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The church and tower are built of stone, with which it is also paved, having two aisles; the roof within is flat, adorned with a cornice, and between the windows with fretwork of cherubims, &c. It is finely wainscoted with oak about ten feet high; it has a neat wainscot gallery at the west end, supported by four stone columns, of the Tufcan order. There are also two spacious inner door-cases and handsome pews; the pulpit is enriched with cherubims, and the sound board veneered.

The altar-piece is adorned with four pilasters, entablature, and compass pediment, of the Corinthian order. The inter-columns are the decalogue, &c. placed under five cherubims and palm branches, &c. gilt with gold. Above the cornice and under the pediment, is a glory in form of an equilateral triangle, surrounded with painted cherubims. Without the columns are the Lord's Prayer and Creed, done in gold letters on blue; and in the east window is painted the arms of England; and the foot-pace of the communion table is black and white marble; at the west end is a neat marble font, adorned with cherubims, and the top is carved wainscot.

The tower is square, well proportioned, and high, crowned at cach corner with very handsome vases on pe destals, between which are four tall pyramidal columns.

The dimensions are, length eighty-three feet, breadth thirty-six, altitude thirty, and that of the tower (to the top of the highest pinnacles) about one hundred and twenty feet. There are no monuments worthy notice. Within the altar rails is a black marble grave stone, thus inscribed:

H. S. E.

Reverendum admodum in Christo Pater, Gilbertus Ironside, S. T. P. Col. Wadhamensis in Acad. Oxon Guardianus, ejusdem Acad. Vice Canc. primo consecratus Bristol. Episcop. postea translatus ad Episcopat. Hereford.

Obiit 27 August 1701. Etat. suæ 69.

Near TRIG LANE is Boss ALLEY, so called from a boss or water course, similar to that at Billingsgate, placed here by the executors of that general benefactor, Sir Richard Whittington.

Here

Here also stood the city mansion of the abbots of Chertsey, in Surrey; it afterwards became the residence of Sir William, afterwards lord Sandys. This nobleman served in the wars of Flanders, and had afterwards a share in the victory obtained over Lord Audley and the rebels, at Blackheath, during the reign of Henry VII. By his marriage with the heiress of Bray, he greatly increased his inheritance, as he did also by part of the forfeited lands of Ed ward, duke of Buckingham. He was treasurer of Calais, knight of the Garter, and had a principal command in the army in France, during the reign of Henry VIII. This lord is represented by Shakespeare in his Henry VIII. as a sort of antiquated beau; for what reason we cannot ascer

tain.

LAMBERT HILL. Here is situated a handsome, but much neglected structure, formerly appropriated as

BLACKSMITH's HALL.

It is a very good brick building, with very convenient. and stately apartments; but from whatever cause, it has been deserted by the company, has not been ascertained. The whole has been devoted to purposes very different from its original designation, and it exhibits a melancholy picture of injurious treatment to a most respectable edifice.

The BLACKSMITH's COMPANY. This corporation was antiently a guild or fraternity by prescription, in which state it continued till the reign of queen Elizabeth, in the year 1571, when the company obtained a charter of incorporation, by the name of "The Keepers or Wardens and Society of the Art and Mystery de les Blacksmiths."

This company is governed by a master, wardens, and court of assistants. It is the fortieth on the city list.

Adjoining this hall is a plot of ground with a brick wall, which comprised an antient donation to the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, Old Fish Street, by John Iwarby, an officer in the receipt of the Exchequer, in the 26th of Henry VI. He gave this "piece of land lying void, between the tenement of John Philpot, on the south, and the

tenement

tenement of Bartholomew Burwash, on the west; the tes nement pertaining to the convent of the Holy Well on the north; and the way upon Lambert Hill, on the east, for a church-yard to the parson, churchwardens, &c."

Returning to Thames Street, and proceeding westward, we arrive at the site of the parish church of

ST. PETER THE LITTLE, OR ST. PETER, PAUL'S WHARF.

