Trinity Wall Street and St Mary-le-Bow: a shared history and future

When the parish of Trinity Wall Street was founded in 1697, its Vestry was commanded to do everything ‘according to the use of St Mary-le-Bow’. Following the destruction of St Mary-le-Bow during the Second World War, Trinity Wall Street’s generosity was a key part of the rebuilding of our parish church. This continued a legacy of relationships between our two parishes. In 1704 the Bishop of London, nominally first Rector of Trinity, sent a large bell to Trinity, which was put in the tower of the Chapel of the Intercession, an echo of the famous Bow Bell here at St Mary-le-Bow.

The links between our two parishes continued into the 20th century. In 1963, Joseph McCulloch, then Rector of St Mary-le-Bow, addressed a Vestry meeting at Trinity Wall Street and gave them a gift of a miniature replica of the great Bow Bell. Dr Heuss, Rector of Trinity attended the service of reconsecration of St Mary-le-Bow on June 11 1964, and delivered an address during the service.

Our parishes continue to enjoy a close relationship today. In 2025, Fr Simon met with Fr Phil, Rector of Trinity in New York following his appointment to St Mary-le-Bow, and later that year Fr Phil travelled to London for Fr Simon’s institution and induction, and delivered words of welcome at the end of the service. As we continue to serve communities in the heart of the world’s financial and business centres we look forward to continue to deepen and develop these bonds of relationship and shared history in years to come.

Australia

St Mary-le-Bow is pleased to be a spiritual home for the Australian Community in London, through its association with the Britain-Australia Society. In the south west corner of St Mary-le-Bow stands a bust commemorating Admiral Arthur Phillip, first Governor of Australia, who was baptised in All Hallows Bread Street, one of the parishes which make up our current parish, and whose memorial was originally erected in another of the parishes which now make up our parish, St Mildred Bread Street, before its destruction during the Blitz in 1941. The Memorial was restored and re-erected by the Britain – Australia Bicentennial Trust. An annual service commemorates Admiral Phillip and his own particular legacy as an opponent of slavery.