The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and parts adjacent, etc

Front matter

J.ROGERS. i>^^^^^^BJ^3 WESX3MÆSTER _ÆX1J> THE BGROVGR l) I-' BmWTWWAMM^ (l^&wQ'^mœj^^u/// , a^T TSetv of &ie .Eztsrier of briery Lime, Theatres. ~VœL . TV. Iintium.- jpvwn SMEB ÆT eMOM.eE tjmtwe. ssjjtiæeœ. ZPA^EEKLTO SXKR JROVtr. THE HISTORY AND ANTIQUITIES OF LONDON, WESTMINSTER, SOUTHWARK, AND PARTS ADJACENT. BY THOMAS ALLEN. CONTINUED TO THE PRESENT TIME, By THOMAS WRIGHT, Esq. of Trin. Coll. Cambridge, AUTHOR OF "HISTORY OF ESSEX," &C. VOL. IV. fton&on : PUBLISHED BY GEORGE VIRTUE, 26, IVY LANE, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1837. LONDON i R. CLAY, PRINTER, BREAD-STREET-HILL. CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Chapter I. Page Site, local divisions, and government of the city of Westminster ; history of the Abbey ; coronation ceremonies ; and lists of the abbots and deans 1 Chapter II. Survey of Westminster Abbey, and description of the tombs and monuments 48 Chapter III.

History and Topography of St. Margaret's parish 151 Chatter IV. History and Topography of St. John's parish, Westminster .... 23. Chapter V. History and Topography of the parish of St. Martin's in the Fields, Westminster 240 Chapter VI. History and Topography of the parish of St. James, Westminster . 279 Chapter VII. History and Topography of the parish of St. Anne, Westminster . . 304 Chapter VIII. History and Topography of the parish of St. Paul, Covent Garden . 310 Chapter IX History and Topography of the parish of St. Mary-le-Strand . . 319 Chapter X. History and Topography of the parish of St. Clement Danes . . . 337 Chapter XI. History and Topography of the parish of St. George, Hanover-square 352 Chapter XII. History and Topography of the precinct of the Savoy CONTENTS OF VOL. IV. Chapter XIII.

Page History and Topography of the Inns of Court 386 Chapter XIV. History and Topography of the precincts of the Charter House and Ely Place, and the Liberty of the Rolls 414 Chapter XV. Historical Notices of the Borough of Southwark 433 Chapter XVI. History and Topography of the parish of St. Olave, Southwark . . 445 Chapter XVII. History and Topography of the parish of St. John, Southwark . . 453 Chapter XVIII. History and Topography of the Parish of St. Thomas, Southwark . 456 Chapter XIX. History and Topography of the parish of St. George, Southwark . . 469 Chapter XX. History and Topography of St. Saviour's parish 494 Chapter XXI. History and Topography of the parish of Christchurch, in the county of Surrey 529 Chapter XXII. A list of the principal books, &c. that have been published in illustration of the antiquities, history, topography, and other subjects treated of in this work ENGRAVINGS TO VOL. IV.

Chapter I

Site, local divisions, and government of the City of Westminster; history of the. Abbey • Coronation Ceremonies ; and lists of the Abbots and Deans. The history of Westminster is involved in that of the venerable abbey from which it derives its name. To the zeal and taste of English monachism, are we indebted for some of the finest remains of pointed architecture, and one of the most ancient and interesting edifices in Europe ; but, unfortunately, like all other similar relics of the piety, taste, and skill of our forefathers prior to the Reformation, the iconoclastic zeal and mistaken policy of a purer faith, have involved much of its earliest history in obscurity. The furor of two state ecclesiastical reformations has lessened the evidence of its former magnificence, by ravaging its archives, and committing to the flames, as records of popery, many documents which are now required in the elucidation of its history.

This city, as above noticed, received its name from the abbey, or minster, situated to the westward of the city of London, which, according to several historians, was thus denominated, to distinguish it from the abbey of Grace on Tower-hill, called Eastminster ; but Mr. Maitland proves this to be a mistake, by showing that the former is called Westminster, in an undated charter of sanctuary, granted by Edward the Confessor, who died in 1066, and that the latter was uot founded till 1359; he therefore supposes, that the appellation of Westminster was given to distinguish it from St. Paul's church, in the city of London. In ancient times, this was a mean, unhealthy place, remark voliv. B able for nothing but the abbey, which was situated on a marshy island, surrounded on one side by the Thames, and on the other by what was called Long Ditch.

