The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 4
Allen, Thomas
1827
Collegiate Chapel of St. Stephen.
Adjoining the south-east angle of the hall, and at the north end of the old palace, was the chapel to St. Stephen the protomartyr, founded by king Stephen, but rebuilt by Edward III. in , in a very magnificent manner; the latter monarch converted it into a collegiate church, and placed therein a dean, secular canons, vicars, clerks, choristers, a verger and chapel keeper. | |
The following year, Edward, by letters patent, endowed the same with his , or great house in , certain lands | |
165 | in Yorkshire, and an annuity out of his treasury, to make up the produce of the said house and lands, per annum, till he should settle an estate thereon of the like yearly value; and adjoining to the Thames side, not only erected handsome apartments for their reception, but likewise built for their use, in the , in Little , a very large and strong bell tower, and placed therein very great bells, to be rung on solemn occasions, such as coronations, triumphal shews, funerals of princes, and their obits. |
And for the greater convenience of the dean and canons, (who, upon the erection of the eastern part of the new palace, were removed into houses, in a place called , () and as an additional embellishment to this stately chapel, John Chamber, M. D. physician to Henry VIII. and last dean of the college, caused to be erected adjoining the north side thereof, a magnificent cloister, at the expence of . | |
Al the suppression, the annual revenues of this collegiate chapel, amounted to . and This chapel being surrendered to Edward VI. it was appropriated for the reception of the representatives of the Commons of England, who have ever since continued to meet therein, except when summoned by the king to Oxford. | |
Footnotes: [] Dugdale Mon. Angl. [] Stowe. |