Church of St Leonard is a Grade I listed building in the Hackney local planning authority area, England. First listed on 3 January 1950. A 1736 Church. 1 related planning application.

Church of St Leonard

WRENN ID
eternal-solder-sable
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
Hackney
Constituency
Hackney South and Shoreditch MP: Dame Meg Hillier (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
3 January 1950
Type
Church
Address
Church of St Leonard, Shoreditch High Street E1, E1 6JN
OS grid reference
TQ 334 826
Coordinates
51.52683, -0.07722
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: sale history · EPC · related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Church of St Leonard is a parish church built in 1736 by George Dance the elder. It is a Classical-style building constructed around a brick core with extensive dressings of Portland stone. The prominent, full-height Doric portico is pedimented, and incorporates a tower above, which is divided into a clock stage, bell stage, drum, a smaller upper drum, and a short spire—all constructed of Portland stone. The church has arched windows and doorways, all within moulded architraves. A cornice and pediment, decorated with scrolled consoles, adorns the main entrance.

Inside, a groin-vaulted lobby opens into a nave characterised by round arcading resting on Doric entablatures mounted on piers. A gallery occupies the west bay, housing a handsome baroque organ case. The east bay contains good oak choir benches. The pulpit has the appearance of a 17th-century design but dates from the early to mid-18th century, and includes a contemporary staircase. There are various monuments, notably that to Elizabeth Benson (died 1710) by Francis Bird. An undercroft with groin vaulting contains old tomb chests. A later south extension has been added to the church.

The church, along with the railings to the north and the churchyard gates and railings, is designated as a group of buildings of group value.

Local climate

Church of St Leonard sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 95% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 98% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 35 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 57% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
  • Sale history — 1 transaction since 2016
  • Related listed building consents — 1 application
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Railings and Gates to North of Number 118 1/2 Grade II 34 m
  2. Walls, Gates and Railings to St Leonard's Churchyard Grade II 37 m
  3. 118 1/2, Shoreditch High Street E1 Grade II 38 m
  4. Cleeve House Grade II 69 m
  5. Public Control Department of London Borough of Tower Hamlets Grade II 71 m
  6. Cleeve Workshops, Rear of Cleeve House, Boundary Street Estate Grade II 85 m
  7. Marlow Workshops Grade II 110 m
  8. Shoreditch Tabernacle Church Hall Grade II 113 m
  9. Marlow House Grade II 117 m
  10. Shoreditch Town Hall Grade II 135 m