This ditch was a branch of the river, which began nearly where Manchester-buildings now stand ; and crossing King-street, ran westward to Delahay-street, where it turned to the south, and continued its course along Princes-street, until it crossed Tothill-street, from whence it passed along the south wall of the abbey-garden, to the Thames again. It has, however, been arched over for many years, and is at present a common sewer. Mr. Nightingale, however, presumes this island was of greater extent. 'From the roof of the northern tower of Westminster-abbey, he says, the eye may distinctly trace the ancient isle of Thorney. Following the winding of the Thames round Mill-bank, we perceive it ends in a marsh, filled with reeds and aquatic plants, at the ex tremity of Ranelagh gardens. From that place to Chelsea water works is equally low and wet, exclusive of the creek, or canal for barges.

This brings the eye almost to the gates of St. James's park, where a valley, nearly in a line with the marsh, contains the canal. Allowing these probabilities, and for filling inequalities in thest.-eets, an angular line is formed. But a question naturally occurs : whence was made the embankment, known by the name of Milbank ? And where would high water mark be found, supposing it away? It is to be feared Ihe island of Thorney would be reduced to a very narrow compass. Possibly the tide passed, in very ancient times, across Parliament street, through the park, and over all the ground south-west of the abbey, leaving on its return the whole a mass of filth. Such, generally, are the observations and conjectures of an antiquary to whom I have before been frequently indebted. The necessity of thus endeavouring minutely to ascertain the situation and boundaries of the little island of Thorney arises from the ancient asser tion that the abbey of Westminster was erected on this real, or imaginary insulated spot of ground, which was called the Island of Thorns, or Thorney Island, on account of its being overspread with thorns.

After all, however, much is left to conjecture on this subject, and as much to the imagination, in support of this ancient tradition concerning Thorney Island.'* In the course of time a few houses were erected round the monastery, which, at length, grew into a small town, called in ancient books, ' The town of Westminster.' But the principal cause of the increase of Westminster, was the continual jealousv of the government against the privileges and immunities claimed bv the citizens of London. To this cause must be attributed the establishment of the woolstaple, at Westminstej^in preference to London, which occasioned a great resort of. merchants thither. Another * Beauties of England an<}[3|Bf|i75bP^Apart 4, p. 11. cause of ils growth, was, the royal residence being generally here ; for which reason, most of the chief nobility also erected inns, or town-houses, in its vicinity, the sites of many of which still retain the names of their former owners.

Westminster continued for many ages a distinct town from Lon don, and the road between them, on the sides of which the street called the Strand was afterwards built, passed along the river side, and through the village of Charing.

This road, however, from the frequent passing of horses and carts, had become so dangerous both to men and carriages, that in the year 1353, an order of council was passed which imposed a duty on every pack of wool, as well as all other goods, ' carried either by land or water to the staple of Westminster ;' ' for the purpose of repairing the highway leading frono the gate of London, called Temple-bar, to the gate of the abbey at Westminster.'* It is evident from the record, that London and Westminster were then regarded as distinct towns; but it would be, perhaps, too much to infer, that ' the highway' between them, ' now the noble street, called the Strand, was not then built upon, but was a mere country road, having, however, many noblemen's and gentlemen's houses and gardens adjoining to it,' &c. For we learn, from the same order of council, that the cause of the impost was, the ' highway, being by the frequent passing of carts and horses, carrying merchandize and provisions to the said staple, be come so deep and miry, and the pavement so broken and worn, as to be very dangerous both to men and carriages ;' and we farther find, that it was ordained, that ' all owners of houses, adjacent to the highway, should repair as much as lay before their doors.' — It seems pretty clear from these parts of the edict, that even at this early period the buildings of both cities had extended consi derably beyond their respective gates, along the line of the high way between them ; although probably they did not reach ol either side as far as Charing-cross, which is supposed to have derived its name from a village, tailed Charing, which anciently stood midway between London and Westminster.

