St. Mary Colechurch 105/1

Introduction

This property comprised the 3 shops with solars over on Cheapside in front of 105/2, of which they probably originally formed a part. The range was some 25 ft. (7.62 m.) wide by 12 ft. (3.66 m.) deep. By the end of the 13th century the range had been further divided, and two shops (1A) with the solar over the third (1B) had been united with 145/39, with which they subsequently descended, while the third shop (1B) remained or became again part of 105/2. In 1858 1 and 2 were no. 76 Cheapside.

In or before 1260 Alexander de Bemfeld and his wife Maud, daughter of William Juvenal of London, granted to Walter le Poter, citizen, £1 quit-rent and 8s. they used to receive from land with shops built on in the parish of Colechurch, between the land of Simon le Furbur (145/39) to the W. and the land of Hamo son of John son of Richard (owner of 2) to the E. The land and shops from which this quit-rent was due (1A) seem to have been identical with the two shops with a solar over, and the solar over a third shop (1B) sometime of John son of Richard in foro in the parish of Colechurch, lying between the land of the said John to the E., and the land late of Simon le Furbur to the W., which in 1268 Robert de Assyndon and Christina his wife, daughter of Bartholomew le Brun, granted to Walter le Poter. The shops measured 5 ells 6 in. (15 ft. 6 in.; 4.72 m.) in width between Simon le Furbur's land and John son of Richard's, and 4 ells less 2 inches (11 ft. 10 in.; 3.61 m.) in depth from the street to the land of John son of Richard. By his will of 1383, proved in 1284, John de Edelmeton left to Lady Helena, daughter of John son of Richard, the little shop he had at the head of la ... hawe, beside Cheapside, built under the solar of Walter le Poter, sometime belonging (probably the shop) to her father John. Subsequently this shop seems to have passed to the owner of 2. Kilburn Priory had an interest in one or more of the shops, and in 1305 2 was said to abut N. on the tenement of the prioress of Kilburn and le real chemin of Cheapside. In the mid-16th century the owners of 2 and of the ground-floor shop part of 1 owed 10s. rent to Kilburn. (fn. 1)

In 1540 and 1542 145/39 and 105/1 and 2 were viewed because of proposed rebuilding. The parts representing 1, which seem to be very similar to those existing earlier, consisted of 1A, an old house then being pulled down, on a plot 16 ft. 4 1/2 in. (4.99 m.) E.-W. by 11 ft. 8 in. (3.56 m.) N.-S., belonging to the owners of 145/39; to the E. of this was a plot (1B) 8 ft. 4 in. (2.54 m.) E.-W., by 12 ft. (3.66 m.) N.-S., beside 'Byrdal' (Bordhawe) Lane which belonged to the owners of 105/2, but only for 9 or 10 ft. (2.74 m. or 3.05 m.) above the ground. From the first floor upwards the space over this plot belonged with 1A to the owners of 145/39. The descents of these shops from the 14th century are given under 145/39 and 105/2. (fn. 2)

From the mid-16th century 1B seems to have continued to be held with 2, but 1A may have become separated from 145/39 in or before the 1570s. It is not clear who occupied it; it may have been held by some of the same occupants as 2. In 1662-3 and 1666 there were 3 occupants for 1 and 2 (see under 2). A deed of 1692, which appears to relate to the freehold of 1B and 2, seems to show that 1A was still a separate property at that date. (fn. 3)