The extent of business done at some adjacent coffee houses, more especially Garraway's in Change alley, induced a number of the London auctioneers to subscribe a sufficient sum to erect an edifice wholly devoted to their business: and in the stone of the new building in , called the auction mart, was laid. Here sales are registered, town and country newspapers filed, estates and personal property sold. The principal front in St. Bartholomew's lane, consists of a centre and side divisions, made in height into stories, besides a sunk basement, the area of which is fronted by a ballustrade. The centre is occupied by orders in succession; the lower a bad Doric, consisting of engaged columns and antae, supporting the entablature of the order; the upper order, Ionic, has fluted columns surmounted by an entablature and pediment; on the ground floor are entrances in the intercolumniations of the lower order, which lead into a hall decorated with Ionic columns, in which is a staircase leading to the upper story; the arrangement of the hall has been much injured by recent alterations; the lateral divisions consist of stories externally, and inside, the ground floor and mezzanine story are occupied as offices; the auction rooms are in the and upper floors, the latter being lighted by lantern lights. The architect was the late John Walters, esq.

At the west extremity of this ward,

in Scalding alley, was formerly a large house known by the name of Scalding house, or Scalding wicke; because the ground, for the most part, was then employed by poulterers, who dwelt in the

High-street

, from Stocks-market (the site of the mansion house) to the great conduit. Their poultry, which they sold at their stalls, was scalded in this place.