queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Princess Margaret. It was rededicated as “all hallows-by-the-tower”, to reflect its proximity to the tower of London.
Conclusion
All Hallows-by-the-Tower is a remarkable example of resilience and perseverance during World War Two. It survived two bombings that could have wiped it out completely, and rose again from its ashes with renewed beauty and dignity. It is still an active parish church today, and welcomes visitors who want to learn more about its rich history and heritage.
Hi Last week you published an item ,re v2 hit on Wren rd by a guy who lived there,I was 7years old at the time,living in Fitzstephens rd, in view of a Wren rd .I awoke to the blast ,my bed was under the front window was covered in glass as luck would have it,my head was next to the wall,so sheltered,our front door was blown in and roof tile damage.I can still remember calling out ,was it time for school,but don’t think I went that day.We went to see the damage and remember a bed hanging from the remains of a wall,weeks after we played in the damage,building brick dens .Out of interest one of my playmates was Michael Nicholson the top ITV war reporter who lived in the same road.I never found out full details of damage,but as I am in Aussie,I cannot get to Valance house in Dagenhamto to look up the records ,While I was evacuated to Salcombe in 1941,houses at end of our garden in Ilchester rd were bombed leaving a field. Later on in mid 43 ,FW19O F/Bombers hit Marlborough rd and Peartree gardens killing 15,as my school Erkenwald always had damage up till 1952 ,it must have been done in the 1943 raid as the three hits were 2OOyards apart with the school in the middle,but could never find out,the damage was a 5Ofoot gap between the girls and boys school. I should have asked these questions when my parents were alive but now I’ve reached 80 I realise what dangers we faced then.
Hello Terry,
Thank you so much for your story. I speak for everyone here in saying that we all enjoy hearing stories from people who lived through the history!
Hello
Re Valence House please try valencehousemuseum@lbbd.gov.uk who might be able to help you.
I to went to Erkenwald school leaving in 1974.
Good luck.
Daniel.
I remember taking part in a pageant celebrating All Hallows by the Tower’s place in history. The star of the show was Max Bygraves’ son Anthony. I was living in the TOC H hostel ‘Talbot House’s next door to Tower Hill Underground Station. My girlfriend Lisa also took part. I played a mediaeval knight. My girlfriend had left her handbag in the hostel. She asked if I would fetch it for her. I walked across Trinity Square in my costume, during rush hour when it was packed. Not one head turned to stare at the mediaeval knight passing them.