Old and New London, A Narrative of its History, its People and its Places. Illustrated with Numerous Engravings from the Most Authentic Sources. vol 3
Thornbury, Walter
1872-78
Chapter XXII: St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.
Chapter XXII: St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.
| |
If we could throw ourselves mentally back centuries, and could take a view of the district lying between and the villages of Charing and , as it appeared about the year , we should see little more than an open tract of fields. At that time there were only , or, at the most, houses towards the eastern end of , and a little further a small church, which has long since disappeared. Still nearer to the Palace, about the centre of what is now , was a well, enclosed in low walls. The Hay Market and Hedge Lane, as late | |
p.150 | as the reign of Charles II., were literally lanes, fringed on either side with hedges; and all to the north was open country. In the ancient plans of London the Hay Market is quite clear of buildings, and derived its name, when built, from a windmill standing in a field on its west side, with a small rural stable in the rear of it. |
The parish of St. Martin was originally taken out of that of ; and yet so rapid was its growth, that in it had come to be being estimated to contain more than houses, although the parishes of , Covent Garden; St. Anne's, Soho; St. James's, ; and , , had all been in turn carved out of it. | |
In very early times it is said that a chapel dedicated to St. Martin was erected near , and this, no doubt, was the original But this is only a tradition. More trustworthy is the statement that was built by order and at the cost of Henry VIII., who disliked to see the | |
funerals of his liege subjects passing through or past , much as Louis XIV. of France resolved to build the Chateau at Versailles because he could not help seeing the towers of St. Denis from the terrace at Saint-Germain. | |
The church is so called after the chivalrous Hungarian, St. Martin, who was Bishop of Tours in the century, and in whose honour it is dedicated. It received its surname, like its sister church of St. Giles, from its situation outside the City proper, when it was taken into the bills of mortality, in order to distinguish it from other churches eastwards under the same dedication. | |
That there was a church on or near this spot as far back as the times of our Norman kings is shown by a dispute, in the year , between William, Abbot of , and Eustace. Bishop of London, in which the former claimed for it exemption from the bishop's authority-a claim which was decided by the Archbishop of Canterbury in favour of the abbot. This would appear to confirm the tradition that originally it was a chapel for the use of the monks of , when they visited the convent whose | |
p.151 p.152 [extra_illustrations.3.152.1] | garden abutted on it to the east. Be this, however, as it may, the endowments of Chapel fell, along with the monks to whom it belonged, under the ruthless paw of Henry VIII., who is said, as already remarked, to have erected in its stead a small parochial church. In this church was enlarged, at the cost of Prince Henry, son of King James I. |
While the Strand was inhabited by the highest titled families, it is no matter of wonder that St. Martin's-in-the-Fields should have been a somewhat fashionable parish in the early Georgian era.. In the church was pulled down, and the present edifice was erected in its place. It was built by [extra_illustrations.3.152.2] the architect of the Radcliffe Library at Oxford, and cost nearly . George I. took a great interest in the building of the church, and is said to have been so delighted at its completion that he gave to be distributed among the workmen employed on it, and more to purchase an organ. The organ, however, was long ago replaced by another. | |
The portico, of lofty Corinthian columns, is much admired, as, indeed, is the entire west front, to which an ascent is gained up a long flight of steps. In the pediment are seen the royal arms in bas-relief, beneath which is a Latin inscription relating to the foundation of the church. The steeple is stately and elegant, and very lofty, and in the tower is an excellent peal of bells. | |
says Mr. Gwynn,
| |
Mr. Malton says,
| |
Vast vaults extend from the portico to the east end of the structure, which are light and dry, and contain great numbers of bodies, deposited within separate apartments, and on the floor of the open space. These vaults, however, have for many years been closed up, interments being no longer permitted. The roof of the church is supported by pillars, and also by pilasters and entablatures, which support the ceilings over the aisles. The vaulting of the nave is elaborately ornamented with stucco-work, and the sacrarium commences with a semi-circle and terminates in a recess. The interior decorations are very fine. Mr. Gibbs, the architect, in speaking of the elliptical ceiling, says he found by experience that it is Slender Corinthian columns, raised on high pedestals, rising to the front of the galleries, serve to support both them and the roof, which, on the sides, rests upon them in a very ornamental arch-work. The east end is richly adorned with fret-work and gilding; and over the altar is a large Venetian window, filled with stained glass. | |
An allusion to the worshippers in the new church occurs in the published in . was the royal parish, and in its registers were recorded the births of the princes and princesses born in , previous to the formation of St. James's parish. | |
In the vestry-room, on the south-east side of the church, is an admirably-executed model of . The vestry walls are adorned with portraits of most of the vicars since the year , many of whom attained high distinction in the Church. There are also half-length portraits of George I., and of Mr. Gibbs, the architect, and | |
p.153 | of the unfortunate Sir Edmundbury Godfrey. In of the windows is a painting of St. Martin dividing his mantle with a beggar, in illustration of the ancient legend. |
