St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street
Encyclopedia
The Church of St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street was a Roman Catholic, and later Church of England
, parish
in the City of London
, England
. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
in 1666 and not rebuilt.
(parts of the parish were also in Bread Street Ward
). John Stow
, in his Survey of 1603, described Milk Street as having many fair houses for wealthy merchants and others. He attributed the etymology
of street's name to it being a place where milk
was sold.
After the Great Fire, the site, together with that of the adjoining church of All Hallows Honey Lane
and several houses, was acquired by the City, cleared, and laid out as a market-place, called Honey Lane Market. The market closed in 1835 and the Corporation of London
built the first City of London School
there.
Stow described St. Mary Magdalene's as a "small parish church", which had recently been repaired. He lists a number of important Londoners who were buried in the church, including Sir William Cantilo, knight and Mercer
(died 1462) and several Lord Mayors of London
: John Olney (Mayor in 1446, died 1475), Sir John Browne (mayor in 1480; d.1497), Sir Thomas Exmewe
(Mayor in 1517, d.1528), and Thomas Skinner
(Mayor in 1596). He notes that "Henry Cantlow, Mercer, merchant of the Staple
," built a chapel in the church and was buried there in 1495. Hughes confirms that the church records contain the names of many important City
dignitaries.
The parish was a royalist
stronghold in the years leading up to the Civil War
. Its Incumbent
was “deprived” during the Commonwealth
The Mortality Bill for the year 1665, published by the Parish Clerk’s Company, shows 97 parishes within the City of London
. By September 6 the city lay in ruins, 86 churches having been destroyed. In 1670 a Rebuilding Act was passed and a committee set up under the stewardship of Sir Christopher Wren
to decide which would be rebuilt. Fifty-one were chosen, but St Mary Magdalen, Milk Street was one of the unlucky minority never to be rebuilt.
Following the fire, the parish was united to St Lawrence Jewry
. Partial records still survive at IGI
..
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666 and not rebuilt.
Location
St. Mary Magdalen, Milk Street was located on the east side of Milk Street, north of its end in Cheapside, in Cripplegate Ward WithinCripplegate
Cripplegate was a city gate in the London Wall and a name for the region of the City of London outside the gate. The area was almost entirely destroyed by bombing in World War II and today is the site of the Barbican Estate and Barbican Centre...
(parts of the parish were also in Bread Street Ward
Bread Street
Bread Street is a ward of the City of London and is named from its principal street, which was anciently the bread market; for by the records it appears that in 1302, the bakers of London were ordered to sell no bread at their houses but in the open market...
). John Stow
John Stow
John Stow was an English historian and antiquarian.-Early life:The son of Thomas Stow, a tallow-chandler, he was born about 1525 in London, in the parish of St Michael, Cornhill. His father's whole rent for his house and garden was only 6s. 6d. a year, and Stow in his youth fetched milk every...
, in his Survey of 1603, described Milk Street as having many fair houses for wealthy merchants and others. He attributed the etymology
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
of street's name to it being a place where milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
was sold.
After the Great Fire, the site, together with that of the adjoining church of All Hallows Honey Lane
All Hallows Honey Lane
The Church of All Hallows, Honey Lane was a small Roman Catholic, and later Church of England, parish in the City of London, England. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and not rebuilt.-Location:...
and several houses, was acquired by the City, cleared, and laid out as a market-place, called Honey Lane Market. The market closed in 1835 and the Corporation of London
Corporation of London
The City of London Corporation is the municipal governing body of the City of London. It exercises control only over the City , and not over Greater London...
built the first City of London School
City of London School
The City of London School is a boys' independent day school on the banks of the River Thames in the City of London, England. It is the brother school of the City of London School for Girls and the co-educational City of London Freemen's School...
there.
History
The earliest mention of the church was in 1162 as "St. Mary Magdalene in foro Londoniarum." It is also recorded as "St. Mary Magdalene, Milk Street" in a dated between 1203 and 1215.Stow described St. Mary Magdalene's as a "small parish church", which had recently been repaired. He lists a number of important Londoners who were buried in the church, including Sir William Cantilo, knight and Mercer
Mercery
Mercery initially referred to silk, linen, and fustian textiles imported to England in the 12th century.The term later extended to goods made of these and the sellers of those goods.-Mercer:...
(died 1462) and several Lord Mayors of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
: John Olney (Mayor in 1446, died 1475), Sir John Browne (mayor in 1480; d.1497), Sir Thomas Exmewe
Thomas Exmewe
Sir Thomas Exmewe was born in Ruthin, Denbighshire c. 1454 and was elected Sheriff of London in 1509 and Lord Mayor of London in 1517. He became the first Lord Mayor of London whose portrait is known to have been painted. The portrait is now in the collection of the Guildhall Art Gallery and has...
(Mayor in 1517, d.1528), and Thomas Skinner
Thomas Skinner
Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Skinner was a British military engineer born in England at Berwick-upon-Tweed. He died at Le Havre, France....
(Mayor in 1596). He notes that "Henry Cantlow, Mercer, merchant of the Staple
Merchants of the Staple
The Merchants of the Staple, also known as the Merchant Staplers, was an English company which controlled the export of wool to the continent during the late medieval period....
," built a chapel in the church and was buried there in 1495. Hughes confirms that the church records contain the names of many important City
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
dignitaries.
The parish was a royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
stronghold in the years leading up to the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. Its Incumbent
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
was “deprived” during the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
The Mortality Bill for the year 1665, published by the Parish Clerk’s Company, shows 97 parishes within the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. By September 6 the city lay in ruins, 86 churches having been destroyed. In 1670 a Rebuilding Act was passed and a committee set up under the stewardship of Sir Christopher Wren
Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
to decide which would be rebuilt. Fifty-one were chosen, but St Mary Magdalen, Milk Street was one of the unlucky minority never to be rebuilt.
Following the fire, the parish was united to St Lawrence Jewry
St Lawrence Jewry
St Lawrence Jewry is a Church of England guild church in the City of London on Gresham Street, next to the Guildhall.-History:The church was originally built in the twelfth century and dedicated to St Lawrence The church is near the former medieval Jewish ghetto, which was centred...
. Partial records still survive at IGI
International Genealogical Index
The International Genealogical Index is a database of genealogical records, compiled from several sources, and maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
..