Before 1698 until after 1709. Mrs. Eleanor Complin.
Before 1715 until after 1720. Thomas Burges.
Before 1723 until 1732. Ashburnham Froude and Thomas Burges.[453]
1733. Ashburnhame Froud.
1733–1740. Madame Eaton.
1740–44. Madame Pain (Paign).
1746. —— Davis.
1747–51. Elizabeth Falconer.
1753–55. James Ward.
1755–57. G. Stewart.
1758–70. Thos. Brock (Brooke).
1770–74. Thos. Rudd.
1775–78. Ric. Rudd.
1779. —— Thomas.
1780–86. Mrs. Thomas.
1786– John Arthur.
IN THE COUNCIL’S COLLECTION ARE:—
[454]Exterior (photograph).
Side entrance in Middle Yard, erected 1859–60 (photograph).
Interior from the gallery (photograph).
Interior looking south (photograph).
Interior looking north (photograph).
Fanlight under stairs (photograph).
Staircase (photograph).
Lantern light over staircase (photograph).
Loculi in crypt (photograph).
Two silver chalices dated MDCIIIC, originally presented for use in
West Street Chapel (photograph).
XLI.—SITE OF WELD HOUSE.
The history of that part of Aldwych Close lying within the angle formed
by Great Queen Street and Wild Street has already been traced[455] up to
the division of the greater portion of it between Sir Edward Stradling
and Sir Kenelm Digby in 1629. Eleven years previously, Henry Holford had
leased to John Ittery the extreme southern portion, reaching 100 feet
northwards from Sardinia Street, and a trench had been dug separating
Ittery’s portion from that lying to the north. On the transfer of the
latter to Sir W. Calley and Geo. Strode in trust for Stradling and
Digby, Ittery’s portion was included, and added to Stradling’s share.
Stradling without delay began the erection on his portion of “a faire
mansion house with stables and other outhouses.”[456] On 12th December,
1632, the ground, with the mansion, etc., was sold by Calley and Strode
to Stradling, and was then described as extending south from the
partition wall[457] between Digby’s and Stradling’s portions “together
with that parte formerly demised to the said John Ittery, and then
enclosed together with the same, at the end next Drewry Lane by a square
lyne 300 foote, and at the other end next Lincolne’s Inne Feildes 296
foote.” By 1632 Stradling had also divided his portion into two by a
brick wall, “beginninge at the west end towards Drewry Lane and
extendinge itselfe eastwards towards Lincolne’s Inne Feildes 144 foote,
and then towards the north in length 132 foote, and then again eastwards
towards Lincolne’s Inne Feildes 132 foote, and standinge distant at the
west end thereof from the fore-mentioned partition wall 157 foote, and
at the other end next Lincolne’s Inne Feildes 31 foote.”[458]
On 20th December, 1632, Stradling sold that part lying to the north of
this second partition wall, including the house, etc., to George Gage.
The house had not yet been completed, but a provision was subsequently
made that Strode was to finish, before Easter, 1634, “the dwelling house
and buildings now erected or begun to be erected, within and without ...
in all respects, fitt and necessary for one or more dwelling house or
houses.”[459]
The date of completion of the house may therefore be ascribed with
probability to the year 1634.
Gage used the house as his own residence, and while “lyeinge sicke in
the said messuage of the sickness whereof he died” made his will on 14th
August, 1638, bequeathing the premises,[460] together with other
property, to William Darrell and William Bierly to sell for the payment
of his debts. On 25th February, 1639–40, it was purchased by Humphrey
Weld for £2,600.[461]
The portion of Stradling’s property which lay to the south of the second
partition wall, and which extended to the southern limits of Aldwych
Close, Stradling seems to have sold to Dr. Gifford for 500 years for
£400 without right of redemption.[462] In 1649 Andrew Gifford sold the
property for £650 to Weld, who assigned it to his mother, Dame Frances
Weld, in trust. Three years later she re-assigned it to him.
Humphrey Weld thus became possessed of the whole of Aldwych Close lying
to the east of Wild Street, and to the south of the gardens of the Great
Queen Street houses, and he now began to develop the property by
building. A reference to Hollar’s Plan of 1658 (Plate 3) shows that by
that year the whole of the east side of Wild Street, south of Weld
House, and all the north side of Sardinia Street had been covered with
houses.[463] Weld himself stated about 1670, that he had by that time
laid out £15,600 in building.[461]
The street which had at least since 1629,[464] and probably since
1618,[465] led from Great Queen Street to Kemble Street, then Princes
Street, seems for some time to have been without a name. It is referred
to in early deeds as “the back side of Drury Lane,” “a way leading from
Princes Street to Queen Street on the back side of Drury Lane,” etc. In
the Subsidy Rolls up to 1646 inclusive, it is merged in “Cockpit Side.”
