Walbrooke warde
Walbrooke warde.; Parish church of S. Swithen.
Walbrooke warde beginneth at the West end of Candlewicke streete ward. It runneth downe Candlewicke street west
towards Budge row. It hath on the northside thereof S.
Swithens lane, so called of S. Swithens a parish Church by
London stone: This lane is replenished on both the sides
with faire builded houses, and is wholy of Walbrooke warde.
The said parish Church of S. Swithen standeth at the southwest corner of this lane. Licence was procured to new build
and encrease the said Church and steeple, in the yeare 1420.
Sir Iohn Hend Draper, Maior, was an especiall benefactor
thereunto, as appeareth by his armes in the Glasse windowes
euen in the toppes of them, which is in a field siluer, a chiefe
Azure, a Lion passant siluer, a Cheueron azure, three Escalops
siluer: he lieth buried in the bodie of this Church, with a faire
stone laid on him, but the plates and inscriptions are defaced.
Roger Depham Alderman, Thomas Aylesbourgh, William
Neue, and Matilde Caxton, founded Chaunteries, and were
buried there, Iohn Butler Draper, one of the Shiriffes, 1420.
Raph Ioceline, Maior, a benefactor, buried in a fayre Tombe,
William White Draper, one of the Shiriffes, 1482. and other.
Prior of Tortington his Inne.; Oxford place by London stone.; Empson and Dudley.
On the north side of this Church and Churchyard, is one
faire and large builded house, sometime pertayning to the
prior of Tortington in Sussex, since to the Earles of Oxford,
and now to sir Iohn Hart Alderman: which house hath
a faire Garden belonging thereunto, lying on the west side
thereof. On the backeside of two other faire houses in Walbrooke, in the raigne of Henrie the seuenth, sir Richard
Empson knight, Chanceler of the Duchie of Lancaster, dwelled
in the one of them, and Edmond Dudley Esquire in the other;
either of them had a doore of entercourse into this Garden,
wherein they met and consulted of matters at their pleasures.
In this Oxford place sir Ambrose Nicholas kept his Maioraltie,
and since him the said sir Iohn Hart.
London stone.
On the south side of this high streete, neare vnto the channell is pitched vpright a great stone called London stone,
fixed in the ground verie deepe, fastned with bars of iron,
and otherwise so strongly set, that if Cartes do run against it
through negligence, the wheeles be broken, and the stone
it selfe vnshaken.
Antiquitie of London stone.; Lib. Trinitate.
The cause why this stone was there set, the time when, or
other memorie hereof, is none, but that the same hath long
continued there is manifest, namely since (or rather before)
the conquest: for in the ende of a faire written Gospell booke
giuen to Christes Church in Canterburie, by Ethelstane king
of the west Saxons, I find noted of landes or rents in London
belonging to the sayd Church, whereof one parcell is described
to lie neare unto London stone. Of later time we read that
in the yeare of Christ 1135. the first of king Stephen, a fire
which began in the house of one Ailward, neare vnto
London stone consumed all East to Aldgate, in the which fire
the Priorie of the holy Trinitie was burnt, and West to S.
Erkenwalds shrine in Paules Church: and these be the eldest
notes that I reade thereof.
Some haue said this stone to be set, as a marke in the
middle of the Citie within the walles: but in truth it standeth
farre nearer vnto the riuer of Thames, then to the wall of the
Citie: some others haue said the same to be set for the tendering and making of payment by debtors to their creditors, at
their appoynted dayes and times, till of later time, payments
were more vsually made at the Font in Poules (fn. 1) Church, and
now most commonly at the Royall Exchange: some againe
haue imagined the same to bee set vp by one Iohn or Thomas
Londonstone dwelling there agaynst, but more likely it is, that
such men haue taken name of the stone, then the stone of
them, as did Iohn at Noke, Thomas at Stile, William at Wall,
or at Well, &c.
Walbrooke streete.; Stocks market.; The middest of the City.; Ro. Fabian.
