MoEML: Survey of London: Cornhill Ward

THe next ward towardes the south, is Corn
hill warde,

so called of a corne market, time
out of mind there holden, and is a part of
the principall high streete, beginning at the
west end of Leaden hall, stretching downe
west on both the sides by the south end of
Finckes lane, on the right hand, and by the
North ende of Birchouers lane, on the
left part of which lanes, to wit, to the middle of them is of this
ward and so down to the Stockes market, and this is the bounds
of this Ward. The vpper, or East part of this Warde, and al
so a part of Lymestreete warde hath beene (as I saide) a
market place, especially for Corne, and since for all kinde
of victuals, as is partly shewed in Limestreete warde, yet it ap
peareth of record, that in the yere 1522. the Rippars of Rie and
other places solde their fresh fish in Leaden hall market, vpon
Cornhil, but forren Butchers were not admitted, there to sel flesh

L 2

till

148

til the yere 1533. & shortly after it was enacted, that the said But
chers & other should sel their beefe and mutton by weight,

Fleshmarket
at Leadenhal
and alteration
of prices in a
short time.

to wit
beefe not aboue a halfpennie the pound, and mutton halfpenny half
farthing: which act being deuised for the great commodity of the
realme, (as it was then thought) hath since proued far otherwaies,
for before that time a fat oxe was solde at London, for sixe and
twentie shillings 8.ď. at the most, a fat Wether for thrée shillings
4. pence, a fat Calfe the like price, a fat Lambe for twelue pence,
peeces of beefe weighed two poundes and a halfe, at the least, yea
thrée pound or better for a pennie on euerie Butchers stal in this
Citie: and of those peeces of beefe thirteene or foureteene for
twelue pence, fat mutton for eight pence the quarter, and one hun
dred weight of beefe for foure shillinges eight pence at the dearest:
What the price is now, I néede not to set downe, many men
thought the same to raise in price: by meane that euerie Grasier
knew or supposed what weight euery their beastes contayned,
and so raising their price thereafter, the Butcher could be no gay
ner, but by likewise raising his price: but the true causes of en
hansing the prices both of those and other victualls are not to bee
disputed here. &c. The Forren Butchers for a long time stoode
in the high streete of Limestreete warde, twise euerie weeke vz.
Wednesday and Saturday, and were some gaine to the Ten
nantes before whose dores they stoode, and into whose houses
they set their blockes and stalles, on the north side of that streete,
but that aduantage being espied, they were taken into Leaden
hall, there to pay for their standinges to the Chamber of Lon
don. Thus much for the market vppon Cornhill.

The chiefe ornamentes in Cornhil warde are these. First at
the East end thereof, in the middle of the high streete, and at the
parting of foure wayes, haue ye a water standarde, placed there
in the yeare 1582. in manner following.

A certaine German or Dutch man borne, named Peter Mor
ris,

Standarde of
Thames wa
ter by Leaden
hall.

hauing made an Artificiall Forcier, for that purpose, conueyed
Thames water in pipes of Lead, ouer the steeple of S. Magnus
Church, at the north end of London bridge, and from thence into
diuers mens houses, in Thames streete, New fish streete and
Grassestreete, vp to the northwest corner of Leaden hall, the

highest

149

highest ground of al the Citie, where the wast of the maine pipe

The highest
ground of the
Citie of Lon
don.

rising into this Standarde (prouided at the charges of the Citie)
with foure spoutes runneth foure waies, plentifully seruing to the
commoditie of the inhabitantes neare adioyning in their houses,
and also clenseth the Channels of the streete towardes Bishops
gate, Aldegate, the Bridge, and the Stockes market.

Then haue ye a fayre Conduite of swéete water, castellated in

The Tunne
vpon Cornhill
a prison house

the middest of that warde and streete. This Conduite was first
builded of stone, in the yeare, 1282. by Henry Walles, Maior of
London, to be a prison for night walkers, & other suspitious per
sons, and was called the Tunne vpon Cornhill, because the same
was builded somewhat in fashion of a Tonne standing on the one
end.

Also without the West side of this Tunne, was a fayre well

A fayre well
vpon Cornhil.

of springing water, curbed round with hard stone. In the yeare
1298. certaine principall Citizens of London, brake vp this pri
son called the Tunne, and tooke out certain prisoners for the which
they were sharply punished by long imprisonment, & great fines,
as in another place I haue shewed.