The earliest instance of the name Weld Street or Wild Street[466] so far
discovered is in a deed of 24th April, 1658,[467] which refers to “the
street now called Wild Street, but heretofore called a way or passage of
40 foote breadth leading from Queenes Street to Princes Streete.”
How far Weld House was identical with the mansion built by Stradling and
Strode is uncertain. Blott, after mentioning the latter, says:
“Adjoining it, on the south side, were the grounds and premises of Weld
House, Drury Lane, occupied by Lady Frances Weld, widow. In 1657, Weld
House and Stradling House underwent a complete transformation, the two
houses were united together and became one building, having, besides
extensive additions made to it, a chapel[468] built in the garden; the
front arranged to face Aldwyche Close instead of Drury Lane, and an
approach made to it called Weld Street. This extraordinary enlargement
was not to make the building a residence suitable to the dignity of the
Welds, but rather for State purposes, such as the accommodation of
princes and ambassadors in London.”[469]
Blott gives no authority for his statements, one of which, relating to
the formation of Weld Street, is demonstrably wrong. The statement that
the “extraordinary enlargement” was carried out with a view to the
reception of princes and ambassadors in the building is probably only an
inference from the indisputable fact that ambassadors did afterwards
reside in a portion of the house.[470] Nevertheless the view of the
house given in Hollar’s Plan of 1658 (Plate 3) certainly does suggest
the amalgamation of two distinct houses, and the Subsidy Roll for 1646
shows that at that date two large residences existed side by side,[471]
although of course these may have been only portions of one very large
house.
As early as 1664 the house (or houses) seems to have been split up among
a number of occupants. The entries in the Hearth Tax Rolls for 1664–1674
in respect of this portion of the street (amending the wrong order of
the first roll) are as follows. The numbers in brackets represent the
number of hearths taxed.
1665. 1666.
Sam Nelson (6) Samuel Nelson (6)
Lord Baltimore (15) Cecill, Lord Baltimore (15)
Lady Spencer (16) Lord Marquess of Winchester in 2
houses (30)[472]
A. Gilbt. Crouch, Esq. (7) Widow Tattershall (6)
B. John Wolstenholm (14) John Wolstenholme, Esq. (14)
C. Humph. Wild, Esq. (14) E (20)
The Portugall Embassador’s House. „
D. Humph. Wild, Esq. (16) Humfrey Weild, Esq. (16)
E. Countess of Exeter (9) E (10)
F. Mary Sanders (9) Mrs. Mary Sanders (9)
G. John Worsley (3) John Worsley, Marc^{ht} of
Intercost (6)
1673. 1675.
Samuel Nelson (6) Samuel Nelson (6)
Lord Baltimore (15) The Lady Baltimore (15)
Marquess of Winchester (3) Marquess of Winchester (30)
A. Thomas Hawker[473] (7) Thomas Hawker (7)
B. Mary James (13) E (13)
C. The French Embassadour (20) Spanish Ambassador (20)
D. Humphrey Wild, Esq. (16) Humphrey Wild, Esq. (16)
E. Thomas Weedon, Esq. (5) Madd. James (5)
F. Mary Saunders (9) Mary Saunders (9)
Mary Watson (1) Mrs. Watson (1)
G. John Worseley (6) John Worsley (6)
Of these neither (A)[473] nor (G)[474] formed part of Weld House, and
(B) is doubtful. (C) and (F) however, certainly did, the former being
the ambassadorial residence (see below) and the latter being mentioned
in a deed of 1673, quoted by Parton[475], as “the wing of the said great
house, late in Mary Saunders’s possession.” The house was therefore at
this time in at least four distinct occupations.[476]
The two chief residences thus formed were evidently the house occupied
by Weld himself and the ambassadorial house, immediately adjoining on
the south. The former was the scene of a wild riot in 1671, when,
Humphrey Weld having attempted to arrest the ringleaders in a tumult
close by, the rabble, in a fury, attacked his house.[477]
The Portuguese Ambassador seems to have taken up his residence at Weld
House in 1659, for on 9th July in that year he (Francisco de Mello)
wrote from “Wild Street” to William Lenthall, announcing the arrival of
his credentials, and asking for an audience.[478] The extracts from the
Hearth Tax Rolls given above show that he was still there in 1665, gone
in 1666, that the French Ambassador was there in 1673,[479] and the
Spanish Ambassador in 1675. Numerous references to the residence of the
last mentioned occur.[480] On the flight of James II. in December, 1688,
the mob sacked the ambassador’s house.
