Church Of All Hallows By The Tower

The Church of All Hallows by the Tower is a significant Saxon and medieval building located on Great Tower Street, dating back to the 17th century with a brick tower constructed in 1658. The church was damaged during World War II, leading to the rebuilding of the arcades, the center of the east end, the roof, and the steeple, which were redesigned by architects Seeley and Paget. The old walls, primarily refaced, are constructed of squared rubble in the style of the 15th century.

The church features a two-storey north porch and vestry, built in the late 19th or early 20th century in an ornamental Gothic style. There is also a three-storey south-west wing made of brick and stone from the 20th century. The plain tower is made of red brick and has a wooden modillion cornice, topped by an elaborate copper-covered steeple that rises through a circular balustrade of Portland stone.

Beneath the south-east chapel is a crypt that contains some fittings from the old church, including a canopied stone monument to Sir John Cooke from 1477 and several medieval brasses. Additionally, there is a notable late 17th-century font cover, sword rests, and a stair balustrade. The crypt also holds remnants of a Roman house from the 2nd or 3rd century, featuring ragstone walls, half-timbered partitions, and a tessellated floor preserved below the tower. The church itself is an aisleless structure built using reused Roman materials, which were incorporated into the early medieval church. An arched doorway with Roman brick detailing, likely leading to a former porticus, can be found at the west end of the church.