(St.) Mary Abchurch

A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.

On the north-west side of Abchurch Lane at No. 17, north of Cannon Street (P.O. Directory). In Candlewick Ward. The parish extends into Lang-bourn and Walbrook Wards.


Earliest mention found in records : "St. Mary of Abechurch," c. 1198-9 (Anc. Deeds, A. 1614).

Other names and forms of name : "St. Mary de Abbecherche," 12 H. III. (Anc. Deeds, A. 1511). "St. Mary Abbechurch," 16 H. III. (ib. A. 1955). "St. Mary Abchurch," 1269 (ib. A. 1786). "Parish of Abbechurche," 1272-3 (Ct. H.W. I. 14). "Priest of Habechurche" (Anc. Deeds, A. 7821, 12th cent. Kingsford). "S. Mary de Apecherchelane," 1327 (Ct. H.W. I. 328). "St. Mary Apechirch," 1350-1 (ib. 642).

Chapels of St. Mary and St. Trinity in the church (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 183-4).

Repaired and beautified 1611. Burnt in the Fire 1666 and rebuilt 1686 (ib.).

A Rectory. Patrons : Canons of St. Mary Overy, but afterwards 27 H. VI. the advowson passed into the hands of the master of Corpus Christi College or St. Laurence Pountney College by exchange with the Canons (ib. and Newcourt, I. 430).

Wilson, however, says that the College acquired the advowson from the Marquess of Suffolk (Hist. of St. Laurence Pountney, p. 45). The advowson was granted by Q. Elizabeth to the College of Corpus Christi, Cambridge (Newcourt, I. 430-1).

Stow says he has seen it called "Apechurch" or "Upchurch" as on rising ground (S. 220). But this is not the earliest form of the name, which appears to be Abe-, Abbe-church.

This prefix might be the Latin preposition "ab" = "away from," "out of," to denote that the church had been originally erected on rising ground in a more or less open space, away from other buildings. But this is improbable, as in the earliest forms the preposition "de" occurs before the name, as "St. Mary de Abechurch," "de Abbecherche."

The use of this preposition suggests that the origin of the prefix "Abe," "Abbe," is to be found in the proper name "Aba," "Abba," "Abbo," all of which were personal names in use in early times, and that the designation commemorates a founder or rebuilder of the church.

These dedications to St. Mary are of course in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Our Lord.

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