Shortly afterwards Weld House and the ground belonging to it were
purchased by Isaac Foxcroft, who let out the property on building
lease.[481] The house, or a portion of it, was however, still standing
in 1694.[482]
IN THE COUNCIL’S COLLECTION IS:—
North-east side of Great Wild Street, in 1906, looking south-east
(photograph).
XLII.–XLIII.—NOS. 6 AND 7, WILD COURT.
The Society for the Improvement of the Condition of the Labouring
Classes are the ground landlords of these houses.
The only objects of interest which the premises contain are four
18th-century hob grates, illustrated below.
[Illustration]
THE COUNCIL’S COLLECTION CONTAINS:—
[483]Four cast-iron hob grates (measured drawing).
XLIV.—NO. 16, LITTLE WILD STREET (DEMOLISHED).
Little Wild Street was formed about 1690, for a deed,[484] dated 1st
September in that year, refers to a “toft, peece or parcell of ground,
being parcell of the garden late belonging to Weld House in or near Weld
Streete ... abutting towards the south to a new streete or passage of
thirty foote in breadth there made or intended to be made, to lead out
of Weld Streete towards Duke Streete [Sardinia Street] and the arch in
Great Lincolne’s Inn Fields.”
Plate 34 shows the south side of the street in 1906. The tenement houses
were probably some of the original houses erected about 1690, and their
effect is charming.
The name of the street was altered in 1905 to Keeley Street.
On Plate 15 is a drawing showing the frieze of an 18th-century deal
mantelpiece now on loan at the London Museum.
The house has recently been demolished.
IN THE COUNCIL’S COLLECTION ARE:—
[485] Little Wild Street. View in 1906 looking north-east
(photograph).
[485] No. 16, Little Wild Street. Frieze, etc., of carved deal
mantelpiece (measured drawing).
Baptist Chapel, Little Wild Street. Exterior before demolition of
adjoining stables (photograph).
Baptist Chapel, Little Wild Street. Exterior after demolition of
stables (photograph).
Baptist Chapel, Little Wild Street. Interior (photograph).
XLV.—NO. 1, SARDINIA STREET (DEMOLISHED).
The land lying to the south of Sardinia Street between Wild Street and
Drury Lane, was leased by Henry Holford to John Ittery on 20th April,
1618, when it was described[486] as “one hundred foote of ground from
the south side of the ... close, called Oldwich Close, as the same then
was marked and measured out north and south in bredth, and extending in
length downe to the ditch there towardes the east, which plott of ground
was then to be forthwith inclosed by the said John Ittery from the
residue of the close.” Before 1629, this ground had been “inclosed with
a trench or ditch on the north side ... and on the west end ... with a
mudd wall.” The southern and eastern boundaries were respectively the
lands of the Earl of Clare and the common sewer. At the latter date what
soon afterwards became known as Duke Street, and was subsequently called
Sardinia Street, was described as “the pathway on the south side
thereof, leading from Princes Streete towardes Holbourne, the said
pathway conteyning in breadth 10 foote.” It may, therefore be taken for
granted that no houses had at that time been built on the north side of
Sardinia Street. In 1652 the land came into the hands of Humphrey
Weld[487] who apparently developed the Duke Street frontage of his
property at the same time as the Wild Street frontage. There is a record
of one house in Duke Street built by Weld “to which hee added a yard or
backside” and let on 5th October, 1661, on a 21 years’ lease.[488]
Moreover, it will be noticed that Hollar’s Plan of 1658 (Plate 3) shows
the Duke Street frontage fully built.
No. 1 was demolished in 1906, in connection with the formation of
Kingsway and its subsidiary streets, when old Sardinia Street itself was
abolished.
The ground floor treatment of the premises (Plate 11) was typical of the
18th-century tenement design. The windows were strongly shuttered to
afford protection when required.
A boundary stone of the parish of St. Clement Danes and an iron tablet
of that of St. Giles were attached to the premises, and appear in the
view.
THE COUNCIL’S COLLECTION CONTAINS:—
Sardinia Street—View looking west in 1906 (photograph).
[489]No. 1, Sardinia Street—ground floor (photograph).
Sardinia Place—View looking north from Sardinia Street (1906)
(photograph).
Sardinia Place—View looking north from Little Wild Street (1906)
(photograph).
XLVI.—SITE OF LENNOX HOUSE.
