All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church

All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church is a very old church on Byward Street, London. It is a short distance from the Tower of London, which gives it its name, within the old section of London known as The City.

All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church dates back to AD 675, when it was founded by the Saxon Abbey of Barking. For that reason, it was originally called All Hallows Barking. The area has been in used since Roman times, and the church itself was built over the site of an earlier Roman building. When an excavation was carried out in 1926, parts of the original Roman building was uncovered, and are now on display at the Crypt Museum within the church.

All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:All_Hallows_by_the_Tower_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1282145.jpg
Author: Peter Trimming


All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church is one of the few buildings to escape the Great Fire of London of 1666. This was largely due to the effort of Admiral William Penn (father of William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania), who had surrounding structures pulled down to prevent the fire from reaching the church.

The church building was not that lucky during the Second World War, when it was damaged during the London Blitz by German bombers. After the war, the church was rebuilt according to its previous design, and rededicated in 1957.

Visiting the All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church

Today All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church is open to visitors, who get to see many of its ancient artifacts, including statues of saints dating to the 15th and 16th centuries, its exquisite Baptismal font, and other treasures.

To reach the church, take the Circle Line or District Line of the London Underground to the Tower Hill Tube Station and walk a short distance from there. The church is open on Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, except during services. There are virtual tour facility as well as guided tours.

Map of All Hallows-by-the-Tower Church

List of Churches in London