The Crypt

The museum in the crypt of All Hallows by the Tower

Having briefly explored the exterior of the church of All Hallows by the Tower, I popped inside with the intention of having a quick look at the arcades – which are built in concrete – and a late 7th century Saxon arch, constructed partly from Roman bricks.

A 7th century arch with recycled Roman bricks

What I didn't know was that excavations in the crypt, first built in the 14th century with Kentish ragstone and chalk, had discovered a tessellated Roman floor from the 2nd century and that a museum now housed a variety of Roman and Saxon artefacts that also been found on the site.

The remains of a Roman mosaic floor in the crypt

Although full access to the various chapels isn't possible, and many of the old walls have been partially lime washed to obscure their nature, an expanse of chalk walling can be seen in the Oratory of St. Clare. I had previously seen flint used in many of the old churches in the suburbs of south London, but this was the first time that I had seen chalk used like this.

Chalk used for walling in the Oratory of St. Clare

With the Tower of London still to explore later that afternoon, and not having the time to closely examine the Roman floor or the various exhibits in the museum, I was unfortunately only able to take a few quick photos as a reminder of what I had seen.

Various Roman inscriptions

I have seen various remains of Saxon crosses during my exploration of the mediaeval churches of South Yorkshire, but I had never encountered anything like The Peacock Pluteus stone, which is in a style that was popular during the 11th century Byzantine era.

The Peacock Pluteus stone

The most memorable artefact in the museum, however, was the fine example of mediaeval alabaster produced in Nottinghamshire, which was once famed for its small scale carvings.

A sculpture carved in alabaster