extends twelve miles round the palace of Westminster, the city of London
only excepted; and the debtors within any part of Westminster, and
twelve miles round, may be carried to this prison for a debt of 40s.
Actions for debt are tried in this court every Friday, and there are the
same Judges, Counsellors and Attorneys here as in the Marshalsea court;
these are, besides the Judges already mentioned, a Prothonotary, a
Secondary, and Deputy Prothonotary; four Counsellors, and six Attorneys,
But in this court neither the plaintiff nor defendant must belong to his
Majesty’s houshold.
The buildings are mean and ruinous; but the court-room is pretty
spacious and convenient.
MARSHAM _court_, Hog lane, St. Giles’s.†
MARSHAM _street_, Market street, Westminster.†
MARTIN’S _court_, 1. Whitechapel.† 2. Chick lane, Smithfield.†
_St._ MARTIN’S _in the Fields_, in St. Martin’s lane, near Charing
Cross. This church received its name from St. Martin, an Hungarian, who
was sainted for the cruelty with which he persecuted the Arians, and its
being formerly situated in the fields. Though the present structure is
of a modern date, there was very early a church upon the same spot,
dedicated to the same saint; for there are authentic records of a
dispute in 1222, between the Abbot of Westminster and the Bishop of
London, concerning the exemption of the church of St. Martin’s in the
Fields from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, How long before
this a building for the service of religion was erected there, is not
easy to determine; but it was probably a chapel for the monks of
Westminster, when they visited their convent garden, which then extended
to it. However, the endowments of this church sell with the monks who
possessed it, and in Henry the VIIIth’s reign a small church was built
there at the King’s expence, the inhabitants being then too poor to pay
for it; but this structure not being capacious enough to accommodate the
parishioners, it was greatly enlarged in 1607. At length, after many
expensive repairs, that structure was taken down in the year 1721, and
soon after the first stone of the present edifice was laid. Five years
completed the building, and in 1726 it was consecrated.
It is observable, that on the laying of the first stone, his Majesty
King George I. gave an hundred guineas to be distributed among the
workmen, and some time after 1500l. to purchase an organ. The whole
expence of building and decorating this church, amounted to 36,891l.
10s. 4d. of which 33,450l. was granted by Parliament, and the rest
raised by the above royal benefaction, a subscription, and the sale of
seats in the church.
St. Martin’s in the Fields is an elegant edifice built with stone. In
the west front is an ascent by a very long flight of steps to a very
noble portico of Corinthian columns, which support a pediment in which
is the royal arms in has relief. The same order is continued round in
pilasters, and in the intercolumniations are two series of windows
surrounded with rustic. On each side the doors, on the sides which are
near the corners, are lofty Corinthian columns; the roof is concealed by
a handsome balustrade, and the spire is stately and elegant.
The decorations on the inside are extremely fine; the roof is richly
adorned with fret-work; slender Corinthian columns raised on high
pedestals, rising in the front of the galleries, serve to support both
them and the roof, which on the sides rests upon them in a very
ornamental arch-work. The east end is richly adorned with fret-work and
gilding, and over the altar is a large window finely painted.
This church was repaired and beautified in 1758.
With respect to this noble edifice, says the author of the _Review_, “I
could wish that a view was opened from the Mews to St. Martin’s church;
I don’t know any of the modern buildings about town which better
deserves such an advantage. The portico is at once elegant and august,
and if the steps arising from the street to the front could have been
made regular, and on a line from end to end, it would have given it a
very considerable grace; but as the situation of the ground would not
allow it, this is to be esteemed a misfortune rather than a fault. The
round columns at each angle of the church are very well contrived, and
have a very fine effect in the profile of the building; the east end is
remarkably elegant, and very justly challenges a particular applause. In
short, if there is any thing wanting in this fabric, ’tis a little more
elevation, which, I presume, is apparently wanted within, and would
create an additional beauty without. I can’t help thinking too that, in
complaisance to the galleries, the architect has reversed the order of
the windows, it being always usual to have the large ones nearer the
eye, and the small, by way of Attic story, on the top.”
This church is a vicarage, in the gift of the Bishop of London.
_St._ MARTIN’S _Church yard_, St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.
_St._ MARTIN’S _court_, a large, handsome court, with a free stone
pavement in St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.
