PREFACE

This is the second volume of the Survey of London to deal with a City parish, and like the first (the Parish of St. Helen, Bishopsgate) it is concerned with the parish church. The subject of this work shared with the Church of St. Helen the fortune of having escaped the Great Fire, and architecturally as well as historically takes a high place amongst the ecclesiastical monuments of London within the wall. All Hallows, in addition to being the subject of several papers and innumerable references in the histories of London, was, in 1864, treated individually in a Monograph by the Rev. Joseph Maskell, then curate.

The historical portion of the present volume is entirely the work of Miss Lilian J. Redstone, and in acknowledging her scholarly and admirably compiled contribution the Committee also wishes to place on record its indebtedness to the enthusiasm and co-operation of the present Vicar of All Hallows, the Rev. P. B. Clayton, the well-known Padre of "Toc H." It is not too much to say that but for Mr. Clayton the present volume could scarcely have been attempted. The original research that its production entailed had been already undertaken at his own personal charge, and was intended to have been part of a book published by himself. When for various reasons this scheme could not be fulfilled, Mr. Clayton unreservedly and most generously placed the whole of his material at the disposal of the Committee, with the result that is now apparent in these pages.

The Committee is, moreover, under an obligation, not only to Mr. Clayton and Miss Redstone, but to others who had already given help to them, namely to Mr. Cyril E. Power, who gave much assistance in regard to the history of the building and especially to the localisation of the various Chapels, and to Mr. Francis C. Eeles for a very careful revision of the manuscript, the addition of the footnotes initialled "F.E." and the transcription of the Inventory of 1452. In addition, the Committee wishes to acknowledge the help of several who contributed after it had taken over the actual completion of the work. Mr. Frank L. Pearson has kindly lent the original drawings prepared by the late Mr. J. L. Pearson, R.A., with the help of which members of the Survey Committee have made the drawings of the church published here; Mr. Will F. Taylor has given the splendid series of photographs of the church taken about 1910, and Mr. E. Hudson has allowed the use from Country Life of the photographs of the pulpit, font-cover, and two of the sword-rests. Acknowledgment is also made to Mr. A. B. Waters and Mr. J. F. Learner for placing at the Committee's disposal measured drawings of the reredos and the north porch and doorway; to Mrs. Catherine Murphy for permission to reproduce the drawing of the pulpit handrail by her husband, the late Mr. Bailey Scott Murphy, in English and Scottish Wrought Ironwork; to Mr. Reginald A. Rix for permission to include the drawings of the sword rests that appeared in the Architectural Association Sketch Book, and to Mr. H. V. Lanchester for those of the pulpit by his partner, the late Mr. E. A. Rickards, which also appeared in the same series, the proprietors and publishers of which have lent every assistance to the Committee. Mr. F. Sydney Eden has again assisted the Committee by contributing the notes on the ancient stained glass, while the Rev. E. E. Dorling has supervised the heraldic descriptions and also prepared the drawings for the marginal shields.

In compiling this first volume of the Parish of All Hallows Barking the Committee has included all the records which concern the church, its fabric and furniture, and has separated them from the personal monuments and other memorials within its walls. A full record and description of these latter has been prepared and will be given in the second volume, which will deal with the area of the parish and its inhabitants in so far as they are connected with the architectural vestiges to be described.