In 1385, it was new paved from Temple-bar to the Savoy ; and some years after, by the in terest of sir Robert Cecil, who had an elegant mansion where Cecil street now stands, the pavement was continued as far as his house. In course of time, Westminster became a place of some consi deration ; but it received its most distinguished honours from Henry VIII. who, on the dissolution of the monastery of St. Peter, converted it into a bishopric, with a dean and twelve prebendaries ; and appointed the whole county of Middlesex, except Fulha.ii, which was to remain to the bishop of London, for its diocese. On this occasion Westminster became a city ; for the making of which, according to lord chief justice Coke, nothing more is re quired, than to be the seat of episcopal potter. * Hughson, vol. i, p. 78.

B The old palace, near the abbey, having been nearly destroyed by fire in 1512, Henry VIII. took up his residence at Whitehall, which he purchased, in 1530, of cardinal Wolsey. He also built the palace of St. James, and inclosed a fine spot of ground, which he converted into a park, for the accommodation of both palaces. From this period, the buildings about Westminster began greatly to increase: but it did not long enjoy the honour of being a city; for it never had but one bishop, ThoniasThirleby, who being translated to the see of Norwich, by Edward VI. in 1550, the new bishopric was dissolved, and its right to the epithet of city was thereby lost. However, Westminster is still considered as a city, and is so stiled in our statutes. The city of Westminster, properly so called, consists of but two parishes, viz. St. Margaret and St. John the Evangelist ; but the liberties contain seven parishes, which are as follow: St. Martin, in the Fields ; St. James ; St. Anne ; St. Paul, Covent-garden ; St. Mary-le-Strand; St. Clement Danes; and St. George, Hanover square; to which must be added, the precinct of the Savoy.

The government of both the city and liberties of Westminster is under the jurisdiction of the dean and chapter of St. Peter's, as well in civil as in ecclesiastical affairs, whose authority also extends to some towns in Essex, and the whole of their district is exempt from the jurisdiction of the bishop of London, and of the archbishop of Canterbury. Since the Reformation, the management of the civil part of the government has been in the hands of laymen, elected, or, when appointed by their principals, confirmed by the dean and chapter. The form of the civil government of Westminster was settled by an act of parliament passed in the 27th of queen Eli zabeth, intituled, * An Act for the government of the. city and borough of Westminster;' which directs the appointment of twelve burgesses, and twelve assistants, annually, to preside over twelve wards into which Westminster was at that time divided ; and gives power to the deaii, high steward, or his deputy, and the twelve burgesses, or any three of them, whereof the dean, high steward, or his deputy, to be one, to hear, determine, and punish according to the laws of the realm, or laudable and lawful customs of the city of London, all matters of incontinency, common scolds, inmates, common annoyances, &c. and to commit persons offending against the peace, to prison ; but to give notice, within twenty-four hours, to some justice of the peace for the county.

All good orders and ordinances, made by the dean and high steward, with the assistance of the burgesses, concerning the government of the inhabitants, and not repugnant to the queen's prerogative, or the laws of the land, to be of full force and strength. Though the increase of the liberties of Westminster has rendered some alterations in this statute necessary, yet the substance of it is still the basis of the government of this city. The first of these magistrates is the high steward, who is usually one of the chief nobility, chosen by the dean and chapter. His office has some affinity to that of a chancellor of an university ; and he holds his place during life. On his death, or resignation, a chapter is called for the election of another, in which the dean sits as high steward, until the election is determined.

The deputy steward is appointed by the high steward, and con firmed by the dean and chapter. He is chairman of the court-leet ; by which the high constable, the petty constables, and the annoyance juries are appointed. The high bailiff is nominated by the dean, and confirmed by the high steward, and holds his place for life. He is returning officer at the election for members of parliament, and enjoys considerable profits from fines, forfeitures, &c. The office is generally executed by a deputy, who is an attorney of repute. The burgesses are sixteen in number, each of whom has an as sistant. They are nearly similar to the aldermen and deputies in the city of London, but the exercise of their office is now principally confined to attending the courts leet, &c. Before the year 1696, the inhabitants of Westminster were liable to be called upon to serve as jurors at the quarter sessions for the county of Middlesex ; but a clause was introduced into an act, passed in that year for regulating jurors, by which they were ex empted from this duty Notwithstanding the great extent of Westminster, the eovern ment of it bears but little resemblance lo that of a large city; the inhabitants have no exclusive corporation privileges, nor are there any trading companies within its jurisdiction.

