St. Martin’s in Balliva was situated near the spot where, until lately, the Golden Ball tavern stood, on the south side of the Castle Hill. The church was on the right hand of the entrance into Golden Ball Lane. In 1562, this church was demolished and the parish united to St. Michael’s at Thorn. Formerly all persons dying in the castle, and all criminals executed, were buried in this churchyard, but this right, after the desecration of the church, was conferred upon St. Michael’s at Thorn.
St. Mary the Virgin’s was situated in Conisford, and belonged to the Augustine Friars, being also dedicated to St. Augustine. It was a noble structure, 450 feet long and 90 feet wide, with cloisters on the north and south sides. After the Dissolution it became private property in 1547, when the church and conventual buildings were demolished.
St. Mary Unbrent stood on the west side of Magdalen Street, near Golden Dog Lane. The church was demolished at the dissolution, and the parish united to St. Saviour’s. “Unbrent” means unburnt. The church was called St. Mary in combusto loco, or in that part of the city burnt in the great fire in the time of William I. Blomefield thinks that the church was then consumed, and afterwards rebuilt; and that it was erroneously written in ancient documents uncombusto, instead of in combusto.
St. Matthew’s, near the palace, was a small church. The parish has, since the great pestilence of 1349, been united with that of St. Martin’s at Palace.
St. Michael’s in Coslany was sold to the Austin Friars in 1360, and shortly afterwards the parish was united to that of St. Peter Parmenter Gate, when the church was demolished and a cloister erected on its site.
St. Olave’s, or St. Tooley’s, stood on the east side of Tooley Street, next to the corner of Cherry Lane. It was demolished in 1546, and the parish consolidated with St. George’s Colegate.
St. Catherine’s in Newgate was situated on St. Catherine’s Hill. In 1349 the whole parish was almost depopulated by the pestilence, after which the church was deserted and converted into a chapel, the parish being united with that of All Saints. At the Dissolution the chapel was granted to Sir John Milton, and in 1567 conveyed to the city for the use of St. Giles’ hospital. Thus a large amount of Church property was applied to secular purposes.
DESECRATED CHAPELS.
Blomefield gives an account of different chapels dedicated to various purposes, most of which were destroyed at the Dissolution.
St. Catherine’s Chapel stood upon Mousehold, about a mile north-east of the barracks, was founded about the time of the Conquest, and was deemed a parochial chapel while it was standing. At the Dissolution this chapel was demolished and the parish united with that of St. James.