Church of St Mary Woolnoth, Lombard Street

This church, dedicated to St Mary, received the second part of its name by being situated near the Woolstaple (the place for weighing wool); the noth, corrupted from neath, meaning 'near'. The old church was not entirely destroyed by the Great Fire; the steeple escaped the flames and the walls were repaired. But eventually, the whole falling greatly to decay, it was thought best to demolish the church and subsequently a new stone church opened on the site in 1719. Many Roman artefacts were found beneath the old church, as well tusks and bones of goats and boars, and it is possible the site was once a Roman temple. In digging the foundation for the new church a natural spring was uncovered, and a pump was affixed to it that parishioners might enjoy the fresh water.