The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 3
Allen, Thomas
1827
French Church, 1824.
The interior was equally plain, it had galleries attached to the north, south, and west sides, supported on small wooden columns. The pulpit and desks were affixed to the pier between the eastern windows, in the place which the altar screen should have occupied. The screen was, in consequence, placed in side of it further northward; it was inscribed with the commandments, apostle's creed, and Lord's prayer, in French. The ceiling was plain and horizontal. | |
When this church was taken down in , the site was marked by a dwarf wall and iron rails. | |
The porch still remains, and forms a gateway to the burying ground; the entrance is modern, and occupies a portion of a window which was anciently over it; the arch of this window is acutely pointed, the tracery which remains shews a circle enclosing sweeps; the workmanship of the whole is rude, the period at which it was built the century; the gable above is modern. To the south side was attached a buttress and a staircase, formerly lighted with a lancet light; the whole sustained some alteration, by which the ancient character was destroyed when the church was taken down. | |
St. Lawrence Poultney church was situated on the west side of , on the south side of , and took the addition of Poultney from its great benefactor, sir John Poultney, times lord mayor of London, who founded in the ancient church a college of Jesus and Corpus Christi, for a master, warden, priests, and choristers, about the year . Which college at the suppression was valued at and surrendered in the reign of king Edward VI. since which time it has continued as a donative or curacy. And, in , this impropriation was held in fee-farm, worth then per annum. | |
The church appears to have stood on the northern portion of the burying ground in Lawrence Poultney lane, a portion of the north wall being evidently incorporated with the houses which bound that part of the burying ground. | |
On Lawrence Poultney hill are large mansions; above the doors of entrance, which are elaborately carved, are shell formed pediments; within is the date of erection, ; in the other is a representation of boys playing at marbles. | |