Downe west from this parish church, and from London
stone, haue ye Walbrooke corner: from whence runneth vp
a streete, North to the Stockes, called Walbrooke, because it
standeth on the east side of the same brooke by the banke
thereof, and the whole warde taketh name of that streete. On
the east side of this streete and at the north corner thereof is
the Stockes market, which had this beginning. Aboute the
yeare of Christ 1282. Henry Wales Mayor caused diuers
houses in this Citty to bee builded towards the maintenance
of London bridge: namely one void place neare vnto the
parish Church called Woole Church, on the north side thereof,
where sometime (the way being very large and broade) had
stoode a payre of Stocks, for punishment of offenders, this
building tooke name of these Stockes, and was appoynted by
him to bee a market place for fish and flesh in the midst of the
city, other houses hee builded in other places, as by the patent
of Edward the first it doth appeare, dated the tenth of his
raigne. After this in the yeare 1322. the 17. of Edward the
second a decree was made by Hamond Chickwell Mayor, that
none should sell fish or flesh out of the markets appoynted, to
witte Bridge street, East Cheape, Olde Fishstreete, S. Nicholas
shambles, and the saide Stockes vpon pain to forfeite such
fish or flesh as were sold, for the first time, and the second
time to loose theyr freedom, which act was made by commandement of the king vnder his letters patents dated at the
Tower the 17. of his raign, and then was this stocks let to
farme for 46. pound, 13. shillinges, foure pence by yeare. This
Stockes market was againe begunne to bee builded in the
yeare 1410. in the 11. of Henry the fourth, and was finished in
the yeare next following. In the yeare 1507. the same was
rented 56. pound, 19. shillinges ten pence. And in the
yeare 1543. Iohn Cotes being Mayor, there was in this Stockes
Market for Fishmongers 25. boordes or stalles, rented yearely
to thirty foure pound thirteene shillinges foure pence, there
was for Butchers 18. boordes or stalles, rented at one and
forty pound, sixeteen shillinges foure pence, and there were
also chambers aboue, sixeteene rented at fiue pound, thirteene
shillinges foure pence, in all 82.li. 3.s.
Parish church of S. Mary Wool church.; Tronage or weighing of wool, caused the church to bee named Wooll church Haw.; Berebinder lane.; Parish church of S. Stephen by walbrooke.
Next vnto this Stocks is the parrish church of S. Mary Wool
church, so called of a Beam placed in the church yeard, which
was thereof called Wooll Church Haw, of the Tronage, or weighing of Wooll there vsed, and to verifie this, I find amongst
the customes of London, written in French, in the raigne of
Edward the second, a Chapter intituled Les Customes de
Wolchurch Haw, wherein is set downe what was there to bee
paide for euery parcell of Wooll weighed. This Tronage or
Weighing of Woole till the sixt of Richarde the second was
there continued, Iohn Churchman then builded the Custome
house vppon Wooll keye, to serue for the saide Tronage, as is
before shewed in Towerstreete Warde: This church is reasonable fayre and large, and was lately new builded, by licence
graunted in the 20. of Henry the sixt, with condition to bee
builded 15. foote from the Stockes market for sparing of light
to the same Stockes. The Parson of this church is to haue
foure markes the yeare for tith of the said Stockes, payde him
by the Maisters of the Bridge house, by a speciall decree made
the seconde of Henry the seuenth. Iohn Wingar Grocer,
Mayor 1504. was a great helper to the building of this church,
and was there buried 1505. he gaue vnto it by his testament
two large Basons of siluer and twenty pound in money, also
Richard Shore Draper one of the Shiriffes 1505. was a great
Benefactor in his life, and by his testament gaue 20. pound to
make a porch at the West end thereof, and was there buried,
Richard Hatfield of Steplemorden in Cambridgeshire lyeth
intombed there, 1467. Edward Deoly Esquier 1467. Iohn
Handford Grocer, made the Font of that church, very curiously
wrought, painted and guilded, and was there buried: Iohn
Archer Fishmonger, 1487. Anne Cawode founded a Chauntrie
there, &c. From the Stockes market, and this parrish Church
East vp into Lombarde streete, some foure or fiue houses on
a side, and also on the south side of Wooll Church, haue yee
Bearebinder lane, a parte whereof is of this Walbroke Warde,
then downe lower in the streete called Walbrooke, is one other
fayre Church of Saint Stephen latelie builded on the east side
thereof, for the olde Church stoode on the west side, in place
where now standeth the Parsonage house, & therefore so much
nearer the Brooke, euen on the Banke. Robert Chichley Mayor
in the yeare 1428. the sixt of Henry the sixt, gaue to this
parrish of Saint Stephen one plot of grounde, containing 208.
foote and a halfe in length and sixtie sixe foote in bredth,
thereupon to builde their new church, and for their church yeard:
and in the seuenth of Henry the sixt, the saide Robert one of
the founders laide the first stone for himselfe, the second for
William Stondon Mayor, with whoose goodes the grounde
that the Church standeth on, and the housing with the grounde
of the churchyearde was bought by the said Chichley for two
hundred markes from the Grocers, which had beene letten before for sixe and twenty markes the yeare: Robert Whittingham
Draper laide the thirde stone, Henry Barton then Mayor, &c.