In the yeare 1401. this prison house called the Tunne was
made a Cesterne for sweete water conueyed by pipes of Leade frõ
the towne of Tyborne, and was from thence forth called the con
duite vpon Cornhill:

Conduite vpõ
Cornhill.

Then was the wall planked ouer, and a
strong prison made of Timber, called a Cage, with a payre of
stockes set vpon it, on the top of which Cage was placed a Pillory
for the punishment of Bakers offending in the Assise of Breade:
for Millers stealeing of Corne at the Mill: and for baudes

Cage, stockes
and pillorie v
pon Cornhill.

and scolds &c. In the yeare 1475. R. Drope Mayor, dwelling
in that warde inlarged the Cestern of this Conduite, with an
east end of stone, and lead castelated in comely manner. In the
yeare 1546. Sir Martin Bowes Maior dwelling in Lombard
streete, and hauing his backe gate opening into Cornhill against
the saide Conduite, minded to haue enlarged the Cesterne there
of

Conduite vpõ
Cornhil enlar
ged.

with a west end, like as Robert Drope before had don toward
the East: view and measure of the plot was taken, for this worke,
but the Pillorie and Cage being remoued, they found the ground
planked, and the well aforesaide (worne out of memorie) which

L 3

wel

150

well they reuiued and restored to vse, they set the Pillorie some
what west from the well, and so this worke ceased.

On the North side of this street, from the East vnto the West
haue ye diuers fayre houses for marchantes and other, amongst
the which one large house is called the Wey house, where mar
chandizes brought from beyond the seas, are to bée weighed at
the Kinges Beame:

The way
house or
kinges-Beame
vpon Cornhil.

This house hath a maister, and vnder him
foure maister Portars, with Portars vnder them: they haue a
strong cart, and were vsed to haue foure great horses, to draw and

Sir Thomas
Louell his
gift to the
Grocers.

carrie the wares from the marchants houses to the beam & backe
again: now thrée horses serue the turn. Sir Thomas Louel knight
builded this house, with a fayre front of Tenementes towards the
streete, all which he gaue to the Grocers of London, himselfe
being free of the Citie, and a brother of that Companie.

Then haue yée the saide Finckes lane, the southende of which
lane on both the sides is in Cornhill warde.

The Burse, v
pon Cornhill
or the Royall
Exchange.

Then next is the Royall Exchange erected. In the yere 1566.
after this order, vz: certaine houses vpon Cornhill, and the like
vpon the backe thereof, in the warde of Brodestreete, with thrée

Swan Alley.

Allies, the first called Swan Alley, opening into Cornhill, the se

New Alley.

cond called New Alley, passing throughout of Cornhil into Brod
streete warde,

S. Christophers Alley.

ouer-against S. Bartilmew lane, the thirde called

Eighty houses
displaced
for building
of the Burse.
The Citie
charged with
buildinges of
the Burse.

S. Christophers Alley, opening into Brodestreete warde, and
into S. Christophers Parrish, conteyning in all fourescore house
holdes: were first purchased by the Citizens of London, for more
then 35321.l. and were solde for 478.l. to such persons as shoulde
take them down, and carrie the stuffe from thence, also the ground
or plot was made plaine at the charges of the Citie, and then pos
session thereof was by certaine Aldermen, in name of the whole
Citizens giuen to Sir Thomas Gresham knight, Agent to the
Queenes Highnesse, thereupon to builde a burse, or place, for
Marchantes, to assemble in, at his own proper charges: and hee
on the seuenth of Iune laying the first stone of the foundation, be
ing Bricke, accompanied with some Aldermen, euery of them
laide a peece of gold, which the workemen tooke vp, and forthwith
followed vpon the same with such diligence, that by the moneth of
nouember in the 1567.2 the same was couered with slate, & short

151

ly after fully finished. In the yere a thousand fiue hundred seauentie
on the 23. of Ianuarie, the Queenes Maiestie, attended
with her Nobillitie, came from her house at the Strande called

Queene Eli-
zabeth came
to the Burse.

Sommerset house, and entred the citie, by Temple Bar, through
Fléetestreete, Cheape, and so by the North side of the Burse, to
Sir Thomas Greshams in Bishopsgate streete, where she dined,
after dinner her Maiestie returning through Cornhill entered the
Burse on the southside, and after that shee had viewed euery part
therof aboue the ground, especially the Pawne, which was richlie
furnished with all sortes of the finest wares in the City: she cau
sed the same Burse by an Herralde and a Trompet to bee procla
med the Royall Exchange, and so to bee called from thence forth
and not otherwise.

