On the north side of Aldgate High Street, at the south-east corner of Houndsditch. In Portsoken Ward.
Included in the grant made in that year by the Knightenguild of their land to the Prior and Convent of Holy Trinity.
Rebuilt by the Prior of Holy Trinity before the dissolution of the monasteries temp. VIII. as noted by Stow in his Survey (ed. 1603, p. 128).
Present church erected 1725-40 on the site of the old one : architect, Dance.
A curacy. Patrons : Priors of Holy Trinity until temp. H. VIII, patronage afterwards vested in the Crown.
The church stood outside the City walls, and being dedicated to St. Botolph, the designation "without Alegate" was added to indicate its proximity to the City gate so called, and to distinguish it from the other City churches, dedicated to St. Botolph.
The parish, as at present constituted, lies partly within the Liberties of the City of London in the Ward of Portsoken, and partly outside the Liberties in Middlesex. The portion within the Liberties comprises the whole of the Portsoken Ward, sometimes called the upper end, or upper precinct ; the other portion includes the Lordship of East Smithfield, together with the parish or precinct of St. Katherine near the Tower of London, and also the parish of Holy Trinity Minories, reunited to St. Botolph's parish in 1899.
The parish has varied considerably in extent from time to time, and in early days included, as appears from old charters and documents, the extra parochial district known as the Tower Liberties.
At the date of the gift of the property of the Knightengild to the Prior and Convent of Holy Trinity in 1125, the parish was co-terminous with the ward of Portsoken, and included all the outlying districts above mentioned. How these came to be gradually alienated from the ward and from the parish is related in the account of Portsoken Ward (q.v.). But it will be seen from this account and from its present extent, that while the parish has been restored almost to its original dimensions, the ward has suffered considerable curtailment.
The bounds of the parish are set out in detail by A.M. in Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. Hatton, 1708 ; and in the Parish Clerks' Account of London, pub. 1732 ; and these descriptions are particularly interesting as showing in some instances the names and occupations of the residents in those houses, which were situated on the boundaries at various dates.
Called "St. Mary's Buttolphe" without Aldgate, 1613 (L.C.C. Deeds, Harben Bequest, 1600-1700, No. 142).
There is no other indication of a double dedication of the church, and there may be some confusion here with St. Mary Matfellon in Whitechapel.