St Giles the Abbot

Have you ever wondered about a church linked to both plague and royalty? Right here, in the bustling heart of London, stands St Giles the Abbot. A place of “entrance and exit,” as Peter Ackroyd aptly described it, St Giles the Abbot has witnessed centuries of London life. The church we see today isn’t the first, or even the second, on this site. A chapel stood here as early as 1101, part of a leper hospital founded by Queen Matilda, wife of Henry I. Imagine London then, St Giles the Abbot on the outskirts, a place of solace for the afflicted, isolated yet connected to the city. Leprosy eventually faded, and Henry VIII, in his zeal, dissolved the hospital, its chapel becoming a parish church in 1542, now St Giles in the Fields. The area became a burial ground, its history intertwined with the gallows. Condemned prisoners, on their way to Tyburn, received a final “St Giles Bowl” of ale at the churchyard gate. Think of those final moments, the somber procession, the church a silent witness. Rebuilt in 1628 and again in 1733, thanks to Henry Flitcroft, St Giles the Abbot stands as a testament to resilience. Its churchyard holds secrets, including the remains of some of the St Giles Martyrs, Roman Catholics executed for treason. From plague pits to royal connections, the stories of St Giles the Abbot are woven into the fabric of London. This isn’t just a church; it’s a time capsule, echoing with the laughter, tears, and whispers of generations past. Remember the St Giles Bowl, the condemned, and Queen Matilda’s act of compassion when you next pass St Giles the Abbot.