Site

Frustratingly the location of the majority of the burnings seems to be in doubt.  Of the 23 sufferers named on the monument: 1 was not martyred, only tortured; 2 were despatched in Smithfield; 1 at Ware; 1 location unknown.  The remaining 18 were, according to the monument, burnt "in this place" or "at Stratford" or "at Stratford-le-Bow" or "in this town" or "here".  But it seems that until the monument was erected, Stratford-le-Bow was understood to be Bow, and given the crowds (20,000) the site was thought to be at Fair Field, now Fairfield Road, Bow, just north of Bow Church Station.  But the memorial erectors got the idea that Straford was the place and the rest is history (or rather not history, if you know what we mean).  This information came from the church website (and you'd expect them to be keen to argue the case for the monument being correctly located) whereas the normally trustworthy BBC History run with the Stratford location, probably Stratford Green, with no doubts expressed.  If you have evidence either way, please let us know.

The church was built in 1833, designed by Edward Blore.