XCVII.—XCVIII.—THE OLD MANOR-HOUSE
(Destroyed) No. 1, JUSTICE WALK, and
Nos. 23 and 24, LAWRENCE STREET.
Lawrence Street derives its name from the family of Lawrence, who
owned for many years the old Manor House, which is presumed to have
been situate at the north end of the street. It is not necessary to go in
detail into the history of Chelsea Manor, but it may be noted that Sir
Reginald Bray was lord of the manor from 1485 to 1503 and was succeeded
by his nephew Sir Edmund, Lord Bray, who surrendered his claim in 1510
to Sir William, afterwards Lord, Sandes, in right of his wife. Both the
Brays were buried at the old church. Lord Sandes sold the manor to King
Henry VIII., who built the new manor house in Cheyne Walk (completed
1543). The old house was leased before 1557 to Richard Jervoise, to whom
or to one of whose sons is the fine monument in the old church, and in 1557 (fn. 1)
it was granted to John Caryll. In the same year he sold it to James Bassett,
whose wife Maria parted with it in 1559 to Thomas Parrys. (fn. 2) The property
changed hands again, and in 1583 it was sold by Robert Chamberlain and
William Mounsey to Thomas Lawrence. (fn. 3) This last was Thomas Lawrence,
goldsmith, who died in 1593, and was buried in what was henceforward
known as the Lawrence Chapel in the old church, for the chapel
attached to the lords of the manor remained with the possessors
of the old manor house and not the new. Thomas Lawrence's
son, Sir John, the first baronet, succeeded his father and died in 1638. His
son Sir John (died c. 1681) and grandson Sir Thomas (died 1714), the
latter being Secretary for Maryland, successively held the property. Sir
Thomas left one surviving daughter, Margaret, who married Crew Offley,
and inherited the property. Margaret Offley died in 1725 and was buried
in the old church.
Lawrence.
Faulkner, (fn. 4) tells us that "Ann, Duchess of Monmouth and Buccleuch,
relict of James, Duke of Monmouth, resided in the great house in Lawrence
Street about the year 1714," and this house came to be called Monmouth
House. But it is clear from a note of Dr. King's that the old manor house
was pulled down bfore 1704, and from his further note that "now it is
built into several tenements, the offerings come to much more yearly"
proves that it was not rebuilt as a great house. Indeed, on his map is
shown a block of four houses at the north end of the street, built by Mr.
Chase, who leased a portion of the glebe adjoining as additional gardens
for the two larger houses. A passage between the two is specifically mentioned. (fn. 5) Now, if we consult the rate-books, we find that from 1695 onwards,
there were four houses, apparently on the western side of the street, all
rated at the same value (£18) and they are clearly shown on Dr. King's
map. These are followed in the earlier years by two houses (rated at
£28) which must have been on the eastern side. In 1705–6 there
appear between these two sets of buildings, four new houses, the two in
the centre rated at £28, and those at the side at £18. This would be the
block already referred to, and it would agree with the drawing in the
Chelsea Public Library (Plate 57), which shows four early 18th-century
houses in one group, the two in the centre being larger than those at the
sides, which occupy the projecting wings. The central folding-doors in
the drawing belong to the passage, while the windows above are sham
features to give dignity to the building. Mr. Beaver (fn. 6) tells us that a part of
the block was pulled down in 1835, and a reference to Thompson's map
(1836) will show the two western houses alone standing on the site. We
can thus trace the Duchess of Monmouth in 1715 to the eastern of the
two centre houses, which had been tenanted for two years previously by
Josias Priest. Her neighbour in the eastern wing was "the Worshipful
Richard Woodward," until 1718, (fn. 7) when the Duchess is found in occupation
of the two houses, which together are rated at £63. She remained here
until her death in 1732, when her name gives place to that of her daughter
the Rt. Honble. Isabella Scott, who remained until 1738. After being
empty for four years, the house was taken by Nicholas Spriemont, who was
later the manager of Chelsea China Manufactory, which was close by. (fn. 8)
Dr. Smollett came to live in the next house (westwards) in the year 1750.
Scott of Buccleuch
Nos. 23 and 24, Lawrence Street, which have the appearance of
being originally one house, are good early Georgian buildings, and
no doubt formed part of the building scheme above referred to. It will be
noticed that there is a well designed hood which spans the two doorways;
it is remarkably similar to one shown in a like position in the drawings of
Monmouth House, and it is quite possibly the same hood. Opposite Nos. 23
and 24, and at the northern corner of Justice Walk, is another good house of
rather later date. The doorway, which is in Justice Walk (in which street
the house is No. 1), is of excellent design, and some good wrought iron
balconies occur to the windows which overlook Lawrence Street.