St. Pancras Soper Lane 145/36

Introduction

This was a large property, with a frontage to Cheapside of 25-30 ft. (7.62 to 9.14 m.), extending some 75 ft. (22.86 m.) southwards. It was bounded by 27-35 to the W., 18 to the S., and by Popkirtle Lane or 37 to the E. There were 2 or more shops on the Cheapside frontage, which may not always have been in the same ownership or occupation as the rear part. This may account for some discrepancies in abutment references. For some time in the 14th and 15th centuries 36 was in the same ownership as 37, but the 2 properties were not combined as one, and in fact 36 was later subdivided.

On the street frontage the property corresponded to no. 71 and part of no. 70 Cheapside in 1858.

Thirteenth to fifteenth century

By his will proved in 1276 Roger le Marescall left his tavern and adjacent rents in the lane called Popekertelane to John de Cestrehonte and his wife Katharine and their heirs, charged with £6. 13s. 4d. (? yearly) to his executors. In 1283-4 the tenement of William son of Richard le Poter lay to the E. of 35; this may be one of the shops in front of the tavern. John de Cestrehunte's house was given as the abutment for 35 in 1285-6, and the tavern sometime of John de Chesthunte as the abutment for 32 in 1301. William de Beton and Ralph Pecok held shops to the E. of 35 in 1304. John de Cestrehonte, son and heir of William de Odynton, leased 36 to Gerard Orguyl for a term of years, the first 12 of which were rent-free. By his will proved in 1315, John left the rent (subsequently shown to be £6. 13s. 4d.), after the 12 years, and the reversion of the tenement after Gerard's term to Adam Braz, his executor, for the acquittal of £4 debts and the payment of £2 for funeral expenses. Richard de Betoygne acquired the lease, and by his will proved in 1318 Adam Bras left the rent and reversion of 36, held by Richard, to his wife Theophania, rendering the dues charged by John de Chestunte, with reversion to his son Stephen and his heirs. (fn. 1)

In 1326 John Bras, son and heir of Adam, quitclaimed to Richard de Betoigne, citizen, in the £6. 13s. 4d. (10 marks) rent that John de Chesterhunte had left to Adam from his tenement and houses in Cheapside. The tenement lay between the shops of Richard de Betoigne (? part of 36, in succession to William de Beton or Betoigne), John le Botoner (33), Simon de Parys (?), Roger de Parys (32) Robert de Keleseye (? tenant of 27), and the nuns of Haliwell (27) to the W., 18 to the S., Pupekertelane and the shop of Richard de Betoigne to the E., and Cheapside and the shops of Richard de Betoigne to the N. Richard de Betoigne's shops were probably parts of 36, as above. In 1332 John de Chesterhunte, goldsmith, son and heir of John de Chesterhunte, late citizen and taverner, quitclaimed to de Betoigne in the whole tenement, now described merely as lying between 35B to the W., 18 to the S., 37 to the E., and Cheapside to the N. By his will dated and proved 1341, Richard de Betoigne left 36, described as the tavern ubi le Bere toumbeth in Cheapside, St. Pancras parish, with a chamber over the cellar of the tavern, 2 shops on either side of the door of the tavern, 3 solars over the shops, and free access through the middle of his other tenement (37) adjoining, to his daughter Joan for life, with remainder to his right heirs. He had acquired the tavern from Gerard Orguyl, citizen and vintner. (fn. 2)

Joan granted the tavern to John de Colewell, citizen and mercer, and in 1344 Thomas son of Richard de Betoigne, and his wife Isabel, to whom it should have reverted on Joan's death, quitclaimed to de Colewell for ever, in return for £2. 13s. 4d. rent payable to them or their heirs after the death of Joan. John, son of Thomas de Betoigne brother of Richard, quitclaimed in the same in 1345. In 1348 John Coterel (identical with de Colewell), citizen and mercer, granted his tenements in Cheapside, late of Richard de Betoigne, together with 23, to Sir Thomas Horn, chaplain, and his own brother Thomas Coterel. The E. abutment of 36 was given as Pissinglane, apparently as an alternative to Popkirtle Lane. Horn and Thomas Coterel regranted 36 and 23 to John Coterel, who by his will dated and proved in 1349 left them to his wife Alice for life, with remainder to his son Thomas. John Coterel's tenement or former shop was given as the E. abutment of 29 and 28 in 1349 and 1350. In 1352 Alice, widow of John de Colewell, complained that she had been disseised of her messuage in St. Pancras parish by Robert de Tame, Walter de Pavely, kt., Edmund Temese, John son of Thomas de Betoigne, and John son of John de Betoigne. The tenement was taken into the King's hand, but then the mayor and sheriffs were ordered to hear the case. The defendants claimed the tenement by the entail under the will of Richard de Betoigne, which Alice denied. By a technicality, the defendants lost their case, and the tenement was restored to Alice, with damages of £266. 13s. 4d. (400 marks). A writ of error ensued, brought by the defendants, but this too appears to have failed. (fn. 3)