_St._ MARTIN’S IRONMONGER LANE, a church which stood at the corner of
Church alley, in Ironmonger lane, and in Cheap ward; but being destroyed
by the dreadful fire of London, and not rebuilt, the parish was united
to St. Olave Jewry. _Newc. Rep. Eccles._
_St._ MARTIN’S _lane_, 1. Opposite Northumberland house in the Strand;
thus named from the church of St. Martin’s in the Fields. 2. Canon
street, Walbrook; so named from the church of St. Martin’s Orgar, which
was formerly on the east side of it.
_St._ MARTIN’S LE GRAND, extends from the corner of Blowbladder street
to Aldersgate. This street, as far as Bell court near St. Anne’s lane,
as well as all the courts on each side, is within its own liberty, and
in the government of Westminster. It took its name from a collegiate
church founded here by one Ingalricus and his brother Edward, in the
year 1056, for a Dean, secular Canons, and Priests, and dedicated to St.
Martin. Afterwards the addition of _le Grand_ was added, from the
extraordinary privileges of sanctuary granted to it by several Monarchs.
Hither thieves, ruffians, and murderers used to fly for safety; here
robbers brought their stolen goods, which they shared among themselves,
or sold to the inhabitants: here also lived the makers of picklocks; the
counterfeiters of keys and seals; the forgers of false evidence; those
who made chains, beads, and plate of gilt copper, which they sold for
gold; and, in short, gamesters, bawds, and strumpets. To so great a
height of licentiousness was this sanctuary grown, that in the reign of
Henry VII. the Sheriffs of London venturing to take from thence by
violence a person who had taken sanctuary there, the Abbot of
Westminster exhibited a bill to the King against them, upon which the
cause was heard in the Star-chamber, and the Sheriff severely fined.
_Maitland._
Though this place is in a manner in the heart of the city, it is still
in the liberty of Westminster; and the inhabitants are governed, and
vote accordingly. The courts and alleys are now chiefly inhabited by
taylors and others who are not free of the city; for all foreigners
carry on their trades, and professions there without molestation.
_St._ MARTIN’S LE GRAND COURT. As St. Martin’s le Grand is a liberty
distinct from the government of London, and subject to the Deanery of
Westminster, it has a court of record kept every Wednesday, for the
trial of all personal actions of what nature soever, and there is a
court-house and a prison.
In this court the leading process is a _capias_ against the body, or an
attachment against the goods; so that a man’s goods may be seized in his
own house, upon the first process, if he himself be not taken: which is
according to the practice of all ancient liberties or franchises.
_Stow._
_St._ MARTIN’S _Ludgate_, on the north side of Ludgate street, almost
contiguous to the gate, and in the ward of Faringdon within. The old
church being consumed by the fire of London, the present edifice was
erected in its place. The body is not seen from the street; but is
tolerably enlightened. The steeple consists of a plain tower, and a
pretty lofty spire raised on a substantial arcade, so that it has at
once the appearance of strength and lightness.
The patronage of this rectory was anciently in the Abbot and Convent of
Westminster; but on the suppression of their monastery, King Henry VIII.
erected Westminster into a bishopric, and gave the advowson of this
church to the Bishop; but the new see being dissolved by Edward VI.
Queen Mary granted it to the Bishop of London, and his successors, in
whom it still remains.
The Rector receives, by act of Parliament, in lieu of tithes, 160l. _per
annum_. _Newcomb’s Eccles. Rep._
Mr. Strype, in his edition of Stowe’s Survey, gives several monumental
inscriptions in this church, from which we shall select the two
following; the first to the memory of William Yeardley and his wife, the
former of whom died on the 28th of October 1523, and the latter on the
20th of July 1533.
William Yeardley, and Elizabeth his wife,
Who lived on earth free from strife,
Not farre from this, in earth doth lye,
To shew that all that live must dye.
Where they do quietly expect
To rise again as God’s elect.
They left four daughters and a sonne,
Who left them this when they were gone.
The other is on Florens Caldwell, Esq; citizen and haberdasher, and Mary
his wife, the latter of whom died June 19, 1590.
Earth goes to earth, as mold to mold,
Earth treads on earth, glittering in gold,
Earth as to earth returne neare should,
Earth shall to earth goe ere he would,
Earth upon earth consider may,
Earth goes to earth naked away.
Earth, though on earth be stout and gay,
Shall from earth pass poore away.
Be merciful and charitable,
Relieve the poor as thou art able;
A shrowd to thy grave
Is all thou shalt have.