The two members who represent it in parliament, like those of a common country borough, are chosen by the inhabitant householders at large ; and the only courts held in Westminster, are, the court-leet, the quarter session, and two courts of requests, for the recovery of small debts. Westminster has, however, long been the seat of the royal palace, the high court of parliament, and of our law tribunals. The building of the abbey is involved in mists too dense for the sun of antiquarian research to dissipate. The period of its erection, previous to Edward the Confessor's days, will not probably ever be discovered. In this venerable building lived Sulgardus, a monk, who devoted his leisure hours to ahistory of it. He has, in deed, according to custom, used but little ceremony with St. Peter, or the choir of heaven ; for he pressed both into his service, in order to make the consecration of this church hallowed and sub lime.

Widmore, whose work is the only one worthy of implicit credit, both from his having been a learned man, and his unrestrained ac cess to every species of record belonging to the abbey, fixes the foundation between the years 730 and 740 ; but is unable to say who is the founder. If, however, we could rely on d'sams, and particularly on those of monks, we might quote the authority o. Wulsinus, that Ihe apostle St. Peter himself had a chapel or oratory on the site of the magnificent pile dedicated to him. The vision of Wulsinus was turned to some advantage by the succeeding monks, who added a new legend of St. Peter's crossing the water one stormy night, to consecrate the church, and rewarding the fisher men who ferried him over Thorney (water which surrounded the church, the site of which was called Thorney T«land), with a mira culous draught of salmon, assuring him and ms fellow watermen that they should never want fish, provided they would give one tenth of what they caught to the newly consecrated church.

To those who consider the influence of the Catholic priesthood, it will not excite much surprise that the tale was believed, and that for several centuries the monks of Westminster fed on the offerings of the Thames fishermen. What was at first solicited as a benevolence, in course of time was claimed as a right, so that in the year 1231, the monks brought an action at law against the priest of Rotherhithe, in which they compelled nim to give up to them one half of the tithe of all salmon caught in his parish. It is very probable it was destroyed by the Danes, and rebuilt through the influence of Dunstan with king Edgar, and appropriated to the order of St. Benedict, and twelve monks, with endowments sufficient for their maintenance. The monastery continued unmolested till Edward the Confessor, about 1050, piously resolved to thoroughly renovate it, and some authors say rebuild it, in the Norman style.

Large revenues were given to the monks by the king ; and his nobles, like true courtiers, copied his example. Whether Edward entirely rebuilt the whole of this monastery, as well as the church, has not been ascertained, though it seems pro bable, considering the ardour with which he carried on the under taking, and the vast sum which he appropriated to its support. Some remains of this building still exist, and will be described in their due place. On the completion of the church, Edward determined to have it consecrated in the most solemn and impressive manner, and with that intent summoned all the bishops and great men in the kingdom to be witnesses of the ceremony, which took place on Holy Innocent's day (Dec. 28.) 1065. He shortly after died (4th or 5th of Jan. 1066) and was buried before the high altar in the new church.

In the time of abbot Laurenlius, after the year 1159, some re pairs were made to the out-buildings of the monastery, which had been destroyed by fire, and their roofs covered with lead. Henry III. in the year 1220, on Whitsun-eve, May 16, laid the first stone of a chapel, which was dedicated to the blessed Virgin Mary. Its site was that of the present chapel called Henry the seventh's. In the year 1223, a furious assault was made upon the monastery by the exasperated citizens of London, who pulled down the steward's house, and did other considerable damage, in consequence of a dispute who was winner at a wrestling match. It appears that the people at the abbey were in some measure the aggressors, as the steward had armed them against the day he appointed for a se cond trial of skill.* Nothing more occurs relating to the repair or additions to the Confessor's structure till the year 1245, when Henry III. began to take it down, in order to rebuild it.

