Shoreditch

9. SHOREDITCH.

(O.S. 6 in. London, Sheet K.)

The Borough of Shoreditch is coterminous with the civil parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch.

Ecclesiastical

(1) Parish Church of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, stands on the E. side of the High Street. The existing church was built between 1736 and 1740 on the site of the older building, from which it retains the following:—

Fittings—Glass: In E. window (Plate 105)—in three stages—(a) in head, figures of the four evangelists with their names and formerly in traceried lights with trefoiled heads; flanking them and in similar lights, shields of the arms of the Clothworkers' Company and of Austen; below is an inscription recording the restoration of the window in 1864. The second range contains the subjects from the life of Jacob, his dream, his reconciliation with Esau and his praying for deliverance from Esau; below is the inscription "Ex Dono Thome Austen Civis et Clothworker London An[n]o. D[omi]ni. 1634." In the lowest range is a large subject—the Last Supper—and three small subjects above, (a) the washing of the disciples' feet, (b) the agony in the garden and (c) Judas receiving the purse of money; at the left-hand bottom corner is the name Baptista Sutton, 1634. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In nave—on W. wall, (1) to Francis Clerke, A.M., 1690, Sarah his wife, 1709, and Rebeccah, first wife of Francis Clerke jun., 1715, draped marble tablet with cartouche-of-arms. In S. aisle—on S. wall, (2) to Elizabeth Benson, 1710–11, oval marble tablet (Plate 50) in moulded frame with drapery hung from tree which is being torn asunder by two skeletons; cartouche-of-arms below; (3) to Thomas Austen, 1658, and John Austen his brother, 1659–60, marble tablet with cornice, broken segmental pediment, achievement and two shields-of-arms. In crypt—(4) to John Banf Huniiades, 1696, table-tomb (Plate 127) with moulded slab and base, enriched angles of balustersection, raised panels at sides and ends carved with a resurrection of the dead and emblems of mortality, on slab achievement of the arms of Huniiades; (5) to John Burton, 1709, and others later, low brick table-tomb with moulded slab. Plate: includes six pewter plates with the initials and date S.L.S., F.E., 1677.

Condition—Re-built.

(2) Church of St. Mary, Hoxton, on the E. side of Britannia Street, is a modern building, but contains, from the destroyed church of St. Mary Somerset, Upper Thames Street, the following late 17th-century:—

Fittings—Bell: inaccessible, but said to be dated 1678. Pulpit: four sides of hexagonal pulpit, one set against wall, the other three with enriched cornice and base, bolection-moulded panels and cherub-heads with pendants of fruit and flowers at the angles; stem with concave faces and enriched capping. Miscellanea: At W. end of church—framing, incorporating coved cornice with acanthus-enrichment.

Secular

Monuments (3–14).

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of late 17th or early 18th-century date and of two storeys with attics and cellars; the walls are of brick and the roofs are covered with tiles or slates.

Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.

(3) House and shop, No. 2, on the E. side of High Street, Shoreditch, 650 yards S. of St. Leonard's Church, is of three storeys with attics. The W. front has a brick band between the upper storeys and flat heads to the windows.

(4) House and shop, No. 167, on the W. side of High Street, 220 yards S. of St. Leonard's Church, is of three storeys with attics. Inside the building, the upper part of the staircase is original and has moulded string, twisted balusters and square newels with moulded pendants.

(5) House, Nos. 46 and 48, on the E. side of Hoxton Street, 270 yards N.W. of St. Leonard's Church, is of L-shaped plan with the wings projecting towards the N. and W. The W. front has brick bands between the storeys and a modillioned eaves-cornice; the windows have flat heads and flush frames, and the doorway of No. 48 has a moulded frame and a flat hood resting on carved brackets; the fan-light has a wrought-iron grille. The E. elevation has a brick band between the storeys, and the doorway of No. 48 has a heavy beaded frame and a flat hood resting on shaped brackets. Inside the building, several rooms have plain deal panelling; the staircase has close moulded strings, twisted balusters and square panelled newels. The forecourt on the W. of the house has brick piers with moulded stone caps and ball-terminals.

Hoxton Square

(6) Houses, Nos. 2, 3 and 4, on the W. side of the square, are of three storeys with cellars. The back entrance of No. 2 has a flat hood with carved brackets. Inside the buildings, some of the rooms have plain and bolection-moulded panelling and moulded cornices. The staircases of Nos. 3 and 4 are original and have turned balusters, close strings and square newels with moulded pendants.

(7) House, No. 23, on the N. side of the square, 60 yards W. of Hoxton Street, is of three storeys with cellars and attics. The back elevation has brick bands between the storeys and a beaded door-frame with a light above a transom and a two-panelled door. Inside the building, a room on the first floor is lined with bolection-moulded panelling and a room on the second floor has a moulded mantel-piece. The staircase has original close strings.

(8) Houses, Nos. 28, 29, 30 and 32, on the E. side of the square. The W. fronts have brick bands between the storeys; the doorway of No. 32 is flanked by fluted pilasters supporting scrolled brackets and a flat hood. Inside the buildings, the staircases have straight moulded strings and turned or twisted balusters.

Condition—Poor.

(9) Houses, Nos. 43 and 44, on the S. side of the square, 35 yards W. of Hoxton Street, have brick bands between the storeys of the N. front, and segmental-headed windows; the doorways have flat hoods resting on carved and scrolled brackets. Inside the building, some rooms have plain panelling and moulded cornices; the staircases have moulded straight strings and turned balusters.

(10) Houses, Nos. 48, 49 and 50, 35 yards W. of (9), have brick bands between the storeys of the N. front. Inside the buildings, No. 48 has a staircase with moulded strings, turned balusters and square newels with moulded caps.

(11) House and shop, No. 16, on the E. side of Pitfield Street, 15 yards N. of Boot Street, is of three storeys with attics. It has been much altered, but contains an original staircase similar to that in (10).

(12) House and shop, No. 11, on the W. side of Pitfield Street, 30 yards N. of Old Street, is of three storeys with attics. The E. front has a brick band between the upper storeys and a wooden modillioned eaves-cornice; the windows have flat heads.

(13) House, No. 27, on the N. side of Charles Square, 35 yards W. of Pitfield Street, has a brick band between the storeys on the S. front and a doorway with an original frame. Inside the building, the staircase is original and has moulded strings, turned balusters and square newels with ball-terminals and moulded pendants.

(14) House, No. 39, on the E. side of Charles Square, 20 yards S. of (13), has at the back an original window of three lights with solid frame and leaded lights. Inside the building, some rooms have plain panelling, with dado-rail and cornice. The staircase is similar to that in (13).