In 1590 William Short, the same who ten years later bought Rose Field,
purchased of John Vavasour two messuages, two gardens and four acres of
land, with appurtenances, in St. Giles.[490] The precise position of the
property is not stated, but from evidence which will be referred to, it
is known that it lay to the west of Drury Lane, and comprised _The
Greyhound_ inn in Broad Street, with land to the south lying on both
sides of what is now Short’s Gardens.
[Illustration:
_Esmé Stuart, Seigneur D’Aubigny, Duke of
Lennox._
]
A portion of this property he leased,[491] in 1623–4, to Esmé Stuart,
Earl of March (afterwards Duke of Lennox), for a term of 51 years as
from Michaelmas, 1617. It is possible to ascertain within a little the
boundaries of this part of the Short estate. In a deed[492] dated 10th
January, 1614–5, relating to Elm Field, the land lying between Castle
Street and Long Acre, the northern boundary is stated to be “certain
closes called by the name of Marshlands _alias_ Marshlins, and a garden
sometime in the tenure of William Short or his assignes”; and in a later
deed,[493] dated 2nd February, 1632–3, relating to a portion of the same
field, the northern boundary, said to be 249 feet distant from Long
Acre, is referred to as “a way or back lane of 20 feet adjoining the
garden wall of the Right Honble. the Duchess of Lenox.”
The distance of the “back lane” from Long Acre corresponds exactly with
that of the present Castle Street, and it is therefore clear that this
was the southern boundary. The property afterwards came into the
possession of the Brownlow family, and an examination of the leases
which were granted in the early part of the 18th century, shows that it
reached as far as Drury Lane on the east and Short’s gardens on the
north. On the west it stretched as far as Marshland.[494]
Whether the house leased to the Earl of March was one of the two (the
other being _The Greyhound_) purchased by Short in 1590, or a house
quite recently built, there is no evidence to show.
The Earl, in February, 1623–4, succeeded to the dukedom of Lennox, and
on 30th July of the same year he died. His widow[495] continued to
reside at the house. Letters from her, headed “Drury Lane,” and dating
from 1625 to 1629, are extant,[496] and she also, in 1628, joined with
other “inhabitants adjoining the house of the Countess of Castlehaven,
in Drury Lane,” in a petition to the Privy Council.[497] There is,
therefore, ample evidence that she actually resided at the house.
In 1632 she married James Hamilton, second Earl of Abercorn, and died on
17th September, 1637, leaving to her husband, in trust for their son
James, “all that my capitall house, scituate in Drury Lane.”[498]
The Earl sold the remainder of the lease[499] to the Duchess’s cousin,
Adrian Scroope, who apparently let the house, as the Subsidy Roll for
1646 shows the “Earl of Downe” as occupying the premises.[500] In 1647
Sir Gervase Scroope, Adrian’s son, sold the lease to Sir John
Brownlow,[499] who certainly acquired the freehold also, though no
record of the transaction has come to light. Finding the house too
large[501] Sir John divided it in two, and in 1662 Lady Allington[502]
was paying a rent of £50 for the smaller of the two residences.[499] Sir
John died in November, 1679. By his will[503] (signed 10th April, 1673)
he left to his wife all the plate, jewels, etc. “which shall be in her
closett within or neare our bedd chamber at London in my house at Drury
Lane ... and the household stuffe in the said house, except all that
shall then be in my chamber where the most part of my bookes and boxes
of my evidences are usually kept, and except all those in the same house
that shall then be in the chamber where I use to dresse myselfe, both
which chambers have lights towardes the garden.” He also left to his
wife “that part of my house in Drury Lane which is now in my own
possession for her life if she continue my widowe,” together with “that
house or part of my house wherein the Lady Allington did heretofore
live, ... by which houses I meane yards, gardens and all grounds
therewith used”; and moreover the furniture “of two roomes in my house
in Drury Lane where I use to dresse myself, and where my evidences and
bookes are usually kept.”
[Illustration:
_Brownlow._
]
The estate afterwards came into the hands of Sir John Brownlow, son of
his nephew, Sir Richard Brownlow, who at once took steps to develop the
property, letting plots on building lease for a term of years expiring
in 1728. Except in one case, information is not to hand as to the date
on which these leases were granted, but in that instance it is stated to
be 21st May, 1682,[504] a date which may be regarded as approximately
that of the beginning of the development of the interior part of the
estate by building,[505] though at least a part of the frontages to
Drury Lane and Castle Street had been built on before 1658 (see Plate
3).
