Liberties of the Dutchy. The Bounds.112

Liberties of the Dutchy. The Bounds.

May Pole, the Parts about it bearing the Name of the Maypole in the Strand; but its Beauty is lost, there being nothing standing but the lower Part which is about twenty Foot high; Nor is that now standing, a new Church being erected there. Here is a Watch House for the better Security of the Streets in the Night, as being so great a Throughfare: And adjoining to the Watch House is a Conduit, but disused: Here the Street beings to enlarge it self Westward, and so continueth unto Exeter Exchange, and both sides are garnished with good and lofty Buildings, especially the South side, having a stately Pile of new Brick Houses on both sides of Somerset House; which much eclipse that Palace. So that tis pity it were not beautified, especially that Part that fronts the High Street. Which House, being now of later times in the Crown, hath been used as the Palace, or Court of the Queen Dowagers: It belonged of late to Katharine, Queen Dowager the Wife of King Charles the Second. At the Entrance into this Court out of the Strand is a spacious square Court garnished on all sides with Rows of Free Stone Buildings, and at the Front is a Piazza, with stone Pillars which support the Buildings, and a Pavement of Free Stone. Which said Place leadeth into the great Hall or Guard Room, and so into other Rooms, ascended up by a large Stair Case into the Rooms of State. Besides this first Court, there are other large ones, which are descended towards the River by spacious Stairs of Free Stone. The outward Beauty of this Court appears by a View from the Water, having a good Front, and a most pleasant Garden, which runs to the Water side. More Westwards is a large Yard adjoining to the Savoy, made us of for the Coach Houses and Stables; at the bottom of which is a Pair of Stairs much used by Watermen, this being a noted Place for landing and taking Water at.

Maypole in the Strand.

Somerset House.

Described.

Next on this South side is the Savoy, a good Part whereof still remaineth, built of Free Stone and Flint, and of one Story in Height, and leaded at the Top with Battlements. Which said Buildings are now for the most Part severed into private dwelling Houses; except that Part made use of, as Wards for the Soldiers to lodge in, as was in the Reigns of King Charles the Second, and King James the Second, and that Part converted into the French Church at the bottom of the Dutchy Lane, which is made a neat Church, and hath a Pair of Organs: And besides the ancient Free Stone Buildings, here are divers new ones dispersed up and down, as the Houses fronting the Strand, and on the Back sides thereof, also those in Savoy Alley, in Dutchy Lane, and in the Courts near adjoining and towards the Water side.

The Savy.

Wards for Soldiers.

A French Church here.

This Part of the Strand in this Parish, begins on the North side of Bell Inn, being a Throughfare into Wich Street; and is a Place of great Resort for Horse, Coaches and Waggons.

Bell Inn.

The Part of Wich Street in this Parish, which begins at the Bell Inn, runs into Drury Lane, and is chiefly inhabited by Upholsters, for second Hand Goods.

Wich Street.

Little Drury Lane, which from the Strand runneth up to Great Drury Lane; this Part being but narrow, is troublesome by the Passage of Coaches and Carts, it being a great Throughfare, and the Houses being but ordinary, makes it to be ill inhabited. On the East side is a small Court called Wilsons Court. Then on the West side is Denhams Yard, indifferent large, paved with Free Stone, and out of this Court is a Passage by Sufferance into the Strand. Next to this is the George Inn, which is well resorted unto. Then higher up, and towards White Hart Yard, is a pretty handsome Place called Feathers Court, with well built Houses and a Free Stone Pavement.

Little Drury Lane.

Wilsons Court.

Denhams Yard.

George Inn.

Feathers Court.

White Hart Yard, a Place of some Trade, it goeth out of Drury Lane, and falleth into Katharine Street. Of this Place the South side unto Eagle Court is in this Parish. Which Court falleth into the Strand, as doth Swan Yard, a little more Eastward; both which are in St. Clements Parish.

White Hart Yard.

Katharine Street, a very large and handsome Street, with good Houses, well inhabited chiefly by noted Tradesmen, especially the East side not many Years since built. This Street cometh into the Strand against Somerset Yard Gate. On the West side is a pretty handsome Court, with a Free-Stone Pavement, neatly kept, called Blakes Court, as built by Sir Richard Blake the Owner thereof.

Katharine Street.

Blakes Court.

Then in the Strand is Swan Yard, a good large Place, and a considerable Throughfare, that Part towards White Hart Yard, being the narrowest is paved with Free Stone. Windsor Court, a good handsome open Place, with good Buildings. Eagle Court, a good large and long Court, with a Free Stone Pavement, falling into White Hart Street. It is indifferently well built and inhabited. On the East side, is a pretty open Place with a Free Stone Pavement called Childs Court; and on the West side is Little Katharine Street, which falls into Great Katharine Street, being a Place of small Account. Then Helmet Court near to the Corner of Katharine Street, also paved with Free Stone, and the Houses new built of Brick, which are only on the West side.]

Swan Yard.

Windsor Court.

Eagle Court.

Childs Court.

Little Katharine Street.

Helmet Court.

The next was sometime the Bishop of Carlisles Inn, which now belongeth to the Earl of Bedford, and is called Russel, or Bedford House.

Bishop of Carlisles Inn.

Bedford House.

About the 27 H. 8. or after, the Bishop of Rochester's House in Lambeth Marsh, being some Way or other the Kings, was conveyed to Robert Aldridge, Bishop of Carlisle, and his Successors, in exchange for his Houses near Ivy Bridge (afterwards the Earls of Woroesters and Salisburies) and other Houses there toward the Street; and of a Yearly Rent of 16l. or thereabout, out of those Houses given to the Bishop of Carlisle, and his Successors, for those Houses formerly called Carlisle Place. But the said Bishop Aldridge leased the House of Lambeth Marsh for some small and not valuable Rent, for many Years.] It stretcheth from the Hospital of Savoy, West to Ivy Bridge. Where Sir Robert Cecil, principal Secretary to Queen Elizabeth, did then raise a large and stately House of Brick and Timber, as also levelled and paved the High Way near adjoining, to the great beautifying of that Street, and Commodity of Passengers.

Exchanged by Bishop Aldridge. Reliq. Spelm.

J. S.

Sir Robert Cecil.

Here or hereabouts (as it seems) Sir Julius Cæsar, Kt. Chancellor of the Exchequer, afterwards dwelt. For on this North side of the Strand, he built a Chapel, which was called Cecil Chapel; and was consecrated by Bishop King, May 8th 1614.]

Cecil Chapel.

J. S.

And thus far on this South side the High Street is of the Liberty of the Dutchy of Lancaster.

Ivy Bridge, in the high Street, which had a Way, or low going down under it, stretching to the Thames. The like as sometime had the Strand Bridge, before spoken of. It is now taken down, but the Lane remaineth as afore, or better, and parteth the Liberty of the Dutchy, and the City of Westminster on that South side.

Ivy Bridge.

This whole Street from Temple Bar to the Savoy was commanded to be paved, and Tole to be taken towards the Charges thereof in the 24th Year of Henry the Sixth. And Richard the Second, long before, in the eighth of his Reign, granted Licence to pave with Stone the High-Way, called Strand Street, from Temple Bar to the Savoy, and Tole to be taken toward the Charges.

Temple Bar to the Savoy paved.

The