The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 3
Allen, Thomas
1827
Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem.
At a small distance from the north side of St. Botolph's church, is a narrow place, called Alderman's walk, nearly adjoining to which are a street and several courts, known by the general name of Old Bethlehem. On this spot formerly stood a priory of canons, with brethren and sisters. It was dedicated to St. Mary of Bethlehem, and was founded by Simon Fitzmary, of the sheriffs of London, in the year . | |
King Edward III. granted a protection for the brethren, , within the city of London, the year of his reign. The following is a copy of an ancient deed of gift given to Bethlehem, or Bedlem, by Simon, the son of Mary :--
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Newcourt says, that in the year , an agreement was entered into between the master and brethren, and John de Bradeley, rector of St. Botolph, that when the chapel of this hospital was finished, the master and brethren should receive the oblations and abventions (or church fees,) of all that were buried in the chapel, or consecrated ground, excepting the parishioners of St. Botolph, whose fees and gifts were to be equally divided between the parties. By the same agreement the master and brethren were to receive the tithes of gardens, fruit, and grass, but no other dues of the rector. The composition received by the rector was | |
Stephen Gennings, merchant-taylor, gave towards the purchase of the patronage of this hospital, by his testament, anno . | |
And, in the year , the mayor and commonalty purchased the patronage thereof, with all the lands and tenements thereunto belonging. The same year Henry VIII. gave this hospital to the city, and it has ever since been in their possession. | |
In the year , a protection was granted, by letters patent from king Edward VI. dated , to John Whitehead, proctor | |
146 | for this hospital of Bethlem, to beg within the counties of Lincoln and Cambridge, the city of London, and the isle of Ely, for year. |
At a court of aldermen, held on Tuesday the , anno Edward VI. it was ordered, That the inhabitants within the precinct of Bethlem should be, from thenceforth, united to the parish church of St. Botolph without Bishopsgate, and so by the parson and parishioners of the same parish accepted and taken, and to be allotted and charged with them to all offices and charges (tythes and clerks wages excepted); in consideration whereof, the parson of the parish was to receive yearly out of the chamber of London , and the parish clerk . | |
In the year , sir Thomas Roe, merchant-taylor, mayor, caused to be inclosed with a wall of brick about acre of ground, being part of the said hospital of Bethlem, to wit, on the west, on the bank of Deep Ditch, so called from, parting the said wall of Bethlem from the Moorfield. This he did for burial ease to such parishes in London as wanted convenient ground within their parishes. The lady his wife was there buried (by whose persuasion he inclosed it), but himself, born in London, was buried in the parish chureh of Hackney. | |
This was called New Church-yard, near Bethlem; where, upon Whit-Sunday, the lord mayor, and his brethren the aldermen, used to resort to hear a sermon: and this was practised anno , This has been for a considerable time discontinued. | |
The church or chapel of this hospital were taken down in the reign of queen Elizabeth, and houses built there by the governors of Christ's-Hospital, in London. | |
On the south side of this church-yard, over a folding gate, was the following inscription:--
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Footnotes: [] What was called Broker's Row and now Bloomfield-street. |