In 1367 John, son of Thomas de Betoigne, and Richard and John, sons of John de Betoigne (the 3 nephews and heirs male of the Richard de Betoigne who died in 1341), brought a plea of execution of testament, concerning the will of Richard de Betoigne, against Alice widow of John de Colwell. William de Tetlingbury, clerk, and John de Biernes, mercer, feoffees of Alice, were named as co-defendants in a similar plea. After some essoins, Richard son of John de Betoigne was admitted to sue sole, as his co-plaintiffs failed to appear, but was only said to be suing for one-third of a messuage and one-third of the moiety of a messuage which Alice held. Alice denied that she was in seisin of the property on the day named in the writ, but a jury found that she was, and awarded one-third of the premises to Richard. When the plea against de Tetlyngbury and Biernes was heard, they called Alice to warrant, who said that they held for her life, with reversion to Joan daughter and heir of John Colwell. She claimed that Thomas Horn and Thomas Coterel had been seised in fee when they granted the premises to her and John Colwell, but a jury again found for the plaintiff. Richard only recovered one-third of the premises as before. In 1369 William de Tettelyngbury and Alice, widow of John de Colwell called Coterel, granted the tenements John and Alice had held, between 35B, 18, Popkirtle Lane and Cheapside, to Robert de Thame, citizen, and Joan Colwell, daughter and heir of John, quitclaimed in the same. Later that year Robert granted two parts of 36 to Richard Betoigne, citizen and goldsmith, son of John Betoigne. In 1376 John Body and his wife Joan, daughter of John Coterel, granted the reversion of the shop in St. Pancras parish, held by Alice Colewell for life, to William Denton, tailor, and Henry Derby, ironmonger. It is not clear whether this grant was ever effective. (fn. 4)

In 1376 John, son of John de Betoigne brother of the late Richard de Betoigne, quitclaimed to Richard de Betoigne, citizen and goldsmith (his own brother), in the tavern called le Bere tombeth, with cellar, chamber, shops, solars and access as described in the first Richard's will. In 1377 John Priterwell and his wife Rose, widow of Robert de Thame, sought her dower in the two-thirds of 36 which Robert had once held, from Richard de Betoigne. Richard called Thomas Draycote, clerk, John Randolf, John Blanket, Thomas Halfhyde, and John Farnebergh, who may have been his own feoffees, to warrant. This plea does not seem to have been concluded. Early in 1379 John son of Thomas de Betoigne, and Richard and John, sons of John de Betoigne, brought a writ of execution of the testament of the late Richard de Betoigne, against Bartholomew Dyne, clerk, Walter Kynton, and John Buggemor. These 3 were said to have entered the one and a half messuages of Richard de Betoigne, after the deaths without male issue of Joan his daughter and Thomas his son, to the plaintiffs' disherison. Only John son of Thomas de Betoigne appeared to sue, and the case does not seem to have been concluded. Later in 1379 John Priterwell and his wife Rose quitclaimed to Dyne, Bigemoor, Kynton, and Richard de Betoigne, goldsmith, all right of dower in 36. Dyne, Bygemoor, and Kynton granted them a quit-rent of £1. 6s. 8d. charged on the same, for Rose's life, and Richard de Betoigne confirmed this in a separate document. (fn. 5)