Next adioyning to this Royall Exchange

The Burse
called the Roy
all Exchange.

remaineth one parte
of a large stone house, and is now called the Castle of such a signe,
at a Tauerne dore there is a passage throughout of Cornhill,
into Thrée needle streete, the other parte of the saide stone house
was taken downe, for enlarging the Royall Exchange: this stone
house was saide of some to haue béene a Church (whereof it had
no proportion,) of others a Iewes house (as though none but
Iewes had dwelt in stone houses) but that opinion is without war
rant: for in the first yeare of Richarde the first, to preuent the

The cause of stone houses builded in London.

ca
sualties of fire (which often had hapned in the Citie, when the hou
ses were builded of Timber, and couered with Reede or Straw,
Henry Fitz Alewin being Maior, it was decreed that from thenc
forth no man should build within the Citie, but of stone, vntill a
certaine height, and to couer the same building with slate, or brent
tyle, and this was the verie cause of such stone buildinges, where
of many haue remained till our time: but of late for winning of
ground, they haue béen taken down, & in place of some one of thẽ
being low, as but two stories aboue the ground, many houses of
foure or fiue stories high are placed.

From this stone house down to the Stockes, are diuers large
houses especially for height, for Marchantes and Artificers.

On the south side of this high streete is the parish church of

Parish Church
of S. Peter vpō
Cornhil.

S.
Peter vpon Cornhill, which seemeth to be of an ancient building:
but yet not so ancient as some reporteth, for it hath béene all late

L 4

152

ly repayred, if not new builded, except the steeple, which is ancient:
the roofe of this Church, and glasing was finished in the raigne of
Edwarde the fourth, as appeareth by Armes of Noble men, and
Aldermen of London then liuing, there remaineth in this Church
a table wherein it is written, I know not by what authority, but
of a late hand, that king Lucius founded the same Church, to bee
an Archbishops sea, and made it the Metropolitane, and chiefe
Church of his kingdome, and that it so endured the space of foure
hundred yeares, vnto the comming of Augustine the Monke.

Ioceline of Furneis writeth, that Thean the first Archbishop
of London, in the raign of Lucius, builded the saide Church by
the aide of Ciran, chiefe Butler to king Lucius, and also that El
uanus the second Archbishop, builded a Library

Library of S,
Peters vpon
Cornhill now
a Grammar
schoole.

to the same church
adioyning, and conuerted many of the Druides, learned men in
the Pagan law to Christianitie. True it is that a Library there
was pertaining to this Parish Church of old time builded of stone,
and of late repayred with Bricke, by the Executors of Sir Iohn
Crosbie Alderman, as his Armes on the south ende doth witnes.

This Library hath béene of late time, to wit, within these fifety
yeares well furnished of bookes, Iohn Leyland viewed and com
mended

Iohn Leyland.

them, but now those bookes be gone, and the place is occu
pied by a Schoolemaister, and his Usher, ouer a number of schol
lers learning their Grammar rules, &c. Notwithstanding before
that time, a Grammar schoole had beene kept in this Parish as
appeareth,

Grammar
schooles com
manded by
Parliament,

in the fiue and twentie of Henry the sixt, it was e
nacted by Parliament, that foure Grammar schooles in Lon
don, shoulde bee maintained, vz. In the parishes of All-hal
lowes, in Thames streete. S. Andrew in Oldboorne, S. Peters
vpon Cornhill, and S. Thomas of Acars. The monumentes of
the dead in this Church be these, of Sir William Bowyer Maior
1543. Sir Henry Huberthorn Maior, 1546. Sir Christopher
Morrice, Maister Gunner of England, to king Henry the eight,
Edward Elrington Esquier, chief Butler to Edward the sixt, and
diuers other that be defaced.

Parrish church
of S, Michaell.

Then haue yee the parish church of S. Michael Tharchangel,
which hath beene a fayre and beutifull Parish Church. But
of late yeares greatlie blemished by the building of foure

Tenemente

153

Tenementes on the North side thereof towardes the streete,
in place of a gréene churchyarde, whereby the church is greatly
darkened,and otherwise annoyed, the faire new stéeple or bell To
wer was begunne to be new builded in the 1421. which being fi
nished, and a faire ring of fiue belles therein placed. One Russe a
Draper gaue a sixt Bell, which he named Russe after his owne
name, to be nightly rung at eight of the clocke: which bell vsually
rong by one man more then 100. yeares, of late ouer hayled by 4.
or 5.at once, hath beene thrice broken, and therefore not rong as
heretofore. Robert Drope Mayor buried 1485. on the North
side of the Quire, vnder a faire Tombe of Gray marble, gaue to
maides marriaiges 20. pounde, to the poore of that Warde 10.
pound, shirtes and smockes 300. to the poore at his buriall 16.
pound, gownes of brodecloth to the poore 100. to prisons, Hospi
tals and Lazare houses liberally: hee also gaue his house in Corn
hill to be sold, and the price thereof to be spent on the amendment
of high wayes: Iohane his wife afterwardes Uice Countesse Li
sle was also buried there by her first husband, 1500. She gaue
fourescore and tenne pounds in money, to the beautifying of that
church, notwithstanding the Tombe of them both is pulled down
and no monument remayneth of them. Peter Houghton late Al
derman is now buried in their vault 1596. Iohn Grace Draper
was buried 1439. Robert Fabian Alderman, that wrote and
published a Chronicle of England and of Fraunce, 1511. lyeth
there with this Epitaph.

Like as the day his course doth consume,
               
And the new morrow springeth againe as fast,
               
So man and woman by natures custome,
               
This life to passe, at last in earth are cast,
               
Inioy and sorrow, which here3 their time do wast,
               
Neuer in one state, but in course transitorie,
               
So full of change is of this world the glory.

His Monument is gone. Elizabeth Peak widow gaue ye Patro
nage or gift of the benefice to the Drapers, and lyeth buried in the
belfrey 1518. Richard Garneham 1527. Edmond Trindel
and Robert Smith my Godfathers, William Dickson and Mar
garet his wife my Godmother did lie in the cloyster vnder a faire

Tombe

154

Tombe, now defaced. Thomas Stow and Thomas Stow my

Iohn Tolus
his gift.

grandfather and father: Iohn Tolus Alderman 1548. he gaue
to Iohn Willowby Parson of that Church , to Thomas Lodge,
G. Hinde, P. Bolde Churchwardens, and to their successors to
wardes the reparations of that Church and the reliefe of the poore
for euer, his tenement with the appurtenances in the parish of S.
Michael which he had lately purchased, of Aluery Randolph of
Badlesmeer in Kent: but the parish neuer had the gift (nor heard
thereof by the space of 40. yeares after) such was the conscience
of the executors to conceale it to themselues, and such is the negli
gence of the parishioners (that being informed thereof) make no
claime thereunto. Philip Gonter that was Alderman for a time,
and gaue 400. pound to be discharged thereof, was buried in the
cloyster about the yeare 1482. and Anne his wife &c.

This parish church hath on the south side thereof a proper cloi
ster, and a fayre church yarde, with a pulpet crosse, not much vn
like

Pulpet crosse
in S. Michael
church yarde.

to that in Paules Churchyarde. Sir Iohn Hudstone May
or, caused the same in his life time to be builded, and hee deceased,
1531. and was buried in a vawlt vnder the said pulpet crosse,he
appointed lands for sermons to be preached there, but that is gone,
and his Tombe of marble, before the pulpet is taken away, a
mongst others, namely of Doctor Yaxly one of the Phisitions to
King Henry the eight that was buried there with his wife, vnder
a Tombe of marble.

Burcheouers lane.

Then haue ye Burcheouers lane, so called of Birchouer, the
first builder and owner thereof, now corruptly called Birchen
lane, the North halfe whereof is of the said Cornehill warde, the
other part is of Langborne ward.

This lane and the high streete neare adioyning hath beene in
habited for the most parte with wealthy Drapers from

Vpholders sel
lers of olde
stuffe in
Cornhill.

Bircho
uers lane on that side the stéete downe to the Stockes: in the
raigne of Henry the sixt, had ye for the most parte dwelling Frip
perers or Upholders, that solde olde apparell and housholde
stuffe.

I haue read of a countrey man, that then hauing lost his hoode
in Westminster Hall, founde the same in Cornehill hanged out
tobe solde, which he challenged, but was forced to buy, or go

with

155

without it, for their stall (they said) was their market. About

Popeshead Tauerne in Cornehil.

this time also the Wine drawer of the Popes heade Tauerne
(standing without the dore in the high stréete) tooke the same man
by the sléeue, and saide, sir will you drinke a pint of wine:

Wine one
pint for a pen
nie, & bread
to drinke it
was giuẽ free
in euery
Tauerne.

where
unto be aunswered, a penny spende I may, and so drunke his
pint, for bread nothing did he pay.

