St Augustine's Tower (Knights Templar) - Interior Shots

 

'The tower is all that remains of the old church of St. Augustine, which was built at the end of the thirteenth century when Hackney was a village separated by fields from the City of London.

During the 17th century the dedication changed to St. John. Why the change of name? The Knights Templar, a military order, were important landowners in Hackney, and probably gave the land on which the church was built. They were influenced by the writings of St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo. After the order was suppressed in 1308, their estates passed to another military religious order, the Knights Hospitaller, or Knights of St. John, and this led to the church being renamed St. John-at-Hackney. In turn, the Order of the Knights of St. John was dissolved during the Reformation...'

 The above quote states the order was dissolved but just one look at the Temple Mills location which is the site of Olympic's 2012 and you'll find all the road names into the site have a connection to religion in some format...The St Augustine site was their stronghold in the borough as the tower had long range views across the vast landscape. We had a chance to legally climb the spiral staircase to the roof and see the views for ourselves...

 

Bring me my bow of burning gold:
Bring me my arrows of desire:
Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire.

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

    William Blake