By his will dated and proved in 1389, Richard de Betoigne, citizen and goldsmith, left all his tenements in Cheap (36) to his son Robert in tail male, with successive remainders to his sons Thomas and Richard in tail male, and then to his right heirs. Quit-rents of £13. 6s. 8d. each to Thomas and Richard, and other legacies, were to be charged on the properties before Robert received the profits of the rents. In 1401 Robert Betaigne, citizen and goldsmith, son of Richard, granted a quit-rent of £4 (6 marks) charged on his tenements in Cheap in St. Pancras parish to William Framelyngham, citizen and skinner, and John Evesham, late keeper of the king's lions at the Tower (custos leonum domini regis infra Turrim). By his will of 1407, Framelyngham left the whole of this rent, said to be due from the tenement called le Maydenesheed (36), to his wife Maud for life, with remainder for sale. In 1409 his executors sold the reversion of the rent to Matthew Rede and Henry Rede, citizens and armourers. Between c. 1400 and 1410, Robert Betoigne recovered or acquired 37, and it is not always clear in subsequent references to property in St. Pancras parish whether 36, 37, or both is meant. In 1405 John Bygmor, to whom with Bartholomew Dyne, Walter Kynton, and Richard de Betoigne, goldsmith, all now dead, John de Betoigne son of John de Betoigne, and John de Betoigne son of Thomas de Betoigne had separately released and quitclaimed all right in the properties once of Richard de Betoigne, grocer (who died in 1341), now granted and quitclaimed to Robert Betoigne, citizen and goldsmith, all right and claim in the properties. This seems to refer to 36. (fn. 6)

In or before 1408 Robert Betoigne granted all his lands, etc. in the parishes of St. Pancras, St. Mary Colechurch, and St. Lawrence Jewry to Richard Aleyn, chaplain, Richard Clerk, citizen and grocer, and John Broughton. In 1408 Aleyn and Clerk, Broughton having died, regranted them to him. In 1409 Betoigne granted all his lands etc. in the parishes of St. Pancras, St. Mary Colechurch, St. Lawrence Jewry, and St. Martin Pomary to Aleyn and Clerk, with Master Denis Lopham, clerk, John Norman, goldsmith, Richard Osbarn, and John Bally, citizens, to hold to them, their heirs and assigns, but probably to his own use. Later in 1409 Lopham, Osbarn, and Bally released their right to Aleyn, Clerk, and Norman, who then granted all the same properties to William Staundon, Thomas Knolles, William Chichele, citizens and grocers, and William Rokesburgh, probably again to hold for Robert Betoigne. By his will dated and proved in 1410, Robert Betoigne directed William Fry, John Malefors, and John Bygmore, who together with John Broughton now dead and Richard Aleyn and Richard Clerc, who had quitclaimed, had been enfeoffed by his grant with all his property in the parishes of St. Pancras, St. Mary Colechurch, and St. Lawrence Jewry, to convey it to his wife Agnes to hold for life, with remainder to his son Richard in tail, and then to his daughters Margaret and Agnes equally in tail. Of these children only Margaret seems to have survived. In 1415 Maud, widow of William Framelyngham, with her second husband, Thomas Grey, citizen and grocer, brought a plea of intrusion against Robert fitzRobert, citizen and grocer, Robert fitzRobert his son, and Margaret his (the son's) wife, touching their free tenement in St. Pancras parish. Margaret, wife of Robert fitzRobert the younger, was the daughter and heir of Robert Betoigne. Later in 1415, Thomas Grey and his wife Maud, and Henry Rede (Matthew Rede having died) quitclaimed their interests in the rent to Robert, Robert, and Margaret, tenants of the Maidenhead. In 1420 John Body, upholder, son of Joan Body, daughter of John Coterel alias Colwell, quitclaimed in 23 and 36 to Robert fitzRobert the younger and his wife Margaret. (fn. 7)

Robert fitzRobert and Margaret held both 36 and 37, but do not appear to have treated them as one tenement. 36, a tenement sometime of John Colwell, was specifically excepted from several grants and regrants of 37 and property in other parishes. By his will of 1434, proved 1446, Robert fitzRobert directed his feoffees of lands in St. Pancras parish and elsewhere to enfeoff his wife Margaret with le Maydenhede, with shops, cellar, solar, etc., held separately by Elias Davy, mercer, and William Wilcok, tailor, and with another messuage in Popkirtle Lane, in which John Kenton now lived (? part of the same) to hold to her, her heirs and assigns for ever. She was also to hold 37, and properties in other parishes, but for life only, with remainder to Thomas Melton called Beteigne and his heirs. In the event, after the failure of the entail, and several quitclaims, all the properties came to Margaret to hold absolutely, by 1470. At that date Thomas Clefford, scrivener, held 36 or part of it. In 1471 Margaret fitzRobert granted all her tenements in St. Pancras parish and elsewhere, to John Bowe, clerk, William Crofton, gentleman, and Thomas Cole, citizen and skinner, who thereupon regranted them to her for life, with remainder to William Brocas the younger, gentleman, son of William Brocas the elder, esquire, and his wife Margaret, and their heirs in tail. If William and Margaret Brocas had no joint issue, the tenements in St. Pancras parish were to remain to (the same) Margaret, her heirs and assigns. Margaret Brocas was the daughter of John Betoigne, son of Thomas Melton alias Beteigne. (fn. 8)