Matthew Paris, speaking of this sovereign, under the date 1245, says, ' the king in the same year commanded that the church of St. Peter at Westminster, should be enlarged, and the tower with the eastern part over thrown, to be built anew and more handsome at his own charge, and fitted to the residue, or western part.' This circumstance, his gifts to the abbot and convent, his will, and the translation of the Confessor's body, would lead to a supposition that he was a man piously disposed towards the clera;v and religious orders. On the contrary he was a weak and artful prince, and suffered the most shameful exactions to be forced from the priesthood, through le gates and nuncios, for the popes. Henry appropriated a considerable sum to the rebuilding of the church ; in the year 1246, the sum of 2.591Z. due from the widow of one David of Oxford, a Jew, was assigned by him to that use.

In 1247, on the day of the translation of Edward the Confessor, a vessel of blood, which in the preceding year had been sent to the king by the knights templars and hospitallers in the Holy Land, and was attested by Robert, the patriarch of Jerusalem, to have trickled from our Saviour's wounds at his crucifixion, was presented with great ceremony to this church.f During the reign of this monarch, pope Honorius 111. demanded that two prebends in every cathedral, and two monk's portions in every monasterv, should be appropriated to the holy see. Though the king did not interfere, the parliament did, and prevented such an arrangement from taking place. The clergy too were firm ; but as the monarch, who often wanted the capacious shield of papal power as a guard from the resentment of his people, countenanced the legates, they did not escape many pecuniary demands, which were paid to avoid anathemas, excommunications, and depriva tions.

On the 13th of October, 1269, the new church, of which the eastern part, with the choir and transept appears to have been at that time completed, was first opened for divine service; and on the same day, the body of Edward the Confessor, ' that before laye in the syde of the quere, where the monkes nowe singe,' was removed with great solemnity ' into ye chapell at the backe of the hygh * Vide an e, vol. i. p. 73. + Neale and Brayley's Hist. West. Abbey i. p. 49. aulter, and there layde in a ryche shryne.' This ceremony accom panied by every circumstance of pomp and solemnity, must have been very impressive. It appears that * the chest being taken out of the old shrine, the king, and his brother, the king of the Ro mans, carried it upon their shoulders in the view of the whole church, and his sons Edward, and Edmund earl of Lancaster, the earl of Warren, and the lord Phillip Basset, with as many other nobles as could come near to touch it, supported it with their hands to the new shrine.'* Among the additional privileges with which this sovereign in vested the abbots, were those of holding a weekly market at Tuthill on Mondays, and an annual fair of three days continuance, viz. on Ihe eve, the day, and the morrow of the festival of St. Mary Mag dalen.

He also granted leave to the abbot to make a park m Wind sor forest, and a warren of ten acres and a half. It is impossible to asceitain how far the architect had proceeded in the church when Henry died in the year 1272. According to Fabian, the choir was not completed till thirteen years after his death. A short time previous to the re-building of the church, abbot Richard de Crokesley had erected a chapel near the north door, and dedicated it to St. Edmund. It was taken down with the res' by Henry III. Not long after, the beautiful pavement before the high altar was laid, for abbot Ware died Dec. 1283, and was buried under it. The abbey was damaged in 1297 by a fire which broke out in the lesser hall in the king's palace adjoining. In the year 1303, the king's treasury, at that time somewhere within the abbey, was robbed to the amount of 100,000/. which had been laid up for the service of the Scottish wars.

The abbot, Walter de Wenlock, and forty-eight of the monks, were in consequence committed to the Tower; and notwithstanding their protestations of innocence, and request to be tried, twelve of them were kept two years in prison, the depositions against them being such, as caused great suspicion of their having been concerned in the robbery .f Abbot Langham who died at Avignon, July 22, 1376, bequeathed all the residue of his property, consisting of silver and gilt vessels, money, robes, vestments, jewels, &c. towards the building of the abbey church. The value of this benefaction amounted to the im mense sum of 10,800/. Nicholas Littlington succeeded Langham ; and, chiefly with the sums left bv his predecessor, made great additions to the abbey Widmore, from the records, says, ' he built the present college hall, the kitchen, the Jerusalem chamber, the abbot's house, now the deanery, the bailiff's, the cellarer's, the infirmarer's, and the sacrist's houses ; the malt house, afterwards used as a dormitory for the king's scholars, and the adjoining tower, the wall of the infir- * Dart from Wyke's Chron. p. 88. t Rymer's Kœdera, ii. p 930. mary garden, a water mill; and finished the south and west sides of the cloisters.