At the same time (_circ._ 1682) apparently Lennox House was, either
wholly or in part, demolished. A deed of 1722[506] relates to the
assignment of two leases of a parcel of ground “lately belonging to the
capital messuage or tenement of Sir John Brownlow _then in part
demolished_, scituate in Drury Lane, in St. Giles, sometime called Lenox
House.” The description is obviously borrowed from the original leases,
since reference is also made to “a new street there then to be built,
intended to be called Belton Street,” which street was certainly in
existence in 1683.[507] What is apparently Lennox House is shown in
Morden and Lea’s Map of 1682 as occupying a position in the central
portion of the estate, with a wide approach from Drury Lane, and this is
to a certain extent confirmed by the tradition that the first Lying-In
Hospital in Brownlow Street (occupying the site of the present No. 30)
was a portion of the original building. It is remarkable, however, that
no hint of a house in this position is given either in Hollar’s Plan of
1658 (Plate 3) or in Faithorne’s Map of the same date (Plate 4).
The name of Brownlow Street was in 1877 altered to Betterton Street.
XLVII.–XLVIII.—NOS. 24 AND 32, BETTERTON STREET.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND DATE OF STRUCTURE.
No. 24, Betterton Street, dating from the 18th century, must at one time
have been a fine residence, but there is now nothing in it to record.
The doorcase is illustrated on Plate 35.
No. 32 also dates from the 18th century. Attached to these premises is a
boldly recessed carved wooden doorcase of interesting design,
illustrated on Plate 36. The interior of the house contains a wood and
compo chimney piece of some interest in the front room of the ground
floor, and one of white marble, relieved with a little carving and red
stone inlay, in the corresponding room on the floor above.
CONDITION OF REPAIR.
The houses are in fair repair.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.
The sewer ratebook for 1718 shows “John Bannister” in occupation
of No. 32. This was probably John Bannister, the younger, “who
came from an old St. Giles’s family, his father having been a
musician, composer and violinist, and his grandfather one of the
parish waits. He himself was in the royal band during the reigns
of Charles II., James II., William and Mary, and Anne, and played
first violin at Drury Lane theatre, when Italian operas were first
introduced into England.”[508]
IN THE COUNCIL’S COLLECTION ARE:—
No. 24, Betterton Street—General exterior (photograph).
[509]No. 24, Betterton Street—Entrance doorway (measured drawing).
[509]No. 32, Betterton Street—Entrance doorway (photograph).
No. 32, Betterton Street—Marble chimneypiece, front room, first
floor (photograph).
XLIX.—NO. 25, ENDELL STREET.
GROUND LANDLORDS.
The Trustees of the late John King, Esq.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND DATE OF STRUCTURE.
Plots of land on both sides of Belton Street were leased for building by
Sir John Brownlow, apparently in 1682,[510] and a stone tablet[511] gave
the date of the street’s formation as 1683. The name obviously refers to
the seat of the Brownlow family at Belton in Lincolnshire.
About 1846 the street was widened on the eastern side and renamed Endell
Street, after the Rev. James Endell Tyler, then Rector of St. Giles.
At the expiration of the original leases in 1728, Peter Walter purchased
portions of the Brownlow property, including a house in Belton Street
“in the occupation of Daniel Holme,[512] surgeon, and used by him as a
bagnio.”[513] Holme’s Bagnio was, it appears, the fourth house
(inclusive) from the corner of Castle Street, and is therefore to be
identified with the present No. 25, Endell Street.
At the rear of these premises is an apartment, about 16 feet by 9 feet,
which is known as “Queen Anne’s Bath.” It has a coved ceiling surmounted
by a small lantern, and on each side bull’s eye windows are constructed
in the coved part of the ceiling. The roof is covered with tiles. The
form of the chamber can be seen by Plate 37, which is taken from a
watercolour drawing made by J. W. Archer in 1844. There are some blue
and white tiles still affixed to the walls, but there is insufficient
evidence to enable a definite date to be given to these. The level of
the top of the steps is about 10 feet below the present street pavement.
The floor of the bath is said to be about 18 feet below that level, but
it cannot be seen as the bath is filled with soil and rubbish to an
estimated depth of about 8 feet. The structure is dilapidated and
floored over at about 18 inches below pavement level, and is now used as
an iron merchant’s store.
Tradition asserts that the bath was frequented by Queen Anne,[514] a
statement that it is not possible to confirm. The apartment is, however,
very possibly a relic of the old “bagnio.”
THE COUNCIL’S COLLECTION CONTAINS:—
[515]No. 25, Endell Street—Queen Anne’s Bath (photograph).
No. 41, Endell Street—Exterior (photograph).
L.—NORTH OF SHORT’S GARDENS.