By 1480 the property was held by William Langford, esquire, and his wife Margaret, daughter and heir of John Beteigne, gentleman, presumably identical with Margaret Brocas. 36 was divided into 2 by them, the W. part, 36A continuing to descend with 37, and the E. part, 36B, having a different history from 1480, when it was recovered against William and Margaret by Thomas Clyfford, court-hand writer, William Sandes, grocer, citizens, and Reginald Sandes, gentleman. (fn. 9) At a later date 36A was divided further to become 36A1 and A2.

Fifteenth to seventeenth century

36A

In 1482 John Pole, esquire, and his son Richard Pole, esquire, of Wiltshire, recovered 6 messuages and a shop in St. Pancras parish (36A, the parts of 37, and 29) against William Langford and his wife Margaret. In or before 1484 John and Richard Pole granted the same 6 messuages and 1 shop to Thomas Hille, Edmund Shaa, citizens and aldermen, Robert Molyneux, gentleman, William Dunthorn, gentleman, Ralph Tilney, grocer, Richard Gowle, mercer, and John Parker, writer of court writs, citizen. In 1484 William Langford and Margaret quitclaimed in the properties, and also in an alley, entry, or lane, of old called Puppekirtill Lane, on the E. side of a messuage called le Maydenhede (now 36B), and measuring 74 ft. 4 in. (22.66 m.) in length, 3 ft. (910 mm.) in width at the N. end and 4 ft. 3 in. (1.3 m.) in width at the S. end. William and Margaret also quitclaimed in a privy (cloaca sive parva domo) called le Siegehous, on the E. side of the lane, with free access at all times. (Sir) Thomas Hille or Hyll was evidently the principal beneficiary of this transaction. In 1485, when he and Robert Molyneux were dead, his co-feoffees conveyed the property acquired as above to his son William Hyll, in fulfilment of his will. Later in 1485 William Langford and his wife Margery (sic; ? recte Margaret) acknowledged the receipt of £50 from Elizabeth, widow and executrix of Sir Thomas Hille, alderman, in final payment of £266. 13s. 4d. (400 marks) for lands in St. Pancras parish. (fn. 10)

In 1487 William Hyll, citizen and grocer, son of Thomas, quitclaimed in the 6 messuages, shop, alley, and privy, to his mother Lady Elizabeth Hyll, widow, and Shaa, Tylney, Dunthorn, Gowle, and Parker, to Elizabeth's use, for £300 paid by her. In 1491 Edward Underwood, clerk, recovered the messuages, shop, alley, and privy against Ralph Tylney and John Parker. In 1494 William Hill and his wife Lettice quitclaimed to Underwood in the property, at Elizabeth's request, and warranted it to him against John, abbot of Westminster (John Eastney, 1474-98) and his assigns for ever. The reason for this warranty is not known. At the same time Roger Mone, citizen and tailor, quitclaimed in the property to Underwood. Underwood was probably acting only as feoffee for Elizabeth Hyll. By her will of 1501, she directed her feoffees of lands in St. Pancras parish and elsewhere to convey them to her son Edward Hyll for ever, charged with providing an income of £8 p.a. to the hospital of St. Thomas of Acre, to find a priest to sing for the souls of herself, Thomas, Richard Hyll, and all her children. In 1502 Underwood granted the 6 messuages, shop, alley, and privy to Edward Hyll. (fn. 11)