In the churchyard, which is now covered with flat stones, was buried, after having lain in state at Hospital for days, the body of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey. The clergyman who preached the sermon on the occasion was supported on either side by a brother divine. A tablet to the memory of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was erected in the east cloister of . | |
The story of the murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey has been often told; but as it belongs specially to the spot which we are now visiting, it shall be told here once more, in the words of Pennant:--
| |
This tragedy became at the time the subject of several medals. On is the bust of Sir Edmundbury and hands strangling him; on the reverse the Pope giving his benediction to a man strangling another on the ground. On a , with the same bust, is the representation of them carrying the magistrate on horseback to . A makes him walking with his broken neck, and sword buried in his body; and on the reverse St. Denis with his head in his hand, with this inscription:
| |
The churchyard contains also the bones of the notorious highwayman, Jack Sheppard. Here, too, lies buried the once famous sculptor, Roubilliac; also the witty, but somewhat licentious, dramatist, Farquhar, author of the . Here likewise lies John Hunter, the distinguished anatomist, of whom we have spoken in our account of the museum of the Royal ; as also does the illustrious philosopher, Robert Boyle. Here, too, were buried Sir Theodore Mayerne, Court physician, and the friend of Vandyke; and also Nell Gwynne, whose funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Tenison, incumbent of the parish, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. | |
The flat pavement on the southern side of the church, facing the is called from the number of old Thames watermen who were brought thither to their last long rest from Hungerford, York, and . | |
The rate-books of this parish, which (says Mr. Cunningham) are arranged sheet by sheet, after the manner of a directory, contain the name of every householder in the parish, from the levying of the poor-law rate, in the reign of Elizabeth, down to the present time, and the church registers are admirably kept. The rate-books help us to identify the dwellings of very many distinguished persons in the last century. | |
A curious story about this church is told. by Evelyn in his under date Good Friday, .
| |
Mr. Malcolm records an event of a somewhat similar nature which occured in this church on the . During evening prayers a gentleman abruptly entered, and fired pistols at the Rev. Mr. Taylor, who was repeating the service; of the bullets grazed the surplice, but the other entered the body of Mr. Williams, farrier, of , who was sitting in a pew near the minister. The congregation fled in alarm from the church, but a sturdy carman resolutely proceeded to secure the offender, which he could not effect without a severe encounter, and much bruising him, particularly on the head. On his examination it was found that this man, named Roger Campaznol, was the son of the Governor of Brest, in France; that having been cheated by his landlord, a Huguenot, resident near the Dials, of , his mind became deranged, so that he was unable to distinguish the victim of his revenge. After his committal to Newgate he made or attempts to commit suicide. | |
In Place, near the church, are the offices of the Royal Society of Literature, and of the Anthropological Institute of Great and Ireland. The Royal Society of Literature was instituted in , and received the royal charter in . It originated in an accidental conversation between Dr. Burgess-afterwards Bishop of St. David's and of Salisbury-and an eminent personage connected with the royal household, in , respecting the various institutions which adorn the British nation. It was agreed that a society seemed to be wanting for the encouragement and promotion of general literature; and that if a society somewhat resembling the French Academy of could be established it might be productive of great advantage to the cause of knowledge. The suggestion was communicated to Sir Benjamin Bloomfield, and by him was mentioned to the king, to whom he had been private secretary during the regency. His Majesty having expressed his approbation, a general outline of the institution was, by command, submitted to the royal perusal. The Bishop of St. David's was shortly afterwards summoned to Carlton House for the purpose of devising the best mode of giving effect to the undertaking, and was entrusted with a full commission to arrange the plan of the society. He accordingly invited a few of his personal friends to assist him, and for some time they had frequent conferences on the subject. Their meeting took place on the , and the title proposed for the Society was but at a subsequent meeting the objectionable words in this title were expunged, and the title then stood In order to give signs of public life in the Society, a part of the proposed plan was immediately acted on-namely, the offer of prizes for the following subjects : | |
The prize awarded by the Society was for the premium, for which candidates appeared. Their productions were referred to a sub-committee, who adjudged the prize to the writer of the poem bearing the motto which was found to be written by [extra_illustrations.3.154.1] . | |
Among the members of the Society were the king, of the royal dukes, several of the bishops, and many other distinguished persons. In its early stages the Society met with some opposition in different quarters; but by the middle of the year , the constitution and regulations were completed and submitted to the king, and were finally approved of under the royal signmanual. Stability and importance were given to the Society by a royal charter granted in the year of George IV. in these terms:--
| |
