Foxton Inn - Fresh Wharf Gateway

Foxton Inn

Inn so called in parish of St. Peter Cornhill, 21 Richard II. 1398 (Cal. P.R. Rich. II. 1396-9, p. 277).

Not further identified.

Framework Knitters' Hall

East out of Red Cross Street. In Cripplegate Ward Without (Rocque, 1746).

The Company was the 65th in order, incorporated 1663. No hall now.

The site seems to be occupied by the Midland Railway goods office.

Francheprison

Lands and tenements in Secollane in parish of St. Sepulchre without Neugate between tenements belonging to Richard Andreu on the one side and the small bridge near "le Francheprison," 1349 (Ct. H.W. I. 621).

=Fleet prison.

Franshaw's Court

In Leadenhall Street (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Fraunces Within Newgate Freers

See Grey Friars.

Frederick's Place

West out of Old Jewry at No. 34 (P.O. Directory). In Coleman Street Ward.

First mention : Horwood, 1799.

The street seems to have been made about 1768.

In O. and M. 1677 the site is occupied by Sir John Frederick's house, and the Excise Office was afterwards held there as shown in Strype, 1720 and 1755, until 1768.

Named after the Frederick family.

Free-Bench

In the will of Anketin de Betteville occurs the expression "saving to Matilda his wife her free bench out of his mansion in Bradstreet according to the custom of the City," 1290-1 (Ct. H.W. I. 96).

Robert de Wyrcestre gave to his wife for life by way of her free-bench his dwelling-house in the parish of St. Andrew, 1333 (ib. 389).

Free-bench is defined by Wharton in his Law Lexicon as a widow's dower out of copyholds to which she is entitled by the custom of some manors. This seems inconsistent with the contention that there were no manors properly so called in the City, but at the same time that it was a well-established custom of the City is shown by the ordinances relating to it set out in the Liber Albus, I. 68, 393.

Freeman's Court

North out of Cornhill. In Cornhill Ward (Rev. of Lond. 1728-Elmes, 1831).

Former name : "Freeman's Yard" (O. and M. 1677-P.C. 1732).

Removed for the rebuilding and enlargement of the Royal Exchange 1842.

Named after one of the Aldermen of the City.

There was a Ralph Freeman, Clothworker, Alderman of Cornhill Ward in 1632-4, and the court may have been named after him.

Freeman's Court

North out of Cheapside at No. 103 to Honey Lane Market, with a passage east to No. 32 Laurence Lane (P.O. Directory). In Cheap Ward.

First mention : Boyle, 1799.

Former name : "Trump Alley," 33 H. VIII. 1540-1 (L. and P.H. VIII. XVI. 717, to Maitland, ed. 1775).

Riley suggests that the Trumpers or makers of Trumpets may have lived here and that their Trumpets were probably used principally by the City Waits or Watchmen, and that a trumpet was known as a "wait." He also suggests that it is identical with Trump Street, but this is not so, Trump Street (q.v.) lying further north.

Freeman's Place

Facing the east front of the Royal Exchange.

Erected 1845.

It seems to be called "Exchange Buildings" in O.S. 1848-51.

Freeman's Yard

See Freeman's Court, Cornhill.

French Alley

A certain alley called "Frenche Alley" in parish of St. Bride's, 5 Eliz. (Lond. I. p.m. II.15).

Not further identified.

French Church

On the north side of Threadneedle Street, in Broad Street Ward (Leake, 1666-Elmes, 1831).

It occupied the site of St. Antony's Hospital (q.v.), and was given to the French Protestants in London, temp. Queen Elizabeth. It was destroyed in the Great Fire 1666, but rebuilt, and was regarded as the principal church of the French Protestants in London.

It was pulled down about 1840 for the formation of new approaches to the Royal Exchange, and the site is now occupied by the Comptoir National d'Escompt de Paris.

French Church

See Martin (St.) Orgar. .

French Court

By the Bars in Bishopsgate Street Without (W. Stow, 1722, and Rev. of London, 1728).

Not named in the maps.

French Court, Broad Street

See Hercules Passage. .

French Horn Yard

South out of Crutched Friars, between Nos. 25 and 26 (P.O. Directory). In Aldgate Ward.

First mention : Lockie, 1810.

Former names : "Burnt Yard" (O. and M. 1677). "Bunt's Yard" (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 83). "Three Colt Yard" (Rocque, 1746-L. Guide, 1758, and in Strype's maps).

French Ordinary Court

North out of Crutched Friars between Nos. 42 and 43 (P.O. Directory). In Aldgate Ward.

First mention : O. and M. 1677.

It was longer in the 18th century than it is at present, as the northern portion of the street is now occupied by the Fenchurch Street Station of the London and Blackwall Railway. This northern portion was known as "New Court" between 1746-1831.

For the meaning of the word "ordinary" in this connection, See Fox Ordinary Court.

Fresh Wharf

On the south side of Lower Thames Street, next to St. Magnus Church (P.O. Directory). In Billingsgate Ward.

In the parish of St. Botolph, Billingsgate (Cal. L. Bk. G. p. 221).

Earliest mention found in records : "Fresshewharf," 41 Ed. III. 1367 (Cal. L. Bk. G. p. 221).

Other names : "Fresshffysshewharfe," 1363, ib. f. cxxxvi., and in Herbert II. p. 120. "Frosshwharf," 45 Ed. III. (Anc. Deeds, A. 7377).

Some early deeds of the 12th century relating to wharves at Rederisgate (q.v.) are endorsed "Frossewarf" (Anc. Deeds, A. 1912, A. 7061, A. 7309), so possibly this was the earlier name for Fresh Wharf.

The name was probably derived from the fish brought there, for in 1363 it was one of the places appointed for the discharging of fish (Cal. L. Bk. G. above, and in Herbert II. 120).

It is interesting to note that in 1301 there was a John Fresfis resident in the neighbourhood (Ct. H.W. I. 153).

In 1559 it was made by Act of Parliament a general place for lading and discharging goods (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 49), and seems to have been of considerable importance, as in the same year mention is made of the "Fresshe Wharffegate" and of a large mesusage there (Lond. I. p.m. I. 181).

Fresh Wharf Gateway

Leading to Fresh Wharf (P.C. 1732).