The Charity

Churches

Consecrated on the 16th of May, 1873, All Hallows, Bromley-by-Bow is one of three churches erected out of the sale proceeds of the site of the church and parsonage of All Hallows Staining, Mark Lane, which under the provision of the Union of Benefices Act 1860, and a Special Act obtained by The Grocers’ Company (Lady Slaney's Trust Estate 1869), was pulled down and the parish united with that of St Olave, Hart Street. Having been united in 1990 with the parish of Holy Trinity, Mile End Old Town to create a new team ministry, in March 2003 it reverted to being a single parish within its original boundaries. It is now called the Benefice and Parish of All Hallows, Bromley-by-Bow. The patronage is held jointly in their corporate capacity by The Bishop of London and The Grocers’ Company.

All Saints, Caldecote was built under the leadership of the Reverend A S Pott, Rector of Northill, a Liveryman of The Grocers’ Company, and consecrated by the Bishop of Ely in April 1868. Following the creation of the Benefice of Caldecote, Northill and Old Warden in 1998, the right of presentation to the new benefice will be exercised in a recurring series of three successive turns. The Grocers’ Company shall have the first and third and the Trustees of The R O Shuttleworth Remembrance Trust the second.

Consecrated on 23rd July 1891, St Barnabas, Homerton is one of the three Churches erected under Lady Slaney's Trust Estate Act, 1869. In 1981, the benefices and parishes of St Barnabas, Homerton and St Paul, Lower Homerton were united, and the parish church of St Paul declared redundant. In 1985 the benefice of St Barnabas with St Paul was united with the benefice of All Souls, Clapton Common, to create the Benefice of Hackney Marsh. In 2019 the parish was subject to a new scheme under which it was renamed as the Parish of St Barnabas, Homerton but which still incorporates the other churches. Rectors are presented by a patronage board consisting of the Bishop of London, The Grocers' Company and the Trustees of All Souls, Clapton Common.

Presented by Mr A C Benedict Eyre MBE in 1964, St John Baptist, Stone with Hartwell and Bishopstone was united in a single parish with St Peter and St Paul Dinton in 1977. In 2016 the Parish merged with four neighbouring parishes into the Wychert Vale Benefice. Rectors are presented by the Bishop of Oxford, the Dean and Chapter of Rochester Cathedral and the Grocers' Company.

Pesented by Mrs Raffles-Flint in 1930, St Ladoca, Ladock was united with the benefices of Probus and Creed in 1973. The new benefice, which is now known as Probus, Ladock, St. Erme, and Creed with Grampound and Grampound Road, is served by a team ministry: the Rector and a vicar, with the latter based at Ladock. Rectors are presented by the Truro Diocesan Board of Patronage on which the following are entitled to be represented: the Grocers' Company, the Patrons of the Benefice of Creed and The Bishop of Truro.

Having been united in 1990 with the parish of All Hallows, Bromley-by-Bow to create a new team ministry, in March 2003 Holy Trinity, Bow Road reverted to being a single parish within its original boundaries. In 2006 Holy Trinity united with St. Mary’s Church, Bow Road. It is now known as the Benefice of St Mary, Bow with Bromley St. Leonard & Parish of Holy Trinity Mile End. In response to the parishes’ request, The Grocers’ Company continue to hold the patronage jointly with the Bishop of London.

Located three and a half miles from Biggleswade, St Mary Virgin, Northill was purchased under Dame Margaret Slaney’s Trust in 1620. The tower contains a turret clock, reputedly built in 1663 by Thomas Tompion from Northill. The Living was put in suspension following the retirement of the incumbent in 1996, and in 1998 it was united with the benefices of Caldecote and Old Warden to form the Benefice of Caldecote, Northill and Old Warden.

The church dates back to Norman times and features an original Norman font, a timber framed bellcote and a shingled spire. St Mary was built around 1140 and restored in 1869. The church has a distinctive clock which was installed during this period of renovation. Situated between Knighton and Ludlow.

All Hallows, Honey Lane was bequeathed to The Grocers’ Company by Simon Streete in 1456. The Benefice of St Mary-le-Bow is held jointly with the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has two presentations to the Company's one. Prayer and worship have been offered here since about 1080 when the first church on this site was founded as the London headquarters of the archbishops of Canterbury. The mediaeval church of Saint Mary-le-Bow survived 3 devastating collapses before being completely destroyed in the great fire of 1666. Rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, it was destroyed once more in 1941 but was again rebuilt and re-consecrated in 1964.

The church was built at Highfield, near Wigan, by Colonel Henry Blundell, in memory of his late wife, who died in 1884. In 2008 The Grocers’ Company became a co-patron on the introduction of Mr Martyn Hedley, a descendant of Colonel Blundell. Incumbents are presented by a Board of Patronage on which the Company is entitled to be represented.

Presented in 1939 by Captain R Abel Smith MC, St Michael and All Angels, Waterford has been united with the parishes of Bramfield and Stapleford and Watton-at-Stone. From 1st August 1999, the new united benefice became known as the Benefice of Bramfield, Staplefield, Waterford and Watton-at-Stone. Right of presentation to the benefice is exercised in a recurring series of four successive turns, of which The Grocers’ Company has the third.

Located fourteen miles from Plymouth and nine from Totnes, St Peter's, Ugborough was purchased under Dame Margaret Slaney's Trust in 1786. In 1991, the benefices of Ermington and Ugborough were united to form the Benefice of Ermington and Ugborough. The first incumbent was the Rector of Ugborough. The incumbent of the new benefice is presented in turns by the Crown, the Bishop of Exeter and The Grocers' Company jointly, who have the second, third and fourth turns respectively. However, the benefice, now part of the Three Rivers Mission Community, is currently in suspense, and the Rector of Diptford is priest-in-charge.

St Peter's, located in New Street Oundle, was built on the site of an earlier church and monastery, founded by St Wilfred of Northumbria in the 8th century. A pre-conquest coffin lid is the only surviving relic of an earlier church. Originally, St Peter's was a small Norman Church with a central tower, which was enlarged in the 13th century. The interior was first restored in 1864 and contains a coloured pulpit, beautifully carved screens as well as memorials and stained glass windows.

In 1428, with foundations c. 1080, St Stephen’s church and its graveyard were too small for the parish, and licences were obtained to build a larger church on higher ground and Walbrook, no longer a stream, was now a street. The land was given by Robert Chicheley, a member of The Worshipful Company of Grocers. The present domed building was designed by Sir Christopher Wren following the destruction of its medieval predecessor in the Great Fire of London in 1666. It is located in Walbrook, next to the Mansion House. The patronage is shared with Magdalene College, Cambridge.