St Augustine's Tower stands as Hackney's oldest building; a lone medieval sentinel that has witnessed seven centuries of the borough's transformation. This Grade I listed structure is all that remains of the parish church that once served the entire community, preserved by chance when the rest of the building was demolished in 1798.
Origins and Construction
The church itself dates back to 1275, when it was first mentioned as a sinecure rectory. The current tower, however, was constructed in the early 16th century as part of a rebuilding programme commemorated by the arms of Sir John Heron (d. 1521) and rector Christopher Urswick (d. 1522). Built of Kentish ragstone in coursed rubble masonry, the tower originally reached 118 feet to the top of its vane. The structure contains four stages beneath a restored parapet, with diagonal buttressing and a spiral stone staircase of 135 steps.
The church was originally dedicated to St Augustine of Hippo. Its dedication changed to St John at Hackney around 1660, influenced by the Knights Hospitallers. Samuel Pepys visited in 1667, noting in his diary the organ and "young ladies at school".
The Demolition That Wasn't
In 1790, an Act of Parliament authorised the rebuilding of the church. The new St John-at-Hackney was constructed between 1791 and 1797 on a site to the north-east, and the body of the medieval church was demolished in 1798. The stone was sold as building material.
The tower survived only because it housed Hackney's eight bells. The contractor tasked with demolition found the tower too difficult to pull down, and it was left standing. The bells remained in place until 1854, when they were finally moved to the new church tower, which required underpinning to bear their weight.
Between demolition and preservation, the tower served various practical purposes. It was used as a public mortuary and as a tool shed for the surrounding gardens. Four cornerstones mark the original site of the church nave to the east of the tower.
The Clock of National Significance
The tower houses a 16th or early 17th-century turret clock of significant horological importance. The clock is mentioned in parish documents from at least 1608. Experts at the Royal Observatory Greenwich have compared it to clocks held at Dover Castle and the British Museum. The clock faces visible today were added later at second-floor level.
Preservation and Public Access
Hackney Council purchased the tower from the church in 1929 to prevent its demolition. The structure was made safe in 1983. A Heritage Lottery Fund grant of Β£231,000 in 2005 enabled substantial repairs.
Since 1990, the Hackney Historic Buildings Trust has managed the tower. It opens to the public on the last Sunday of every month (except December) from 2pm to 4:30pm, with free admission. The ground floor offers flat level access and a permanent exhibition; upper floors are accessible only via the winding stone staircase. The tower is also available for private hire.
Symbol of the Borough
St Augustine's Tower appears on the coat of arms of the London Borough of Hackney. The borough's motto, Justitia Turris Nostra, translates as "Justice is our tower". The tower also featured on the cap badge of the 10th (Hackney) Battalions of the London Regiment during the First World War.
The surrounding St John's Church Gardens received Green Flag Award and Green Flag Heritage status in 2008. Located in central Hackney just off the southern end of the Narrow Way, the tower sits at what was once the historic heart of Hackney village. From the top, visitors can look out across a landscape that has transformed from medieval parish to modern London borough; a view that encompasses both ancient stonework and the distant City skyscrapers.