All Hallows on the Wall
The dedication of this church to All Hallows (All Saints) is a common one, shared by eight other medieval City churches.
The first church on this site is claimed to have been built in the twelfth century on the remains of a bastion in the Roman wall. This church survived the Great Fire of London, but was replaced in 1767 by one designed by George Dance the Younger.
Dance had recently returned from a trip to Italy where he had been strongly influenced by the classical buildings he saw there.
The church, which he designed when he was only 24, has only a barrel vaulted nave and a domed apse inside. Both the north and south walls are plain brick due to their closeness to the Roman wall in the north and to nearby buildings in the south. The only aspect of the church designed to be viewed was the west front, which has a Portland stone entrance.
All Hallows was damaged during the Second World War but was restored in the early 1960s. No longer a parish church it is still the guild church of the Carpenters' livery company, which has held its annual elections in the church for over 600 years.
Though services are still held in the church on the first Wednesday of every month, its main function is now as an exhibition and meeting space. All Hallows is also open to visitors on Fridays between 11 am and 3 pm.