Later in 1502 Edward Hille, gentleman, granted all his tenements in St. Pancras parish, charged with a rent of £8 to St. Thomas of Acre, to Stephen Jenyns, citizen and alderman, for £100 and acquittance from a bond of £200. In 1505 Stephen Jenyns granted the 6 messuages, etc., described as before, to Nicholas Alwyn, citizen and alderman, with warranty against John, abbot of Westminster. By his will of 1505, proved 1506, Alwyn left the 6 messuages, etc., and also 95/17, to the master and brothers of the hospital of St. Thomas of Acre, to sing and keep obits for Sir Edmond Shaa, Hugh Shaa, and others of that family. In 1514 William Langford of London, gentleman, son and heir of William Langford, esquire, and of his wife Margaret, daughter and heir of John Betyeng (sic) and kinswoman and heir of Thomas Betoygne alias Melton, quitclaimed to the master and brothers of St. Thomas of Acre in properties in several parishes, including 4 messuages in St. Pancras, in which Nicholas Sheldon, John Worsopp, John Baxter, grocer, and Morgan Williams now lived. Baxter and Williams appear to have occupied 36A with 29. (fn. 12)

A rental for the house of St. Thomas of Acre in 1517-19 lists tenements in St. Pancras parish of the gift of Richard Hill (sic), including £4 rent from a tenement next to the Maidenhead, held by John Baxter, and £4 for rent of a warehouse on the left part of Baxter's tenement, now built as a tenement with a door opening towards le Erbewyves (see 30), held by Morgan Williams. The first of these properties was probably the N. part of 36A, hereafter referred to as 36A1, now only some 25 ft. N.-S., while the second probably comprised both the S. part of 36A, i.e. 36A2, adjoining 36A1 to the S., and also 29, a shop opening into Soper Lane. 36A2 is described with 29 under that heading. (fn. 13)

36A1

Baxter paid the rent of £4 for this property from 1517 to 1524, Sebastian Illary paid from 1524 to 1526, and Thomas Gibson from 1527 to 1535 (in arrears for one term). Gilbert Style paid in 1536 and 1537. The hospital was dissolved in 1538, and the property passed to the Crown. In 1539 the king granted the tenement in the tenure of John Baxster, and the tenement or vacant parcel of land now in the tenure of Gilbert Stile, to Thomas Barnardiston in tail male. (fn. 14) It is possible that in this grant, and ensuing accounts, two descriptions of one property have in error been treated as descriptions of 2 separate properties. This property was granted together with one in East Smithfield, late held of St. Mary Graces Abbey at £1. 13s. 4d., and the reserved rent of 17s. was calculated on the total rent from both properties, but accounted for under the St. Thomas of Acre estate only. This 17s. rent was paid to the Crown until the Interregnum, when it was sold to William Doughty, gentleman. It was recovered by the Crown at the Restoration. (fn. 15) Gilbert Styll occupied a property, probably 36A1, in this parish in 1541. In 1614 the property was one of a group of holdings which, it was thought, ought to have reverted to the Crown on account of the termination of their entails. (fn. 16)

36A1 descended in the Barnardiston family. In 1575, it was said to be late occupied by Thomas Cowper, and was known as the Mermaid. It was known as the Grasshopper in the 17th century, and it may have been the tenement called the Grasshopper in Cheapside at which a Mr. Mullineux was staying or living in 1582. At some time between c. 1600 and 1647 the Barnardistons acquired a moiety or half-share of 30-32 (described under 31), which adjoined 36A1, lying between it and Soper Lane. Henry Lee was tenant of 36A1 in the later 16th or early 17th century, followed by 1638 (possibly by 1628) by John Whitman or Wightman, who in 1638 had a house there rated at £25 p.a. He died in or before 1639. Mrs. (Constance) Wightman held the property in 1642, and was probably succeeded in that year by Thomas Armeston. (fn. 17) In 1647 Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston of Keddington or Ketton, Suffolk, leased to Thomas Armeston, citizen and grocer, the tenement in which Armeston now lived, formerly called the Mermaid and now the Grasshopper, in Cheapside in St. Pancras parish, with shops, cellars, solars, vaults, rooms, and lights, formerly held by Baxter, Stile, Lee, and Whitman (see Fig. 12). A small shop and cellar (probably the part of 30-32 held by the Barnardistons), held by Wilfred Lutye was excepted from the grant. Armeston was to hold for 21 years at £16 rent, and also to pay the yearly tenth of 16s. 8d. to the King; the fine was £110. 36A1 consisted of a cellar, with a vault stretching N.-S. from that cellar to the cellar sometime in the tenure of John Lee (cf. 28-9, 36A2); a shop and back room on the ground floor over the cellar; a hall with a counting-house towards Cheapside, and a little 'glass house' next to the hall, with the kitchen on the same floor, probably stone-paved, as the schedule of fixtures referred to 'a stone taken out of the kitchen'; a chamber over the hall, and a little chamber over the kitchen; a garret over the chamber over the hall, with a leaded jetty, a chamber behind the garret and next to the stairs, and a room behind that chamber with a stool serving the vault; and a loft next to the roof, over the garret, chamber, and room. Thomas Armston, esquire, was at the Grasshopper in Cheapside near 'Soap Lane' in 1660. (fn. 18)

