Building    From 1147  To 1825

St Katharine by the Tower / Royal Foundation of St Katharine

Categories: Religion

Full name: Royal Hospital and Collegiate Church of St. Katharine by the Tower.

This was a medieval church and hospital founded by Queen Matilda of Boulogne, wife of King Stephen. From 1273 onwards patronage was always held by the queen.  By the nineteenth century it had grown to a village providing refuge to immigrants and to the poor. Considered insanitary and located close to the City this was the site chosen for new docks. This happened during a period that there was no queen available to be patron and so, unprotected, "old Kate" was demolished. The Docks company funded the construction of a chapel and other buildings in Regent's Park.  

1948 some buildings were badly damaged by bombs, the Foundation was reconstituted as the Royal Foundation of St Katharine and decided to return to the East End, to the war-damaged site of St James Ratcliff.  The Regents Park church was sold to the Danish Church. The complex story is told very well at our picture source and at the Royal Foundation of St Katharine (2022: both sites now inaccessible.)

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
St Katharine by the Tower / Royal Foundation of St Katharine

Commemorated ati

St Katharine by the Tower

Very similar iron plaques can be found on mooring bollards around the docks. ...

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Other Subjects

Association of Jewish Refugees

Association of Jewish Refugees

The AJR provides an extensive range of social and welfare services, and grants financial assistance to Jewish victims of Nazi persecution living in Great Britain. The AJR’s plaque scheme honours p...

Group, Children, Community / Clubs, Religion

5 memorials
Hardiman

Hardiman

Committee Member of Kingston Spiritualist Church in 1927.

Person, Religion

1 memorial
William Cotton

William Cotton

William Cotton FRS was an inventor, merchant, philanthropist, and governor of the Bank of England 1842-5. He helped build St John's Church Leytonstone in 1833, and 75 other churches in London. He ...

Person, Philanthropy, Politics & Administration, Religion

1 memorial
Christchurch - Greyfriars Vestry

Christchurch - Greyfriars Vestry

Originally added to the church in 1760, built flush against the facade's south side and part of the church's south wall. Partially destroyed 1940, rebuilt in 1981.

Building, Religion

1 memorial
Oliver Plunkett

Oliver Plunkett

Archbishop and saint. Born Ireland, admitted to the Irish College in Rome and ordained in 1654.  He was appointed Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland in 1669, but because of the suppres...

Person, Religion, Ireland, Italy

2 memorials

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Royal Institution (of Great Britain)

Royal Institution (of Great Britain)

A group of men started meeting at Gresham College and formed a society to promote experimental knowledge. Achieved the royal charter in 1662. Still in its original premises in Albemarle Street. Mi...

Group, Science

4 memorials
James Gold

James Gold

Architect active in 1729.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial