house in the Parish of St. Giles Cripplegate, in the 27th of Edward III, was given to them. Richard II granted license to Stephen Spilman to give one messuage, 3 Shops with the Appurtenances in the Parish of St. Andrew, Holborn. King Henry VI, in the 8th of his reign, gave license to the Custos to build of new the said Chappell or Colledge of Guildhall, and in the 27th year of his reign granted to the Parish Clerks in London a Guild of St. Nicholas for two Chaplaincies. "The value of the Colledge was £12 8s. 9d. The Library, which was situated on the south side, was built by the executors of Sir Richard Whittington and William Bury. The arms of the former were on one side, and the Initials WB on the other. The Books which belonged to the Library were plundered by the Protector Somerset." BLACKWELL HALL. Next to Guildhall Chapel stood Blackwell, Bakewell, or Bassinghall. In 1396-7 Richard II, in consideration of the sum of £50, granted license to John Froxle, William Parker, and Stephen Spilman, citizens and mercers, that they might assign unto the mayor and commonalty for ever for the common benefit the said messuage, called Bakewell Hall, etc. From this period it became established as a weekly market-place for woollen cloths, both broad and narrow, which were brought from all parts of the kingdom to be sold. An ordinance was passed in 1397-98 under the mayoralty of Richard Whittington, and another in the year following, under the mayoralty of Drew Barringtine, declaring that no foreigner or stranger should sell any woollen cloth but in the Bakewell Hall, upon the penalty of the forfeiture thereof. This was confirmed again in 1517. No manner of person being freeman of the City should suffer any person whatever, be he free or foreign, to buy or sell any manner of woollen cloth harboured or lodged contrary to the said 1898 24 ordinance, or any other manner of cloth made of wool within his shop unless the said cloth were first brought to Blackwell Hall. Having stood for about four hundred years, it became ruinous about the middle of the sixteenth century; and it was pulled down and a new building erected in the year 1558, at a cost of £2,000. Blackwell Hall appears to have been erected about 1672. The attic was ornamented with cornice and pediment, a stone gateway being in the centre, the royal arms being over, and the city arms impaling Christ's Hospital on the head of the arch. This structure was taken down in 1819. THE STOCKS MARKET. Stow says: "In the year 1282 Henry Wallis, mayor, caused divers houses in the Citie to be builded towards the maintenance of London Bridge, namely in one void place near unto the Parish church called Wool-church where sometime had stood a Paire of Stocks. The Building took name of Moore Stocks, and was appointed by him to be a market place for Fish and Flesh in the midst of the City. "In the year 1322 certain markets were appointed. "The Stocks were let to Farm at £46 13s. yearly rental. "In the year 1507 the rental was £5619s., and in the year 1543, John Cates being mayor, there were eighteen stalls for fishmongers, rented yearly £4 13s. The butchers had also eighteen stalls, rental of £41 16s. 4d. and chambers above rented at £5 13s. 4d." The present Mansion House was erected on the site of the Stocks Market Pennant tells us that in the market stood a statue of Charles II, given by his most loyal subject, Sir Robert Viner, Lord Mayor, which his lordship discovered made at Leghorn. The statue represented John Sobieski trampling on a Turk. The Polish monarch was christened Charles, and the turbaned Turk, Oliver Cromwell. Horace Walpole says it was unfinished, and a new head was added. The statue remained some time amongst the rubbish of the destroyed market, and was given to Mr. Robert Vyner, a descendant of the Lord Mayor. On the demolition of the Stocks Market, it was decided by the city to arch over that portion of Farringdon ditch which lies between Fleet Street and Holborn. It was opened 1737. Fleet Market lasted until 1829, when it was taken down to form Farringdon Street, and Farringdon Market took its place, opened in the year 1826. The west side of the market was taken down when the Viaduct was constructed, about 1869. It is only within the last year that the remains have been taken away, and warehouses erected. NOTE. The Plates of Furnival's Inn and Blackwell Hall will be found in Graphic and Historic Memorials in the Cities and Suburbs of London and Westminster, by Robert Wilkinson, 1825. |