Parish of St Leonard, Foster Lane, City of London , Church of England

Parish of St Leonard, Foster Lane, City of London , Church of England

History of the united parishes of Christchurch Newgate Street and Saint Leonard Foster Lane, and the former parish of Saint Nicholas Shambles:

The church of Saint Nicholas Shambles was built some time before 1196. It was demolished in 1547 and the parish dissolved. The parish of Christchurch Newgate Street (also known as Christchurch Greyfriars) was formed in the same year to replace the parish of Saint Nicholas Shambles and also that of Saint Ewin. Very little is known about the parish of Saint Ewin, and no records are known to have survived.

The church of the former monastery of the Friars Minor, or Grey Friars, became the parish church of the new parish of Christchurch Newgate Street. The first church built on the site in 1225 was for the Friars, but it was rebuilt by 1348. In turn this was destroyed by the Great Fire and was rebuilt by Wren in 1687-1704. Apart from the steeple this church was destroyed in the Blitz. The steeple tower and vestry have been restored and the rest of the site turned into a garden. The church of Saint Leonard Foster Lane was destroyed in the Great Fire and not rebuilt and in 1670 the parish was united to Christchurch Newgate Street.