Summary

All Hallows by the Tower is over 1300 years old and said to be the oldest church in the City of London. It was founded in 675 AD. This church has so much history, enduring the Tudor Dissolution of Monasteries, the Great Fire of London, and the Blitz during the Second World War. Following the Blitz, the building was rebuilt using reclaimed materials from the Roman and Medieval Period. Located next to the Tower of London, the church has cared for several beheaded bodies during its history, including Thomas More, John Fisher and Archbishop Laud.

William Penn (founder of Pennsylvania) was baptised here in 1644, and John Quincy Adams – sixth president of the United States of America – was married here in 1797.

The interior has a Crypt Museum which contains artifacts from the Roman period, including Roman gravestones. You will find the Knights Templar, including the Crusades Alter made from stones taken from the Castle Athlit in Palestine, the final Templar stronghold. Artifacts from many different periods can be found, including the organ that is almost 500 years old and incredible wood carvings possibly carved by Grinling Gibbons.

If you are visiting the Tower of London, why not explore the church that has stood so close by and shared so much history.

Information from:

https://www.ahbtt.org.uk/

https://www.ahbtt.org.uk/visit/historyeducation/

https://d3hgrlq6yacptf.cloudfront.net/5f3d41da9cd16/content/pages/documents/2022-may-aug-walks.pdf

https://www.britainexpress.com/London/All_Hallows_by_the_Tower.htm