(St.) Augustine Papey, or in the Wall

Opposite the north end of St. Mary Axe at Bevis Marks adjoining the Wall of London. Shown in Agas (G). In a detached portion of the parish of All Hallows, London Wall, in the present Aldgate Ward, but originally this site was in Lime Street Ward, as appears from a grant 6 Ed. IV. in Cott. MS. Vitell. F. XVI.

Hugo, in his paper on the Hospital of Le Papey published in the Trans. Lond. and Midd. Arch. Soc. V. pp. 183, et seq., suggests that the church was on or adjoining to the site of a little graveyard in Camomile Street, once used as a burial place for the parish of St. Martin Outwich, and this is the site indicated on the O.S. ed. 1875. But this seems rather too far west from the description given of the site and dimensions of the church about 1440, and its situation at Bevis Marks (ib. p. 192), which in those days would mean the house of the Abbot of Bury, not the present street of that name.

In the document there set out the church is described as follows :

" The Chapel, late the Parish Church, called Papey Church, late in the Parish of All Saints aforesaid in Aldgate Ward, situate at Beausmarkes next London Wall."

The dimensions of the land included in the grant of the church, etc., are given, but as given in rods the dimensions would seem to be altogether too large. If yards are intended the measurements would be 180 ft. north, and 172 ft. south in length, and 24 ft. in breadth, which would be reasonable, and this site might be represented by a strip of land between Bevis Marks and the wall, as shown in the Guildhall Agas.

Kingsford says the church is called in 1170-87 St. Augustine " super murum," in the Guildhall MS. 122, f. 508. But in 1244 in Fulk Basset's register of London churches it is called " Sci augustini pappey " (MSS. D. and C. St. Paul's, Liber L. f. 50), and is usually so styled in records.

In the list of London benefices in the Lib. Cust. I. 228 and 234, 31 Ed. I. the advowson of St. Augustine Papey is given as belonging to the Priory of Holy Trinity, and it appears from the Lansdowne MS. 448, f. 8, that the church was in the soke which Queen Maud gave to the Priory.

In 1428 it is stated in Letter-Book K, p. 75, that there were not 10 inhabitant householders in the parish, and it was accordingly agreed by the Priory, with the consent of the Bishop of London, that the church should be annexed to the church and parish of All Hallows, London Wall, 20 H. VI. (Cal. P.R. H. VI. 1441-6, p. 3) and (L. and M. Arch. Soc. Trans. V.p. 192).

At the same time, namely in 1442, was founded the Fraternity of the Papey for the maintenance of poor priests, and the church of St. Augustine with some adjoining land was given to the brotherhood as part of their endowment (ib.).

After the dissolution of the Monasteries and other religious foundations, when the Papey was likewise dissolved, temp. Ed. VI., the Church was taken down and the site built over, the churchyard being reserved for a garden (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 88).

Derivation of name : It is obvious from the foregoing notices relating to this church that it existed and was so designated long before the Fraternity and Hospital of Le Papey were founded, and that therefore Stow's derivation of the name from the poor priests called " Papes " (S. 148) is quite untenable.

It has been suggested that inasmuch as the church belonged to the Priory of Holy Trinity of Augustinian Canons and that the relics of St. Augustine were preserved in the church of San Pietro at Pavia (Papia), held by the Augustinian Canons of Mortara, the church may have received its designation of " Papey " from that town (Kingsford's Stow, II. p. 293), and in the register of Holy Trinity Priory, Lansdowne MS. 448, f. 9, it is referred to as " St. Augustine ' pauie ' juxta murum."

Dasent says that a common name for Anchorites among the Northmen was " Papar," and that they are designated by the name " Papey" in Orkney and Shetland, the Faroe Islands, and in Iceland. Is it possible that in early days there was an Anchorite so called having his abode near to this church?

See The Papey and Anchorites.