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 (fn. 1)
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. (fn. 2) 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 (fn. 3) 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 and 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 particion wall
157 foote, and at the other end next Lincolne's Inne Feildes 31 foote." (fn. 1)
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." (fn. 4)
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, (fn. 6) 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. (fn. 7)
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. (fn. 8) 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. (fn. 9)
Weld himself stated about 1670, that he had by that time laid out £15,600
in building. (fn. 7)
The street which had at least since 1629, (fn. 10) and probably since 1618, (fn. 11)
led from Great Queen Street to Kemble then 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 (fn. 12) so far discovered is in a deed of
24th April, 1658, (fn. 13) 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 (fn. 14) 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." (fn. 15)
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. (fn. 16) 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, (fn. 17) 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) (fn. 18) |
| 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 Worsely, Marchht 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 (fn. 19) (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) (fn. 19) nor G (fn. 20) 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 (fn. 21) , 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. (fn. 22)
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. (fn. 23)
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. (fn. 24) 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, (fn. 25) and the Spanish
Ambassador in 1675. Numerous references to the residence of the last
mentioned occur. (fn. 26) 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. (fn. 27)
The house, or a portion of it, was however, still standing in 1694. (fn. 5)
In the Council's collection is:—
North-east side of Great Wild Street, in 1906, looking south-east (photograph).