He died in 1386. In 1378, the right of sanctuary possessed by the abbey was, for the first time, violated ; and the church itself made the scene of a most atrocious murder. Sir Ralph de Ferrers and sir Allan Box hull, constable of the Tower, at the instigation of John of Gaunt, went to the abbey with upwards of fifty retainers, to seize two esquires, Frank de Haule and John Schakell : the latter was taken prisoner in the church during high mass, but Haule defending him self was slain in the choir. The church was shut up for four months, and the aggressors were excommunicated by the archbishop of Canterbury. During the reign of Richard II. the rebuilding of the western part of the church was carried on, and continued by William of Colchester, abbot, who died 1420. Richard Harweden, the next abbot, zealously proceeded with the nave.

Abbot Esteney, who died in 1498, did a great deal towards the finishing of it, and made the great west window. Abbot John Islip was the last, during whose time many additions were made to the church ; and it remained unfinished till sir Chris topher Wren completed the towers. The early part of the government of Islip was rendered memorable by the foundation of the magnificent chapel of Henry the seventh ; which is attached to the east end of the abbey church, and was erected on the site of two chapels dedicated, respectively, to the Virgin Mary and to St. Erasmus. These chapels having been pulled down to make room for the new fabric, the first stone was laid on January ihe 24th, 1502-3, by the hands of abbot Islip; sir Reginald Bray, K. G.; Dr. Barnes, master of the rolls; Dr. Wall, chaplain to the king; master Hugh Oldham, chaplain to Ihe countess of Richmond and Derby, the king's mother ; sir Edward Stanhope, knt. ; and divers other persons.

The king himself was present at the ceremony, and most probably assisted in placing the stone, which had engraven on it the following inscription : — Illustrissimus. Hemicus septimus rex Anglicæ et Franciæ, et dominus Hiber niæ, posuit hanc petrara in honore beatæ Virginis Mariæ; 24 die Januarij, anno Domini, 1502. Et annodicli Henrici septimi, decirno octavo. This was intended by the king not only for his own place of in terment, but for that of king Henry VI. : but whether the latter was ever placed in the chapel, is now a matter of doubt. According to Widmore, the body was actually removed by the convent to the abbey, in the year 1501, at the expence of 500/. As the chapel was unfinished at the lung's death, it is probable, that his rapacious successor thought the cost of a public interment would be better applied to his own use, and therefore let the murdered king remain in privacy, unknown ; and perhaps he is still undisturbed.

The indentures made between Henry the seventh and the abbot and convent of St. Peter's, Westminster, are in existence among the Harleian manuscripts,* in the great national repository — the British Museum. t The first article in this elegant volume binds every monk in the monastery to assist at high mass at the high altar, to pray for the king's prosperity and welfare during his life. The precise service is inserted. In consequence of these agreements abbot Islip provided an altar and hearse, on and about which were placed one hundred tapers, ' under the lantern place betweene the quere and the high aultier,' till th^ king's chapel was finished. Three monks who were added to the usual number, and doctors or bachelors of divinity, sung mass daily before it, for the prosperous estate of the king and his realm ; for queen Elizabeth's soul; their issue; for Edmund, earl of Richmond ; Margaret, countess of Richmond ; and, when deceased, for their souls.

On Sunday the mass of the assumption of our Lady, Monday of her annunciation, Tuesday her ' statuute,' Wed nesday her conception, Thursday her purification, Friday her visitation, and Saturday her commemoration. A second priest at eight in the morning sung a mass of requiem ; and the third priest a mass of the day, beginning after the gospel of high mass. Those priests, after the king's decease, addressed the congregation thus ; * Sirs, I exhorte and moeve you specially and devoutely of youre charite to praye for the soule of the most Christen prince, kyng Henry the Vllth late kyng of Englande, founder of thre daily masses, perpetually to be saved at this aultier, whoys body resteth here buried.' At a quarter of an hour before each mass the great bell of the abbey was tolled forty strokes.