_St._ MARTIN’S ORGARS, a rectory, the church of which was situated on
the east side of St. Martin’s lane near Canon street, in Candlewick
ward, and is so named from its dedication to St. Martin; and the
additional epithet of _Orgars_, from Odgarus or Ordgarus, who was
probably its founder or patron: but this church being destroyed with the
rest of the public edifices in the fire of London in 1666, and not
rebuilt, the parish was annexed to the church of St. Clement Eastcheap.
_Newc. Rep. Eccles. Paroch._
In this church was a tomb with the following epitaph, mentioned by Mr.
Strype in his edition of Stowe’s Survey, on Sir Allen Cotton, Knt.
Alderman, and sometime Lord Mayor of London, who died on the 24th of
September 1628, leaving three sons and two daughters; and these sons
caused his monument to be erected,
When he left earth, rich bounty dy’d,
Mild courtesie gave place to pride:
Soft Mercie to bright Justice said,
O sister! we are both betray’d;
White Innocence lay on the ground
By Truth, and wept at either’s wound.
The sons of Levi did lament,
Their lamps went out, their oil was spent.
Heav’n hath his soul, and only we
Spin out our lives in misery.
So, Death, thou missest of thy ends,
And kill’st not him, but kill’st his friends.
_St._ MARTIN’S OUTWICH, at the south east angle of Threadneedle street,
in Broad street ward, owes its additional epithet to William and John de
Oteswich, who were some time the proprietors thereof. The patronage of
this church was indeed anciently in the family of the Earls of Surry;
but afterwards coming to the de Oteswiches, they conferred it upon the
company of Merchant Taylors, in whom it still remains. The Rector
receives only 40l. a year in tithes. _Maitland._
This is one of those few churches that escaped the fire in 1666, and
with some repairs has stood ever since, and may stand much longer,
though it is already above 220 years old.
This edifice is an old Gothic structure of the meaner style; it is
sixty-six feet long, and forty-two broad; the height of the roof is
thirty-one feet, and the height of the steeple, sixty-five feet. The
body is of brick, strengthened at the corners by a massy rustic: the
windows, which are large, are of the coarse Gothic kind, and the top is
surrounded with plain square battlements. From the tower, which is
extremely plain and simple, rises a turret, that is open, arched, and
supported by four piers; and from the dome rises a ball and fane.
The New View of London has the following epitaph in this church.
In memory of John Wright, _anno sal._ 1633, aged 24.
Reader, thou may’st forbear to put thine eyes
To charge for tears, to mourn these obsequies;
Such charitable drops would best be given
To those who late, or never come to heav’n.
But here you would, by weeping on this dust,
Allay his happiness with thy mistrust;
Whose pious closing of his youthful years
Deserves thy imitation, not thy tears.
_St._ MARTIN’S POMARY, or Ironmonger lane, Cheapside, is supposed by Mr.
Stowe to have derived its additional epithet of _Pomary_, from apple
trees growing about it; which is the more probable, as in his time there
were large void spaces near it. This church stood at the corner of
Ironmonger lane, and in Cheap ward; but suffering by the dreadful fire
of London, the parish was united to the church of St. Olave’s Jewry.
MARTIN’S _rents_, Queen street, New Gravel lane.†
MARTIN’S _street_, Thames street.
_St._ MARTIN’S VINTRY, stood in Thames street, near the south east
corner of Queen street, and in Vintry ward. This church, which was a
rectory, received its additional denomination from its being situated
among the wine tunners, wine merchants, and coopers: but sharing the
common fate in the dreadful catastrophe of 1666, and not being rebuilt,
the parish was united to that of St. Michael’s Royal, and 120l. a year
was settled upon the Rector in lieu of tithes. _Maitland._
MARTLET’S _court_, Bow street, Covent Garden.†
_St._ MARY ABCHURCH, in Abchurch lane, Candlewick ward, owes its name to
its dedication to the Virgin Mary, and the additional appellation of
_Ab_ or _Upchurch_, was given it on account of its elevation in
comparison of the neighbouring ground towards the Thames, and to
distinguish it from the many other churches of the same name in this
city. A church dedicated to St. Mary has stood here from very early
times; and we find that in the year 1448, it was in the patronage of the
Prior and Canons of St. Mary Overy’s; but devolving to the crown in the
reign of Queen Elizabeth, her Majesty granted the perpetual advowson to
_Corpus Christi_ college in Cambridge, wherein it still remains, though
in ecclesiastical affairs, it is subject to the Archdeacon. _Maitland._
The old church stood till it was consumed by the fire in 1666, after
which the present structure was raised in its room in the year 1686.
