St. Mary Colechurch 105/7

Introduction

This tenement lay on the E. side of Bordhaw Lane, between 6 to the S., 8 to the N., and 10 to the E. Its site in 1858 was represented by part of no. 5 Bird in Hand Court.

In 1258 the land sometime of Alexander Wranch, probably identifiable as 7, lay to the S. of 8. By 1271 Roger le Avener held the house to the N. of 6. A rent of 8s. from that house which (the rent) had once been held by Alexander avenarius, was by then held by Adam de Clyve, son of Roger le Sumeter, possibly by the grant of Adam de Benetleya, goldsmith, and his wife Maud; Adam de Clyve granted it to Hugh de Rokyngeham, goldsmith, to whom Alan (sic) de Benetleya, goldsmith, then quitclaimed. This rent may have been one of several rents and properties, the right to distrain in which for arrears of a rent elsewhere was granted by Hugh de Rokyngham to John de Frowyk in 1271. By his will proved in 1275 Hugh de Rokyngham left his 8s. rent from the tenement held by John Patrik in the parish of St. Mary Colechurch to his wife Christina for life, on condition that she did not recover dower in a rent of £1. 4s., formerly held by Hugh and now by Adam le Chaundeler, from a tenement (4) in the same parish. If she did recover the rent, this 8s. rent was to be paid to Adam le Chaundeler during her lifetime, and then to revert to de Rokyngham's nearest heirs. (fn. 1)

John Patrik held the tenement to the N. of a house probably identifiable as 6 in 1283. In 1297 Geoffrey Patrik, citizen and cutler, granted his land and houses in the parish of St. Mary Colechurch to William of Bristol (de Bristollia) and Alan le Porter (sic) of Westcheap. It lay between Bordhaw Lane on the W., 8 on the N., 10 on the E., and 6 on the S., and was charged with a rent of 8s. p.a. to the chief lords of the fee. Alan de Chepe, citizen and potter (pottarius), identical with Alan le Porter, granted the tenement to Robert de Hertford c. 1304, who regranted it to him c. 1308. By his will proved in 1311 Alan de Chepe left his house apud la Bordehawe, which he had by the demise of Robert de Hertford, to his nephew John for life, with remainder to his own nearest heirs. Mariota wife of John Cussh put in a claim on the will, concerning the tenement in Bordhaw. In 1312 Alan de Chepe's executors brought a plea of execution of testament against John Cussh and his wife Mary, for impeding them over the tenement. Mary Cussh, daughter of Geoffrey Patrik, claimed she was and had been seised of the tenement in her own right, and that Alan had no right to leave it as he had, but she brought no proof, and the court granted execution to the executors. However, either John and Mary were successful in a subsequent, unrecorded case, or the executors or others conveyed the tenement to them, as in 1317 John Kohus (=Cussh), citizen and potter (pottarius), and his wife Mary, daughter of Geoffrey Patrik, granted their plot of land with houses in the parish of St. Mary Colechurch, which Mary had by the grant and enfeoffment of her father, to Thomas le Furbur and his wife Margery. The property lay between Bordhaw Lane on the W., 8 on the N., 10 on the E., and 6 on the S. (fn. 2) By his will of 1329, proved in 1330, Thomas of Norwich, furbisher (forbour'), left his tenement in Bordhaw Lane to be sold by his executors. He also held 9A (q.v.) which he left to his wife Agnes for life, with remainder for sale. In 1330 his executors granted 7, described as a tenement which he had had in Bordhaw Lane by the grant of John Cohs, late citizen and potter, and his wife Mary, daughter of Geoffrey Poterel (sic), with bounds as above, to Robert de Seymor, armourer and citizen. They also granted him 9A. Agnes widow of Thomas of Norwich quitclaimed in both properties. In 1334 Robert de Seymor granted 7 and 9A to Richard de Pateshull, tailor, who subsequently granted them back to him. In 1339 de Seymor granted 7 and 9A, which he held by the grant of Richard de Pateshull, late citizen, and by the quitclaim of John de Pateshull, Richard's brother and heir, to John de Carlel, armourer and citizen. 7 was described as a tenement with houses built on it and 9A as a shop with solars over. In 1339 7 and 9A were held by Robert Seymor of John le Carlel, armourer. By his will of 1349, proved in 1350, John de Karlel left all his tenements in London to his wife Margaret for life, with remainder to his sons, and then for sale. In 1368 John Botonn, citizen and goldsmith, and his wife Margaret, widow and executrix of John de Carleall, sold 7 and 9A, in Bordhaghalane, with bounds as before, to William de Hatfeld, chandler and citizen. De Hatfeld then granted the same properties back to them, to hold for Margaret's life, for a certain sum, John and Margaret being responsible for repairs. (fn. 3)

By his will of 1368, proved in 1369, William de Hathefeld left the reversion of the tenement in Bordhaw Lane he had acquired from John Boton' and his wife Margaret to his son Stephen. By 1378 all de Hathefeld's properties had come to his daughters Margaret, wife of Matthew Langryche, citizen and fishmonger, and Marion, wife of John Hockeley, citizen and chandler, who then divided the estate between them. The reversions of 7 and 9A, described as tenements which de Hathefeld had by the grant of John Boton', late goldsmith, and his wife Margaret, which she now held for life, on the corner of Bordhaw Lane and within the lane, were assigned to Matthew Langryche and his wife Margaret, together with tenements in Essex. In 1380 Matthew and Margaret granted the reversions of 7 and 9A to John Waryner, called de Walsyngham, citizen and armourer. By his will of 1382, proved in 1383, John Warener alias Walsyngham left the reversion of his two tenements in the parish of St. Mary Colechurch, contingent on the death of Margaret Carlele, to his wife Joan for life, with remainder for sale. Margaret must have died shortly afterwards, and Joan took possession; in 1383 John Waryner's executors sold the reversions after her death to Nicholas atte Walle, John Gerveys, citizens and tailors, and Roger Streyt, citizen and ironmonger. (fn. 4)

In 1386 John Sylam, pewterer, held 9A, and probably also 7, in the right of his wife Joan, widow of John Walsyngham. John Selam held both properties in 1398. He appears to have acquired the reversion to the property, and before 1401, with his (second) wife Anne, granted both to Richard Osbarne, clerk, Ralph Freman, brewer, and Thomas Chalyngworth, saddler, citizens. These then granted them back to him (as John Silhom) and Anne, their heirs and assigns. John Sylam died in July 1401, survived by his wife Anne, who was then pregnant. Nothing more is known of this child. In 1402 John Ewer of Barking, Essex, and his wife Margery, widow of Alexander Bedyk, quitclaimed to Thomas Hawe, citizen and mercer, and his wife Anne, late the wife of John Sylhom, citizen and pewterer, in a rent of 2s. 8d. said to be due from 9A and 7, though it was possibly only due from 9A. In 1409 Thomas Hawe and his wife Anne, widow of John Sylhom, granted 7 and 9A to John Wyrynge of London, John Boreham, and John Grene, citizens and mercers, and Sir Hugh Lirpe, chaplain. In 1429 the tenements were held by John Drayton of Tottenham and his wife Amy (sic, but possibly meaning Anne), widow of Thomas Hawe; the reversions had been granted to Amy by William Charlton of Langcote, Berks., her father. John Drayton and Amy granted all their tenements in Bordhaw Lane in the parish of St. Mary Colechurch to Henry Frowyk, citizen and alderman, William Bothe, Thomas Pulter, Richard Scot, John Teynton, and John Fuller, clerks. Richard Scot and John Fuller died, and William Bothe, now bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, and John Teynton, clerk, released their right in 1451 to Henry Frowyk and Thomas Pulter, clerk. Frowyk and Pulter then granted 7 and 9A, which they and the others had by the grant of John Drayton of Tottenham and his wife Anne, to John Waryn, John Werk, Robert Botiller, goldsmiths, John Creplond, Richard Malte, fishmonger(s), Richard Hille, haberdasher, Thomas Breux, tailor, and Richard Fleccher, citizens. 7 was now said to lie between the lane to the W., the Goldsmiths' Company's tenement (8) to the N., 10 to the E., and the tenement of John Burveyn (6) to the S., and 9A to lie between the lane to the W., Cheapside to the N., and the Goldsmiths' tenements (8, 9B-D) to the S. and E. The tenement late of John Drayton lay to the W. of part of 10 in 1452-3, 1456 and 1460. (fn. 5)

The later history of both 7 and 9A is not known. It seems probable that 9A, surrounded by the Goldsmith's Company's property (8, 9B-E) was added to and incorporated with that. By the time of the Great Fire there were only 3 properties on the E. side of Bordhaw Lane, two of which (see 8-9A, 8-9B) faced Cheapside and the 3rd (4-6) stretched from 8-9A and B to St. Pancras church. 7 by that time clearly formed part of one of these, but it is not certain which. 6, to the S., was described in the mid-16th century as one tenement or toft or parcel of waste land, sometime built in two several parts, lying together and forming one whole curtilage. This may mean that it included 7; even if it does not, as evidence that back properties in the lane were falling into decay it shows how the bounds of earlier properties could have been lost to sight and memory. (fn. 6)