Nathaniel Barnardiston was succeeded by his eldest son (Sir) Thomas (kt.), who sold 36A1 to his brother Sir Samuel Barnardiston, bt. By the time of the Great Fire the lease was held by Edward Nevett. In 1662-3 the occupant appears to have been Hugh Harvey, who had a house with 6 hearths between 33-35 and 36B. In 1666 this property was occupied by Frances Lormer or Lorrymore, widow. At the time of the Great Fire Nevett's lease had nearly expired, and he was not willing to rebuild, so he surrendered the lease and paid £50 towards the cost of rebuilding. No foundation survey seems to have been made for this property, and it is not known who the next tenant was, and whether he or Barnardiston rebuilt. (fn. 19)

For 36A2, see under 145/29.

36B

In 1480 Thomas Clyfford, citizen and court-hand writer, William Sandes, citizen and grocer, and Reginald Sandes, gentleman, recovered one messuage in St. Pancras parish against William Langford, esquire, and his wife Margaret, daughter and heir of John Beteigne, gentleman. The next year William and Margaret quitclaimed in it to Clyfford and the Sandes: it contained a cellar with latrine (cloaca); a shop; three small houses (domos) at the back of the messuage, one called a closet, one called a litell segehous, and the third called les wodehous et colehous, together with an alley (presumably the former Popkirtle Lane); above, a hall, buttery, and kitchen, and beyond (ultra) them a chamber with a withdraught, and beyond that chamber over the garret another chamber and withdraught. The messuage etc. measured 44 ft. 1 in. (13.44 m.) N.-S., by 12 ft. 8 in. (3.86 m.) E.-W. at Cheapside, and 11 ft. 10 1/2 in. (3.62 m.) at the S. end. The woodhouse, coalhouse, siege-house and part of the closet measured 6 ft. 2 in. (1.88 m.) high from the plates to the upper part of the summers, along a length of 8 ft. 4 in. (2.54 m.) measured from a point 25 ft. 9 in. (7.85 m.) S. of Cheapside. In 1484 John Beteyn, clerk, son of Thomas Beteyn and brother of John Beteyn, gentleman, and uncle of Margaret Langford, quitclaimed in the messuage to Clyfford, Sandes, and Sandes. (fn. 20)

The property passed to John Clyfford, son and heir of Thomas, who before 1505 granted it to Thomas Feldyng, gentleman, Edward Sharnebroke, clerk, and Bartholomew Rede, citizen and alderman (d. 1505). In 1508 Feldyng and Sharnebroke granted it to Morgan Williams, citizen and scrivener, Sir John Tate, kt., William Browne junior, son of Sir John Browne, kt., Christopher Hawe and William Butler, aldermen, William Butler, gentleman of the king's household, Thomas Raymond and Richard Fermer, grocers, and William Johns and Philip Meredith, mercers, citizens. It was described now more briefly as a tenement with alley, shops, cellar(s), solar(s), and houses. Morgan Williams died in 1516, leaving this tenement, in which he now lived, to his wife Joan for life while unmarried, with remainder on her death or remarriage to his cousins and nephews Hugh Johns and David Johns, brothers. Immediately after his death the property was to be charged with 13s. 4d. quit-rent to St. Thomas of Acre, so that the anthem Sancte Deus would be sung for ever, as at present, in the church on feast-days after compline. In 1521 the tenement was held by David Johns, mercer, who granted it to John Gresham, citizen and mercer, John Pakyngton of London, gentleman, William Botery, Edmund Wotton, Richard Gresham and William Gresham, citizens and mercers, to hold to the use of the first-named John Gresham. (fn. 21)

