The two major destination for Huguenots in London were Spitalfields and Soho. As part of the current Huguenot Summer festival, Paul Baker took me on a walk around Soho and beyond to show me some of the significant sites that tell the story of the Huguenot presence. You can join Paul on a tour to learn more this Saturday 13th June from 11am until 1pm, meeting at Eleanor Cross outside Charing Cross Station. Walks also take place on 4th & 25th July – booking details are at the end of this feature.
Commemorated in Soho Sq, Charles II granted sanctuary to the Huguenots in 1681
Berwick St once had two Huguenot chapels, L’Église de la Pattente, 1689 and L’Élise du Quarré, 1694
At the corner of Greek St & Old Compton St from 1694 – 1770 was once the workshop of Paul Crespin, Silversmith, and Nicholas Sprimant, Silversmith, had his workshop in Old Compton St from 1716 – 1771
Samuel Romilly (1758-1818) was the son of a Frith St jeweller who became the Solicitor General, notable as an anti-slavery campaigner and for abolishing hanging, drawing and quartering, and his nephew Peter Mark Roget, the Physician, wrote the famous Thesaurus
In West St, this chapel was originally built as La Pyramid de la Tremblade in 1770, but in 1742 it became a Methodist Chapel when Samuel Wesley took over
Appointed Silversmith & Goldsmith to George III in 1716, Paul de Lamerie (1688- 1751) had his workshop at 40 Gerrard St and his trade card was designed by William Hogarth
The Huguenot L’Église de Leicester Fields was built in 1693 in Orange St
A Huguenot chapel of ease was built here in Spring Gardens in 1685 but burnt down in 1726 along with the gunpowder depot next door
This Statue of Charles I at the top of Whitehall was created by French sculptor Hubert Le Suer in 1633
In 1662, Charles II granted a patent for Huguenot Chapel in Savoy Hill provided they used the Book of Common Prayer in French
London’s first Huguenot chapel was on the site of Somerset House between 1653 and 1660
Click here to book for Paul Baker’s Huguenot Soho walk on Saturday 13th June at 11am
Click here to book for Paul Baker’s Huguenot Soho walk on Saturday 4th July at 11am
Click here to book for Paul Baker’s Huguenot Soho walk on Saturday 25th July at 11am