The sayde Chichley gaue more one hundred pound to the sayde
worke, and bare the charges of all the timber worke on the procession way, and layde the leade vpon it of his owne cost, he
also gaue all the timber for the rooffing of the two side Iles, and
paid for the carriage thereof. This church was finished in the
yeare 1439. the bredth thereof is sixtie seauen foote, and length
125. foote, the church yearde ninetie foote in length, and
thirty seauen in bredth, and more. Robert Whittingham
(made knight of the Bath) in the yeare 1432. purchased the
patronage of this church from Iohn Duke of Bedford, vnckle
to Henry the sixte, and Edward the fourth, in the second of
his raigne, gaue it to Richard Lee then Mayor: There bee
monumentes in this church of Thomas Southwell first Parson
of this new church, who lyeth in the Quier, Iohn Dunstable
Maister of Astronomie and Musicke, in the yeare 1453. Sir
Richard Lee Mayor, who gaue the saide Patronage (fn. 2) to the
Grocers. Rowland Hill Mayor, 1549. Sir Thomas Pope first
Treasurer of the augmentations, with his wife Dame Margaret,
Sir Iohn Cootes Mayor, 1542. Sir Iohn Yorke Knight, Marchaunt Taylor, 1549. Edward Iackman Shiriffe, 1564, Richarde
Achley, Grocer, Doctor Owyn Phisition to king Henrie the
eight, Iohn Kirkbie Grocer, 1578. and others.
Buckles bery.; Horshew bridge in Horshew streete.; Parish church of S. Mary Bothaw.; The Erbar.
Lower downe from this parrish church bee diuers fayre
houses namely one, wherin of late Sir Richard Baker a knight
of Kent was lodged, and one wherein dwelled maister Thomas
Gore a marchant famous for Hospitality. On the West side
of this Walbrooke streete, ouer against the Stockes Market,
is a parte of the high streete, called the Poultrie, on the
south side west, till ouer against S. Mildredes Church, and
the Skalding Wike is of this Ward. Then downe againe
Walbrooke streete some small distance, is Buckles Bury, a
street so called of Buckle that sometime was owner thereof,
part of which streete, on both sides 3. or 4. houses to the
course of the Brooke is of this Warde, and so downe Walbrooke streete, to the South corner: from whence west downe
Budge Row, some small distance to an Alley and through
that Alley south by the west end of S. Iohns Church vpon
Walbrooke, by the south side and east end of the same,
againe to Walbrooke corner. This parrish church is called
S. Iohn vpon Walbrooke, because the west end thereof is
on the verie banke of Walbrooke, by Horshew Bridge, in
Horshew bridge streete. This Church was also lately new
builded: for aboute the yeare 1412. licence was graunted by
the Mayor and comminalty, to the Parson and Parrish, for
the enlarging thereof, with a peece of ground on the North
parte of the Quier, 21. foot in length, 17. foot in bredth, &
3. inches, and on the south side of the Quier one foote of
the common soyle. There be no monuments in this Church of
any accounte, onely I haue lerned William Combarton Skinner,
who gaue landes to that church, was there buried, 1410. and
Iohn Stone Taylor, one of the Shiriffes, 1464, was likewise
buried there. On the south side of Walbrooke warde from
Candlewicke streete, in the mid way betwixte London stone,
and Walbrooke corner, is a little lane with a turnepike in the
middest therof, and in the same a proper parish church called
S. Mary Bothaw, or Boatehaw, by the Erber: this church
being neare vnto Downegate on the riuer of Thames, hath
the addition of Boathaw, or Boat haw, of neare adioyning to
an haw or yeard, wherein of old time boates were made, and
landed from Downegate to bee mended, as may be supposed,
for other reason I find none why it should bee so called.
Within this Church, and the small Cloystrie adioyning, diuers
Noblemen and persons of worshippe haue beene buried, as
appeareth by Armes in the Windowes, the defaced Tombes,
and printe of plates torn vp and carried away: there remayne
onely of Iohn West Esquire, buried in the yeare 1408.
Thomas Huytley Esquire 1539. but his monument is defaced
since, Lancelot Bathurst, &c. The Erbar is an ancient place
so called, but not of Walbrooke warde, and therefore out of
that lane, to Walbrooke corner, and then downe till ouer against
the south corner of Saint Iohns Church vpon Walbrooke.
And this is all that I can say of Walbrooke warde. It hath
an Alderman, and his Deputie, common Counsellers eleuen,
Constables nine, Scauengers sixe, for the Wardmote inquest
thirteene, and a Beedle. It is taxed to the fifteene in London,
to 33. pound, fiue shillings.