The building is of brick, strengthened by rustic quoins of stone at the
corners, with three windows on each side, of which the middle one is the
principal, that rising higher, and taking up the space above, while the
others, which are smaller, have round windows over them; these have all
stone cases. The tower rises square with the corners strengthened with
rustic; and a large window in the center of each face, ornamented like
the rest. From this tower rises a kind of dome, and upon its summit
stands a plain spire supported by a lanthorn base.
_St._ MARY ALDERMANBURY, by the north east corner of Love lane, has a
fine situation, with a large area, besides the church yard in the front.
A church of the same name appears from ancient records to have been
situated there so early as about the year 1300; however, great part of
the old structure was taken down in 1633, and rebuilt at a considerable
expence; but thirty three years afterwards it was destroyed by the fire
of London, and ten years after that dreadful event, it was finished in
the present form.
It is a plain stone building, likely to stand for ages; the body is well
enlightened by a range of large well-proportioned windows, and the
corners are wrought with rustic: it is 72 feet long, and 45 broad; the
roof is 38 feet high, and the steeple about 90 feet. It has a plain
solid tower, constructed in the same manner as the body of the church;
and the angles in the upper stage are adorned with rustic: the cornice
is supported by scrolls, and above it is a plain Attic course: in this
rises a turret with a square base that supports the dial; this turret is
arched, but the corners are massy: its roof is terminated in a point on
which is placed the fane.
The patronage of this church appears to have been anciently in the Dean
and Chapter of St. Paul’s; but the parishioners have ever since the
reformation had the right of chusing their own Minister, who must
however be licenced by the Bishop of London; but in matters
ecclesiastical it is subject to the Archdeacon, except as to wills and
administrations, which belong to the Commissary. The Incumbent receives
by act of Parliament 150l. a year from the parish.
_St._ MARY ALDERMARY, on the east side of Bow lane, in Cordwainer street
ward, has its additional epithet of Aldermary, or Elder Mary, from its
being the most ancient church in this city dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The last church, which was erected at the expence of Henry Keeble, was
destroyed by the fire of London in 1666; but it was afterwards erected
at the expence of Henry Rogers, Esq; who generously gave 5000l. towards
rebuilding it.
This Gothic edifice is very spacious, it being an hundred feet in length
and sixty-three in breadth; the height of the roof is forty-five feet,
and that of the steeple an hundred and thirty-five. The body is
enlightened by a single series of large Gothic windows. The wall has
well-contrived buttresses and battlements; these buttresses run up
pilaster fashion, in two stages, not projecting in the old manner from
the body of the building. The tower, which is full of ornament, consists
of five stages, each of which, except the lowest, has one Gothic window;
and the pinacles, which are properly so many turrets, are continued at
each corner down to the ground, divided into stages as the body of the
tower, and cabled with small pillars bound round it, with a kind of
arched work, and subdivisions between. _English Architecture._
This rectory is one of the thirteen peculiars belonging to the
Archbishop of Canterbury; and the parish of St. Thomas Apostles being
annexed to this church by an act of Parliament granted in the reign of
King Charles II. the profits of the Rector are greatly augmented, he
receiving 150l. _per annum_ in lieu of tithes, and about 100l. a year by
glebe.
_St._ MARY AT HILL, on the west side of St. Mary Hill, in Billingsgate
ward, owes its additional epithet to its situation on an eminence. This
church is of considerable antiquity, since a chantry was founded in it
so early as about the year 1336.
It is remarkable, that in the year 1497, digging in this church for the
foundation of a wall, the corpse of Alice Hackney, who died about the
year 1322, was discovered in a very rotten coffin; and that the skin was
sound and flexible, and the joints pliable, though buried about 175
years. The body was kept above ground three or four days, without any
noisome smell, but then beginning to be tainted was again laid in the
ground.
Though this church was not destroyed by the fire of London, every thing
combustible in it was consumed; it was however soon after repaired, and
the parish of St. Andrew Hubbard annexed to it. It is a
well-proportioned Gothic structure, consisting of a plain body
enlightened by large windows, and a tower crowned by a pretty handsome
turret.
