All Hallows-by-the-Tower

All Hallows-by-the-Tower stands on Byward Street in the City of London, just a short walk from the Tower of London. It is an Early Medieval Anglican church, one of the oldest in the city, founded in AD 675. The church has survived fires, wars, and explosions, including the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the Blitz in World War II. Its history is marked by royal connections, including temporary burials of executed Tower victims like Sir Thomas More. The church also has strong ties to Toc H, the Christian organisation founded by former vicar Tubby Clayton. The church’s past is revealed in its architecture and artefacts. An archway built of reused Roman tiles suggests an early 7th-century origin, though later research places it between the 7th and 11th centuries. Fragments of 11th-century stone crosses and medieval brasses remain inside, alongside a baptismal font cover carved by Grinling Gibbons in 1682. The crypt holds a museum with Roman pavement fragments, Anglo-Saxon artefacts, and church registers dating back to the 16th century. Visitors find a blend of ancient and restored elements. The 15th-century outer walls stand alongside the original Anglo-Saxon arch doorway. The crypt’s chapels, dedicated to St Francis and St Clare, and a columbarium from 1933 add to the site’s depth. The church’s chime, restored in the 1970s, and annual ceremonies like the Knollys Rose procession offer further layers of tradition.