This church originally belonged to the College of St Martin-le-Grand.[3] It was founded in the 13th century by the dean and canons of St. Martin's,[4] to serve the inhabitants of the precinct, who had previously worshipped at the altar of St Leonard in the collegiate church.[1] The building, which was small, stood in the courtyard of the collegiate church, on the west side of Foster Lane.[3]
There is a record of a new window being installed in the chancel in 1533.[3] In 1579, the existing graveyard, being too small was leased out, and a new one laid out on an area of the precinct previously known as the "Dean's Garden" leased by the churchwarden and parishioners for a term of 61 years.[1] The building was repaired and enlarged in 1631,[3] at a cost of more than £500.[1]
St Leonard's was largely destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and not rebuilt.[6] the parish instead being united to that of Christ Church, Newgate Street, and the site used as a graveyard.[1] Some ruins of the church remained, however, until the early 19th century, when they were finally cleared [7] to make way for the new buildings of the General Post Office.[3]
Despite the destruction of the church, the "Parish Dole"[8] was still available as late as 1907.[9]
Its former burial ground now forms part of Postman's Park.
References
^ abcdeNewcourt, Richard (1708). Repetorium Ecclesiasticum Parochiale Londinense. Vol. 1. London. pp. 293–4.
^"Vanished Churches in the City of London" Huelin,G: London,Guildhall Library Publications,1996 ISBN0-900422-42-4