THIS was so called on account of being a small edifice; but it is of antient foundation, as appears by its being noticed in 1181, when it is stated to have belonged to the canons of St. Paul's cathedral, who received a rent of 12d. by the hands of Radulphus the priest; that it paid for sy nodals 4d. and to the archdeacon 12d. but had no cemetery. Here occurred a circumstance rather extraordinary, considering the time; it was famous for many years during the Usurpation, for the exercise of the Liturgy of the church of England, and the dispensation of the sacrament according to that liturgy; which was suffered to proceed with such little interruption, that many of the nobility and gentry resorted to the Divine service, and the galleries for their accommodation was richly hung with Turkey carpets, &c. *

On St. Peter's church having been destroyed by the fire, the ground on which it stood was converted to a burial place, and the parish united to that of St. Bennet, Paul's Wharf.

On ST. PETER'S HILL are situated six almshouses for poor widows, founded by David Smith, embroiderer to queen Elizabeth, and called Embroiderer's Almshouses; after the fire of London they were rebuilt by Sir Thomas Fitch, knight and baronet, formerly a bricklayer.

On the east side of this lane stood the mansion of the abbots of St. Mary, York. It afterwards came into the possession of Sir Michael Hicks, knight, secretary to lord treasurer Burleigh, and was for a long time, the property of that family.

Newcourt.

Opposite

Opposite the north end of St. Peter's Hill is the handsome house built for the town residence of the late Sir Robert Ladbroke, alderman of Castle Baynard Ward, 1740; sheriff in 1744; lord mayor 1748; father of the city from 1758 to 1773, aud a member in several parliaments.

In Thames Street, opposite this hill, stood BEAUMONT'S INN, belonging to the noble family of that name in the reign of Edward IV. Of whom John, in consideration of his own merit, and the many services of his ancestors, was raised to the dignity of viscount, by Henry VI. a title not till then used in England; with precedence over all barons. In the twenty-third of the same reign he had a grant of place and precedence above all viscounts, thenceforth to be created; and to take place next the earls in all parliaments and public meetings. He was also knight of the Garter. Being slain at the battle of Northampton, fighting for the house of Lancaster, his son William, who was also Lord Bardolf, in right of his mother, succeeded. This nobleman adhering also to the Lancastrian party, as the bene-. factors of his family, participated in the hard fate of that unfortunate house, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Towton, and attainted in parliament. He recovered his title and dignities at the union of the two houses by Henry VII. On the attainder of this nobleman, Beaumont Inn was bestowed by Edward IV. on William, Lord Hastings, who appears in a prominent character in our tragedies; the paramour of the fair penitent Jane Shore, and was himself treacherously beheaded in the Tower, by order of Richard, duke of Gloucester; because by his loyalty he resisted Richard's traiterous designs to obtain the crown of England. From this nobleman the house became the inheritance of the noble family of Huntingdon, and was denominated HUNTINGDGN HOUSE.

BENNET'S HILL. eminent colleges.

This steep street is famous for two

VOL. III. No. 69.

3 M

THE

THE COLLEGE OF ARMS, COMMONLY CALLED THE HERALD'S OFFICE.

This college was erected on the site of DERBY HOUSE; SƠ called on account of its being built by Thomas Stanley, first earl of Derby, and father-in-law to Henry VII. It was afterwards granted by Mary I. "to Gilbert Dethick, Garter principal king at arms of Englishmen; Thomas Hauley, Clarencieux, king at arms of the south parts; William Harvy, alias Norroy, king at arms of the north parts; and the other heralds and pursuivants of arms, and to their successors, all the capital messuage or house, called Derby House, with the appurtenances, situate in the parishes of St. Bennet and St. Peter; then being in the tenure of Sir Richard Sackville, knight, and lately parcel of the lands of Edward, earl of Derby, &c. To the end that the said kings at arms, heralds, and pursuivants of arms, and their successors, might, at their liking, dwell together; and at meet times to congregate, speak, confer, and agree among themselves, for the good government of their faculty, and their records might be more safely kept, &c. Dated the 18th day of July, 1551, Philip and Mary, the first and third year."

The old building where this office was kept was destroyed by the fire in 1666; and, by the act for rebuilding the city, the present edifice was to have been begun in three years after. The estimate of the expence for building it amounted to 5000l. but the corporation not being able to discharge that sum, petitioned Charles II. for a commission to receive the subscriptions of the nobility and gentry. This petition was referred to the commissioners for executing the office of earl-marshal; and, upon their report, was granted the 6th of December 1672. But the commission directing the money so collected to be paid to such persons, and laid out in such a manner as the earl marshal should appoint, so disgusted the officers, that it caused a coolness in them to promote the subscription; in conse quence of which, though they had reason to hope for large contributions,

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