From 1527 to 1537 John Gresham is recorded as paying 13s. 4d. rent to St. Thomas of Acre per (or pro) sancte deus, from his tenement. In 1538-9 this was said to be due to the Crown from John Gresham for a tenement in St. Pancras parish formerly held by John Cyrcock. John Sircott was however resident in the parish, probably in this property, in 1541. The rent was paid until 1550, when the king granted it, among other rents, to Augustine Hynde, Richard Turke, and William Blackwell. It may subsequently have been redeemed by Gresham. (fn. 22) From 1517 to 1527 Morgan Williams was recorded as owing, but not paying, 4d. p.a. quit-rent to St. Thomas of Acre from his tenement in St. Pancras parish. From 1527 this quit-rent was said to be owed by John Gresham, but similarly not paid. It was still recorded as formerly due from Sir John Gresham to the Crown in 1664. The origin of this quit-rent is not known; possibly it was connected with some shared easement with other parts of 36, by 1517 held by St. Thomas of Acre. The 2 quit-rents, though due from the same property, continued to be listed separately in the hospital's accounts, probably because of their separate origins and purposes. (fn. 23) By the time of the Great Fire, 36B was in the same occupation as a substantial plot or property to the rear, between 36B and 37A-B to the N., 22 to the S., 36A2 (see 28-9) to the W., and 38 to the E. This plot measured some 25-29 ft. (7.62 m. to 8.84 m.) E.-W. and 31 ft. 8 in. (9.65 m.) N.-S. (dimensions recorded in a post-Fire survey). It is possible, though not certain, that this plot was added to 36B at this time. In 1548 the tenement of St. Stephen Walbrook parish (18, 21-2) was said to abut N. on the tenements of John Gresham (36B) and Master Bowlande (37). (fn. 24)

The Sir John Gresham who held 36B was the brother of Sir Richard Gresham. He died in 1556, having leased 36B in that year to a tenant whose name is not known, for 30 years at £4. 13s. 4d. rent. By 1575 the tenement belonged to James Ellyott of Basforde, Suffolk, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Gresham. They granted the tenement and the rent for the remainder of the term to Edmund Gresham, citizen and mercer, son of John, for £51. The property was described as a tenement with shops, cellars, solars, yard and warehouse, sometime occupied by John Sircock, leatherseller, since by William Carowe, clothworker, and now by Charles Hoskyns or his assigns. It lay between 36A1 to the W., 37A to the E., and a tenement late in the occupation of Philip Rolleston and Nicholas Stubbes, mercers, to the S. Rolleston and Stubbes may have occupied the back plot described above. (fn. 25)

The descent of 36B in the later 16th and 17th centuries is not known. The occupant in 1638 was probably Mr. Perry, with a house valued at £30, next to Mr. Wightman (36A1). Mr. John Perry was probably tenant in 1642. He died in 1656, apparently leaving this property equally to his son Joseph Perry and his daughter Mary, wife of Joseph Billers, citizen and skinner. Joseph Billers, draper, occupied this house, with 6 hearths, in 1662-3 and 1666. (fn. 26)

After the Great Fire two foundations were surveyed for Joseph Billers and Joseph Perry, in 1667. One lay in Cheapside, between 36A1 (Barnardiston) and 37A (Dickenson), and measured 12 ft. 2 in. to 12 ft. 6 in. (3.71 m. to 3.81 m.) wide by 43 ft. 3 in. (13.18 m.) long N.-S. This clearly corresponds with the measured plot and houses described in detail in 1481. The second foundation, said to be part of the first but lying 'backward', measured 29 ft. (8.84 m.) E.-W. at the N. end, 25 ft. (7.62 m.) E.-W. at the S. end, and 31 ft. 8 in. (9.65 m.) N.-S. 28-9 and 36A (Mr. Vaughan) lay to the W., 38 (Mr. Gunthorp) to the E., and 22, 25-6 (Mr. Royston) to the S. The lane (formerly Popkirtle Lane) between 36B and 37A seems to have disappeared in the rebuilding, if it had not already gone. The main timbers at first-floor level from 37A rested in the wall of 36B. No lane is shown in this position in Ogilby and Morgan's map of 1676. Joseph Perry, citizen and skinner, died in 1668-9, leaving his equal part or half-share of the new-built property called the Rose and Key, in Cheapside, to his sister Sarah Perry, charged with a legacy of £200 to his niece Mary Billers. (fn. 27)