In George IV. made a grant to the Society of the Crown land opposite , and the leading and official members voluntarily subscribed as a building-fund, with which they erected their present place of meeting. In the Society adopted the publications of the Egyptian Society, and has since contributed some important researches on the antiquities of Egypt. For rewarding literary men the royal founder enabled the Society to act with princely liberality, by placing at its disposal guineas a year,
| |
In connection with the above gift of guineas by the king, Mr. Harford, in his (), relates the following anecdote:-- On the death of George IV., in , this gratifying bequest ceased. | |
A valuable library has been formed, and greatly enriched by the lexicographical and antiquarian publications presented by Mr. Todd, and by papers read at meetings, and furnished by many of the most eminent writers of the age. Several quarto volumes have been issued. | |
Admission to the Royal Society of Literature is obtained by a certificate, signed by members, and an election by ballot. Ordinary members pay guineas on admission, and guineas annually, or compound by a payment of guineas. At the meetings of this Society papers are read by learned men, English and foreigners. The Society, however, incurred considerable ridicule by having admitted a certain M. Cosprons, a few years since, to read a paper, as a French under the assumed title of The mistake was soon found out, and the duke was never asked to read a paper. | |
The Anthropological Institute of Great and Ireland, whose rooms are in the same building as the above Society, was established in , for the purpose of promoting the study of anthropology in a strictly scientific manner. The annual subscription is guineas, and a life-membership guineas. There is a small but interesting museum, and the publications of the Society are presented to the members. Sir John Lubbock, Bart., is President of this Society. | |
In Place are likewise the offices of the Friend of the Clergy Corporation, an institution, under the patronage of the Prince of Wales,
| |
Place is worthy of note as having been, during the Franco-Prussian War, the headquarters of the National Society for Aiding the Sick and Wounded, which was founded at a meeting of the English Language of the Order of St. John held here in . During the year and a half of that terrible struggle this Society sent abroad to Germany and France, in nearly equal proportions, money and stores-such as lint, bandages, wine, and surgical appliances--to the value of about half a million, earning thereby the hearty thanks of both the belligerent nations. After the termination of the European struggle the Society resolved not to disband itself, but to continue , so as to be ready for action in case of the outbreak of another war. Its offices, however, are transferred to , Strand; | |
In , at the back of the , a library was founded by Dr. Tenison--afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury--in the year , for the use of his school, over which it was placed. In , the doctor, who was then vicar of , gave towards a fund for | |
p.156 | the maintenance of his school, and afterwards, by the consent of Dr. Patrick, Bishop of Ely, another sum of which had been left to them jointly, in trust, to be disposed of in charitable uses; these sums, together with the leasehold messuages, for the term of years, he vested in trustees, for the support of his school and library. Out of the profits of these investments the librarian and masters have an annual salary for teaching boys, sons of the inhabitants of parish. |
This institution was at situated in , at the back of the Mews, which, as we have already shown, afterwards gave place to the . Here it stood down to the year , when it was removed and re-opened in . | |
The original design of the founder was to supply the clergy and studious persons of with a place of retirement and study. says Evelyn ( ), On the Evelyn again writes,
| |
The library is not by any means confined to theological subjects, but comprises works of general literature. Amongst the volumes of the ordinary staple from which libraries were formed a century and a half ago, are some.MSS. of great interest. The library contains a beautiful Sarum Missal of the century, and a magnificently illuminated Psalter of a little earlier period. But the gems of the collection, perhaps, are the and the both apparently of the century. | |
By a series of misfortunes this institution, it appears, had been reduced, of late years, to the last stage of decay. Its slender endowment was almost entirely lost in the South Sea Bubble, and | |
p.157 p.158 | its resources failed altogether on the expiration of a lease, the remainder of which has been taken by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests for the improvement of . There were in the end no means of providing salaries for the officers or for any of the expenses incidental to the maintenance of a library, and the fate of an institution which ought to be interesting to all lovers of literature came to be regarded with apprehension and anxiety. |
For many year the trustees permitted a society of subscribing members to hold its meetings, to play at chess, and read newspapers in the readingroom; and thus a sort of club or mechanics' institute came to hold its meetings in Archbishop Tenison's Library, and a list of lectures was posted outside the door. A portion even of the shelves of the old library had been appropriated to the books of the new society; and if clergymen and more especially intended by the founder, had resorted to Tenison's Library for purposes of study, they would soon have given up the attempt in despair. A late eminent bookseller bore the following testimony as to the state of the original library a few years previous to its removal, in , to its new quarters:-- The original intention of the founder having thus been withheld, the interest of the parishioners and others in this library gradually decreased, and it at length became scarcely at all frequented on its own account. The place had altogether a forlorn and miserable appearance; its volumes buried in dust and exposed to the vicissitudes of heat and damp, so that would be painfully reminded of the day when, under the auspices of the illustrious men mentioned above, the building was planned, and of the goodly show which Strype tells us the books with their made in his time. | |