The advowson of this church appears to have been in private hands, till
about the year 1638, when it was purchased by the parish; but since the
parish of St. Andrew Hubbard was united to it, the Duke of Somerset, who
is patron thereof, presents in his turn. The Rector receives 200l. a
year in lieu of tithes, and about 24l. _per annum_ by glebe.
_St._ MARY AX, a street on the north side of Leadenhall street. Here was
anciently a church dedicated not only to the Virgin Mary, but to St.
Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins; but it was commonly called _St.
Mary at the Ax_, from the sign of the _Ax_ over against the east end of
the church; and sometimes it was named St. Mary Papillar, from a plat of
ground belonging to the Skinners company, that lay on the north side of
it; but this parish being, about the year 1565, united to the parish
church of St. Andrew Undershaft, St. Mary at the Ax was let out as a
warehouse to a merchant; but the street however in which this edifice
stood, still retains its name. _Maitland._
MARYBON. See _St._ MARY LA BONNE.
MARYBON _Fields_, the fields between London and Marybon, or St. Mary la
Bonne.
MARYBON _lane_, Tyburn road.
MARYBON _passage_, Oxford street.
MARYBON _place_, Little Castle street.
MARYBON _road_, Oxford street.
MARYBON _street_, near Warwick street, Marybon.
_St._ MARY BOTHAW, stood on the east side of Turnwheel lane near Dowgate
hill, and took its additional name, according to the surmise of Mr.
Stowe, from its vicinity to a _Boat haw_, or boat-builder’s yard in that
neighbourhood. This church, which was one of the thirteen peculiars
belonging to the Archbishop of Canterbury, having suffered greatly by
the fire of London, and not being rebuilt, the parish was annexed to
that of St. Swithin.
MARY CLARKE’S _yard_, Gravel lane.†
_St._ MARY COLECHURCH, stood in the Poultry, at the south west corner of
the Old Jewry, in Cheap ward, and owed its additional epithet of
Colechurch, to one Cole, its founder: but suffering the fate of most of
the other public buildings in 1666, and not being rebuilt, the parish
was united to the neighbouring church of St. Mildred. _Stow._
_St._ MARY OF GRACE, an abbey of Cistertian monks, founded in the reign
of Edward III. on Tower hill, where the victualling office is now
situated.
MARY GRAY’S _yard_, Gravel lane.†
_St._ MARY LA BONNE, thus called from its being supposed to signify _St.
Mary the Good_; though its original name, according to Maitland, was
Maryborne. This gentleman gives the following account of the rise of
this village, which is now almost united to this great metropolis: the
village of Tyborne going to decay, and its church, named St. John the
Evangelist, left alone by the side of the highway, it was robbed of its
books, vestments, bells, images, and other decorations; on which the
parishioners petitioned the Bishop of London for leave to take down
their old, and erect a new church elsewhere, which being readily granted
in the year 1400, they erected a new church where they had some time
before built a chapel, and that structure being dedicated to the Virgin
Mary, received the additional epithet of Borne, from its vicinity to the
neighbouring brook or bourn.
This village, if it may be still called by that name, is almost joined
by new buildings to this metropolis; and the new buildings this way are
now increasing so very fast, that it will undoubtedly in a very short
time be quite joined, and become a part of it. The old church, which was
a mean edifice, was pulled down, and a one erected in 1741. This
structure is built with brick in as plain a manner as possible. It has
two series of small arched windows on each side, and the only ornaments
are a vase at each corner, and a turret at the west end. There are here
also a French meeting-house, a charity school, and a place of public
entertainment, which has a pleasant garden, and a band of vocal and
instrumental music. This may be considered as a kind of humble imitation
of Vauxhall.
_St._ MARY LE BOW, near the corner of Bow lane in Cheapside, received
the epithet _le Bow_, from its being the first church in this city built
with arches: for so early as in the time of William the Conqueror a
church of the same name stood in this place; a massy Gothic pile,
decorated with lofty arches, which the vulgar of that time called bows,
and this name has been continued through all its succeeding changes.
Here the court of Arches used to meet, and from these arches received
its name. _Stowe._
In the history of the ancient edifice we find, that in the year 1271, a
great number of people were destroyed, and many more maimed by the
falling of the steeple, after which it remained without one till the
year 1512, when it was finished upon the old plan, with stone brought
from Caen in Normandy; and thus continued till it was destroyed with the
other buildings in the city, by the fire in 1666.