St Nicholas Olave

St Nicholas Olave
Current photo of site
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Anglican, originally Roman Catholic

A former church in the City of London, on the west side of Bread Street Hill^[1] in Queenhithe Ward.^[2]
The Mortality Bill for the year 1665, published by the Parish Clerk’s Company, shows 97 parishes within the City of London.^[3] By September 6 the city lay in ruins, 86 churches having been destroyed in the Fire of London.^[4] 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.^[5] Fifty-one were chosen, but not St Nicholas Olave.^[6] Its unusual dedication refers to the earlier amalgamation between two parishes: St Nicholas and St Olave Bradestrat, which was removed by the Austin Friars for the erection of their monastic buildings.^[7] Described by John Stow as a “convenient church”^[8] the parish had strong connections with the Fishmongers, many of whom were buried in the churchyard.^[9] Its eminent organist William Blitheman also lay here.^[10] Following the fire it was united with St Nicholas Cole Abbey^[11] and partial records survive and are available in the International Genealogical Index.^[12]

References

1. The site is now occupied by Senator House
2. "A Dictionary of London" Harben,H: London, Herbert Jenkins 1918
3. "The ancient office of Parish Clerk and the Parish Clerks Company of London" Clark,O: London, Journal of the Ecclesiastical Law Society Vol. 8, January 2006 ISSN 0956-618X
4. "The Churches of the City of London" Reynolds,H: London, Bodley Head, 1922
5. "Wren" Whinney,M: London, Thames & Hudson 1971 ISBN 0-500-20112-9
6. "The City of London Churches" Betjeman,J: Andover, Pitkin 1967 (rpnt 1992) ISBN 0-85372-565-9
7. ”Vanished Churches of the City of London” Huelin,G: London, Guildhall Library Publishing 1996 ISBN 0-900422-42-4
8. "A Survey of London, Vol I" Stow,J: London, A. Fullarton & Co, 1890 (original edition 1598)
9. "Bread Street Hill & St. Nicholas Olave Churchyard" Dibdin,T.C: London, Privately published 1850
10. “Notes on Old City Churches: their organs, organists and musical associations” Pearce,C.W.: London, Winthrop Rogers Ltd 1909
11. "The London Encyclopaedia" Hibbert,C; Weinreb,D; Keay,J: London, Pan Macmillan 1983 (rev 1993, 2008) ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5
12. Genealogical Web-Site

51°30′43″N 0°5′36″W / 51.51194°N 0.09333°WCoordinates: 51°30′43″N 0°5′36″W / 51.51194°N 0.09333°W

External links