The Rev. P. Hale, the librarian, some time ago issued a in which he remarked :--
| |
Attention to the subject having been thus awakened, those most deeply interested in the preservation of the library soon began to exert themselves; a new building was erected in , and in the institution was removed thither, where it is hoped a new and more prosperous career is in store for the Tenison Library. | |
On the west side of , near , is Aldridge's Horse Repository-a middle-class --established in , where about horses are sold weekly. | |
In , , nearly opposite Aldridge's Horse Repository, is the This institute was established in , for the purpose of assisting skilled workmen to pursue the study of history, political economy, moral philosophy, literature, science and art (including mathematics, physiology, chemistry, drawing, &c.), and foreign languages; also for enabling apprentices and others to complete their technical education, with a special view to the manipulative department of their various trades. Lectures, classes, discussions, reading and conversation meetings, and a library, are the means employed. The chief object of the institute is to provide interesting and useful mental occupation for the members every night of the week, in the shape of solid instruction, rational and elevating recreation, or stimulating interchange of ideas. | |
Newton tells us, in his that nearly at the end of the Strand a country lane, without habitations, ran northwards between the fields up to hospital. he adds, He considers it probable, that this chapel was saved by the monks of Abbey, to whom the land about the neighbourhood belonged, and who
| |
This country road, which obtained the name of about the reign of Charles I., was bounded on the eastern side by the wall of the Convent Garden, and opened into the so called from a house of that name where cakes and ale were sold. | |
At the bottom of was a nest or rookery of narrow lanes and streets; which rejoiced in slang names, such as
and the The names in course of time became classical, being | |
p.159 | constantly imported into the comedies of the time by Ben Jonson and other authors. From the allusions to them which occur, it is clear that they were occupied by a low lot of inhabitants, who indulged in gin, ale, and fighting. Porridge Island, especially, was filled with -rate cook-shops. In the , of , we find an allusion to as having his dinner The greater part of this rookery was swept away about the year , but a considerable portion of the low courts remain about . |
Many of the houses in have historic and artistic associations, which carry us back to the days of George II. and the early part of the reign of George III. Thus, for instance, Mr. Peter Cunningham informs us that
| |
Smith, too, tells us in his that the house No. , on the west side,
| |
, if we except a few houses on the eastern side, at the end near to , was built between the years and . Up to that time it was apparently a really green country lane, known as West , with scarcely a single cottage all the way up to . A little before that date we read that Sir Hugh Platt, the most scientific horticulturist of his age, had a garden in . Among its most distinguished inhabitants in its early days were Sir John Suckling, the poet, Sir Kenelm Digby, and D. Mytens, the painter. Here, too, lived at time the celebrated Earl of Shaftesbury, Dr. (afterwards Archbishop) Thomas Tenison, whilst he was the Vicar of , and the Whig poet Ambrose Philips. In this street, too, nearly opposite where now are , lived Sir Joshua Reynolds when he came as a young man to London; and Sir James Thornhill, who established at the back of his house the artists' school, out of which it is scarcely an exaggeration to say that the Royal Academy took its beginning. Fuseli and Roubilliac, too, in their day had studies here; and those artists who did not actually live in the lane, used to frequent it of an evening, repairing as visitors to their accustomed haunt. Here Hogarth was a constant visitor, stepping round from his quarters hard by in ; and many of the larger houses, if they have not been tenanted by artists, have been the haunts and homes of extensive picture-dealers. | |
Allan Cunningham tells us that [extra_illustrations.3.159.1] studio was in Peter's Court in this lane, a favourite haunt of artists; he adds, Roubilliac afterwards removed to a larger studio on the western side of the street, where he died in . | |
writes Stow, The upper part of was originally termed the Terrace, implying probably that it consisted of a number of larger and more imposing edifices built at time. | |
Ben Jonson was born in Hartshorn Lane, near , . We learn this from Fuller, who says,
| |
Such was in the olden days, before it had become the resort of loose characters, among whom, in the words of Ben Jonson, For, to speak the truth, parish would seem to have been remarkable for tipplers. At all events, that trustworthy authority, the hints that
| |
It is to be feared that the narrow gorge by | |
p.160 | which to the present day exit is made from into , is a standing proof that years ago the did not do their duty quite as efficiently as our present Metropolitan Board of Works. At all events, John Evelyn tells us, in his under date , that he and his brother commissioners went from to the neighbourhood of , in order We fear that, although more than centuries have passed away since that time, the work has yet to be satisfactorily achieved. [extra_illustrations.3.160.1] |
Footnotes: [extra_illustrations.3.152.1] St. Martin's in the Fields [extra_illustrations.3.152.2] Gibbs [extra_illustrations.3.154.1] Felicia Hemans [extra_illustrations.3.159.1] Roubilliac's [extra_illustrations.3.160.1] James Moyes, Printing- Castle Str. Leicester Square |