The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 3
Allen, Thomas
1827
Gate of the Priory of the Holy Trinity.
The gate of this priory, here delineated, stood in the parish | |
83 | of St. James, Duke's-place, at the north end of Cree-church-lane; the apartments above the gate, which were of modern erection, were formerly occupied as the ward school-rooms. These remains were destroyed in . |
On the dissolution of the priory, the chapel before mentioned became the only place (after the conventual church was pulled down) for the inhabitants within that district to repair to for divine Service. This, however, creating some dislike among the inhabitants of Duke's-place, they were desirous of raising a proper parish church for themselves, on the ground within their own precinct; to effect which, they applied to the archbishop of Canterbury for his assistance; who, having obtained the king's warrant, under the great seal, for proceeding in their pious intention, prevailed with the lord mayor, aldermen, and common-council, to build them a church, with the stones of the conventual church, which then remained on the premises. This was accordingly done, and the church was consecrated and dedicated to St. James, on the . The liberty of Duke's-place formerly enjoyed great privileges, in which they appear to have been more protected by the power of the Norfolk family than by right; since the lord mayor is entitled to hold a court leet and baron, and the city officers can arrest for debt, and execute warrants within it; yet artificers and traders open shops, and exercise their arts here, although not freemen of the city. The Jews settled here, principally, in the time of the Commonwealth. In the month of March or April, according as Easter falls, there is a fair held in Duke's-place, called the Jews' fair, which is probably of great antiquity. It is a kind of carnival, and is denominated the feast of Purim. Though the Jews have held rejoicings at this period in Duke's-place ever since their establishment there, yet they were not publicly sanctioned till the litter part of the last century, when the city allowed the parish of St. James the privilege of letting out the ground for days, to the itinerant show-men, by which, says Mr. Smith, the parish makes about On the north side of stood a religious house, called | |
Footnotes: [] Smith's Anc. Topog. of London, p. 21. |
