St Andrew Undershaft with St Mary Axe, London Genealogy

Returned to the London Parishes S-St C page.

St Andrew, Undershaft, the church of, is situated at the southeast corner of the street called St Mary Axe and Leaden Hall Street. There was a church on this site dedicated to the same site as early as the year 1362, which was pulled down in 1532, and the present church erected in its room, at the expense of William Fitz Williams, who was sheriff in 1507. It derives its name of Undershaft from a very lofty Maypole, anciently called a shaft, which was annually raised in the street near to it on Mayday, and was higher than the steeple. The church is a plain Gothic structure with a well lighted body, and the square tower, with pinnacles at the angles, and a campanile with six bells within them. It is a rectory, in the gift of the Bishop of London, and is celebrated as containing the monument raised in memory of the faithful and able historiographer of the city, John Stowe...

[Adapted from: Topographical Dictionary of London by James Elms; published 1831]