CHAPTER 13: SITE OF THE ORIGINAL PASSAGE FROM CHARING CROSS TO SPRING GARDENS
In the Ministers' Accounts for 1534–5 the tenement next to those
of Hill and Abevion is shown to be in lease to Henry Child. A comparison
of later accounts indicates that it was the same as that leased on 20th March,
1547–8, to Richard Mounten (fn. 1) for 21 years. On 30th November, 1562,
William Muschampe obtained a new lease for a similar term, and on 16th July,
1547, a reversionary lease for 31 years from Michaelmas 1583 was granted
to William Herle. (fn. 2) John Wells, on 8th May, 1591, obtained a further
reversionary lease for 60 years from 1614, and on 9th April, 1593, sold his
interest to John Colbrand, who on his death in 1595 left the property to
John Mathewe. (fn. 3) On 23rd January, 1601–2, Mathewe sold his interest
to Henry Green, (fn. 4) who on 16th March, 1626–7, obtained (fn. 5) a further
reversionary lease for 42 years from Michaelmas, 1674. The property
was included in the sale of a number of manors and lands made by the
Crown to William Collins and Edward Fenn on 8th December, 1631,
in perpetual fee farm, (fn. 6) and on 13th January following Sir William Russell,
Collins and Fenn sold (fn. 7) their interest to Matthew Waver, who also obtained
the residue of Green's estate (including the lease due to expire in 1716)
on the latter's death in 1635. (fn. 8) Waver left (fn. 9) the property to Joachim
Mathewes of Collier Row, Essex, who on 15th March, 1650–1, purchased (fn. 10)
the fee farm rent, and was thus in possession of all the interests.
As regards the residents at these premises during the above period
it is probable, but not certain, that "Mr. Hearne" (Thomas Heron)
shown in the earliest ratebook (1574) and continuing, with intervals, until
1594, occupied the house. There is no doubt, however, concerning the
next person to be mentioned. This was Sir Jerome Bowes, (fn. 11) who first
appears in the ratebook for 1599. In 1607 the house was the scene of an
incident which occasioned a great stir at the time. At noon on 20th February,
1606–7, two men, one of whom had previously been employed in the house,
gained admittance, murdered one of the women servants and robbed Sir
Jerome of jewels and money to a value of over £110. (fn. 12) The miscreants were
caught at Chester, and were executed at Charing Cross, "over against the
house wherein they had given the cause of their punishment."
On Sir Jerome's death the house was taken by Sir David Murray, (fn. 13)
who is shown in occupation by the ratebooks for 1616–27. His immediate
successors at the house were John Gibbons (1630–34), William Hodges
(1636–39) and Dr. Adrian Medcalfe (fn. 14) (1640–50). From 1651 to 1658
Sir George Wentworth (fn. 15) , and from 1659 to 1663 Lady Margaret Fleming
were in occupation. The latter was succeeded by Dr. Hoare, who is shown
there for 1664 to 1672, and his widow in 1673–4. (fn. 16) The latter on
31st August, 1673, received permission to rebuild her house and extend it
on a piece of ground belonging to Whitehall Palace, where part of the wall
stood which enclosed Spring Garden. (fn. 17)
To resume the history of the freehold. Joachim Mathewes died in
1659, (fn. 18) and his son Sir Philip in 1681. On 6th February, 1728–9, Sir
Philip's widow, Anne, sold (fn. 19) to William Abdy "all those two Messuages …
(heretofore one) … Scituate … near the place where the late Crosse called
Chareing Crosse Heretofore Stood, and formerly in the Occupation of
Sir George Wentworth, Knight, afterwds of Dame Margaret Fleming,
Widow, since that of the Lord Poore (fn. 20) and George Searle … and now or
late of Anne, Widow of Thomas Wright, Cook, Deceased and Elizabeth
Kellite, Widow." This is the last record of these premises. At this time
Edward Southwell was developing his portion of Spring Gardens, and it is
probable that Abdy's purchase was made on his behalf for the purpose of
forming an entrance to his property from Charing Cross. (fn. 21) The entrance
was therefore probably made in 1729 or 1730, a date which is consistent
with the reference to it as "a new passage leading from Charing Cross into
Spring Gardens" in a deed of 1739 (fn. 22) In the view of Charing Cross
reproduced in Plate 85, and made before the formation of the passage, the
house is shown on the extreme left. The site is now covered by the Mall
Approach.