The cellar beneath the house at the south-east corner of

The above engraving shews the building in a restored state.

What is to be seen at the present time, is evidently the whole of the original structure; its greatest length from north to south is feet, and its breadth from east to west, . In length it is made into aisles by clusters of columns, consisting of an union of cylinders, conjoined at the capitals, from which spring the ribs that support the vaulting; this is of the simplest kind, consisting only of arches and cross springers, the latter making an acutely pointed arch, the former being more obtuse. On the points of intersection of the ribs are circular bosses, carved with masks in a grotesque but bold style; of the best is annexed.

The pillars are buried about feet below the present level of the cellar floor; in the vignette they are represented as perfect; the vaulting receives a subsidiary support from half columns attached to the walls, of a corresponding character with the main clusters. The entrance to the crypt, is by a flap in the front of the house, (in the view a pointed window is substituted,) nearly opposite to this is an acutely pointed opening, (also shewn in the cut,) which was originally intended for a window, but has at some later period been converted into a door-way, and was then the entrance to the crypt from above, as a winding flight of stairs still existing on the outside of the opening evinces. The windows are square, the frames remaining appear more modern than the main structure; they are all walled up except in the northern extremity of the crypt, which is partially vacant; the sills are formed close below the vault, proof that the erection was at all times a crypt; the termination northward of both the aisles is curious; it is irregular in plan and elevation, and the vaulting displays

From the absence of any religious or sacerdotal emblem appearing in the carvings, as well as the circumstance of the structure standing in its longest proportions north and south, it is not at all probable that it ever was a church, or the crypt of ; that it might appertain to some of the various ecclesiastical establishments, which existed in this quarter is somewhat borne out by the high character of its architecture; from the style of which it is probable that these remains are the workmanship of the latter part of the century.

The bull of pope Innocent II, noticed before, mentions the chapel of St. Michael, in the church-yard of the monastery.

It is singular that Stow does not notice the existence of this relic of ancient London, although it is generally supposed the superstructure was occupied by his dwelling-house.

It appears the ground in the neighbourhood of has been much raised. Stow says,

Betwixt this, Belzeter's (Billeter) lane, and

Lime-street

, was (of later time,) a frame of

three

fair houses, set up in the year

1590

, in place where before was a large garden plot, inclosed from the

High-street

with a brick wall; which wall being taken down, and the ground digged deep for cellarage, there was found right under the said brickwall, another wall of stone, with a gate arched of stone, and gates of timber, to be closed in the midst, towards the street; the timber of the gates was consumed, but the hinges of yron still remained on their staples, on both sides. Moreover, in that wall were square windows, with bars of yron, on either side the gate; this wall was under ground about

two

fathoms deepe, as I then esteemed it, and seemeth to bee the ruins of some house burned in the raigne of king Stephen, when the fire began in the house of

one

Aleward, near London-stone, and consumed east to

Aldgate

; whereby it appeareth how greatly the ground of this citie hath been in that place raysed.

In is the West , a large edifice, with offices attached for conducting the business of the . In the court-room is a fine painting of G. Hibbert, esq.

The African-house stood in , east of . It had been the mansion of sir Nicholas Throkmorton.

The name of a church which stood formerly on the west side of , is still preserved in that of the name of the street; it was also called St. Mary Pellyper. This church was in the gift of the prioress and convent of St. Helens, but was united by letters patent under the great seal, dated , Eliz. to St. Andrew . It received its appellation of

at the Axe,

On the north side of is