This Popes head Tauerne, with other houses adioyning,
strongly builded of stone, hath of olde time béene all in one, per
tayning to some great estate, or rather to the King of this realme,

The kings
house in
Cornehill.

as may bee supposed both by the largenesse thereof, and by the
armes, to wit, thrée Lyons passant, which was the whole armes
of England,before the raigne of Edward the third, that quartered
them with the Armes of Fraunce, thrée Flower de Luces.

These Armes of England supported betwéene two Angels, are

Arms of Eng
land suppor
ted by Angels.

fayre and largely grauen in stone on the fore front towardes the
high stréet, ouer the dore or stawle of one great house, lately for
many years possessed by M. Philip Guntar, the Popes head Ta
uerne is on the backe part thereof, towards the south, as also one
other house called the stone house in Lombard stréete.

Others say, this was king Iohns house, which might so be, for
I find in a written copie of Mathew Paris his historie, that in the
yeare 1232. Henry the third sent Hubert de Burgho Earle of

Hubert de Burgho Earle
of Kent sent
to Cornehill.

Kent, to Cornehill in London, there to answere all matters ob
iected against him, where he wisely acquited himselfe. The Popes
heade Tauerne hath a foote way through, from Cornehill into
Lombard stréet. And downe lower on the high stréete of Cornhill
is there one other way through by the Cardinals Hat Tauerne,

The Cardinals hatte Tauerne

into Lombard stréete. And so let this suffice for Cornehill warde.

In which be Gouernors an Alderman, his Deputie, Com
mon Counsellors foure, Constables foure, Scauin
gers foure, Wardemote inquest 16. and a
Beadle: it is charged to the fif
téene, at xvj.pound.

Notes

Character missing. (SM)↑
The word year is missing. (JJ)↑
Scan unclear. (SM)↑

References

Citation
Stow, John. A Survey of London. Reprinted from the Text of 1603. Ed. Charles Lethbridge Kingsford. 2 vols. Oxford: Clarendon, 1908. [Also available as a reprint from Elibron Classics (2001). Articles written before 2011 cite from the print edition by volume and page number.]
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MLA citation

Stow, John, and William fitz Stephen. Survey of London: Cornhill Ward. The Map of Early Modern London, edited by Janelle Jenstad, U of Victoria, 20 Jun. 2018, mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_CORN1.htm.

Chicago citation

Stow, John, and William fitz Stephen. Survey of London: Cornhill Ward. The Map of Early Modern London. Ed. Janelle Jenstad. Victoria: University of Victoria. Accessed June 20, 2018. http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_CORN1.htm.

APA citation

Stow, J., & fitz Stephen, W. 2018. Survey of London: Cornhill Ward. In J. Jenstad (Ed), The Map of Early Modern London. Victoria: University of Victoria. Retrieved from http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_CORN1.htm.

RIS file (for RefMan, EndNote etc.)

Provider: University of Victoria
Database: The Map of Early Modern London
Content: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

TY  - ELEC
A1  - Stow, John
A1  - fitz Stephen, William
ED  - Jenstad, Janelle
T1  - Survey of London: Cornhill Ward
T2  - The Map of Early Modern London
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2018/06/20
CY  - Victoria
PB  - University of Victoria
LA  - English
UR  - http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_CORN1.htm
UR  - http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/xml/standalone/stow_1598_CORN1.xml
ER  -

RefWorks

RT Web Page
SR Electronic(1)
A1 Stow, John
A1 fitz Stephen, William
A6 Jenstad, Janelle
T1 Survey of London: Cornhill Ward
T2 The Map of Early Modern London
WP 2018
FD 2018/06/20
RD 2018/06/20
PP Victoria
PB University of Victoria
LA English
OL English
LK http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_CORN1.htm

TEI citation

<bibl type="mla"><author><name ref="#STOW6"><surname>Stow</surname>, <forename>John</forename></name></author>, and <author><name ref="#FITZ1"><forename>William</forename> <surname><nameLink>fitz</nameLink> Stephen</surname></name></author>. <title level="a">Survey of London: Cornhill Ward</title>. <title level="m">The Map of Early Modern London</title>, edited by <editor><name ref="#JENS1"><forename>Janelle</forename> <surname>Jenstad</surname></name></editor>, <publisher>U of Victoria</publisher>, <date when="2018-06-20">20 Jun. 2018</date>, <ref target="http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_CORN1.htm">mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_CORN1.htm</ref>.</bibl>

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Edward III King of England