From the 1500s onwards London grew, and the marshes of Moorfields and Finsbury were drained. More people in the parish lived outside the City walls than
inside. In 1732, by an Act of Parliament, a new parish of St Luke’s Old Street was formed, consisting of the Lordship part of the original parish of St Giles. A new church designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor was built using funds voted by Parliament to celebrate Marlborough’s victory at Blenheim.