The first mention of the church of St Laurence Pountney is in 1067 when it is called “St Laurence cum cimiterio”. In 1275 it is recorded as “St Laurence by the Thames”. The name “Pountney” became associated with the church around 1334 when John de Poulteney erected the chapel of Corpus Christi and College of St Lawrence adjoining the church. This benefactor’s name gradually corrupted to Pountney (or sometimes Pulteneye) and became not just the name of the church but also the street running down the hill to the Thames. It is clearly marked on the Agas map of 1560.
Before the Great Fire of London, St Laurence Pountney seems to have been a magnificent edifice. It’s tall steeple made it a significant landmark on the London skyline and it is prominent in many of the panoramic views of the city before 1666 – as shown below. John Stow in his Survey of London, published in 1598, was fulsome in his write up saying:
Then is there one other lane called St. Laurence, of the parish church there. This lane, down to the south side of the churchyard, is of Candlewick street ward. The parish church of St. Laurence was increased with a chapel of Jesus by Thomas Cole, for a master and chaplain; the which chapel and parish church was made a college of Jesus and of Corpus Christi, for a master and seven chaplains, by John Poultney, mayor, and was confirmed by Edward III., the 20th of his reign: of him was this church called St. Laurence Poultney, in Candlewick street; which college was valued at £79 17s. 11d., and was surrendered in the reign of Edward VI. Robert Ratcliffe, Earl of Essex, and Henry Ratcliffe, Earl of Sussex, was buried there; Alderman Beswicke was buried there; John Oliffe, alderman, Robert Browne, and others. Thus much for this ward, and the antiquities thereof. It hath now an alderman, his deputy, common councillors eight, constables eight, scavengers six, wardmote inquest men twelve, and a beadle. It is taxed to the fifteen at sixteen pounds.
We know that the north part of the church was repaired in 1306 and again in 1634 when the steeple was releaded and new bells hung. However, it was destroyed in the Great Fire. Observers commented at the time that fire seemed to burst forth out of the steeple as though it was independent of the original conflagration. The parish was combined with nearby St Mary Abchurch after the fire and you can see an original boundary marker inside that church. Under the City of London Guild Churches Act of 1952, St Mary’s ceased to be a parish church, and its territorial parish was joined to that of nearby St Stephen Walbrook. That is why in St Stephen Walbrook you can find a list of church wardens for St Laurence Pountney. The site of the lost church of St Laurence Pountney is marked with a blue plaque today
The wikipedia page for St Laurence Pountney is here