 In 1542 the Crown granted St Giles' to Dr George Owen of Godstow, a physician of King Henry VIII.In 1573 his son Richard Owen sold St. Giles to Sir Thomas White, Lord Mayor of London, who in 1555 had refounded the Cistercian house of St Bernard on the east side of St Giles' Street as St John's College.Sir Thomas granted St Giles' to St John's, which since then has held the advowson of the parish.