Gracechurch Street

Gracechurch Street

South from Cornhill and Leadenhall Street to King William Street and Fish Street Hill (P.O. Directory). In Bishopsgate and Bridge Wards Within. A few houses on the eastern side are in Lime Street Ward.

Earliest mention: "Garscherchestrate," 1284 (Cal. L. Bk. A. p. 83).

Other forms: "Grescherchestrete," 1329 (Ct. H.W. I. 353). "Gressecherchestrete," 1361 (ib. II. 28). "Grascherchestrete," 1347–8 (ib. I. 501). "Gracechirche strete," alias "Graschirche strete," 16 H. VI. 1437 (Cal. P.R. H. VI. 1436–41, p. 143). "Gracious Street" (V. Agas). "Graciousstreate," 1526 (Ct. H.W. II. 631). "Graces strete," 1558–9 (ib. 669). "Grasse street" (S. 165). "Grasse streete," alias "Gracechurchstreete," 12 Chas. I. 1636 (L.C.C. Deeds, Harben Bequest, 1600–1700, No. 37).

It is evident from the forms set out above that the earliest form of the name was "Garscherchestrete," and that the later corruptions were by metathesis "Gres-cherch" and "Gras-cherche," while such forms as "Gracious strete" and "Grasse street" did not appear until the 16th century.

Called Gracechurch Street when it was rebuilt after the Fire.

The name of the street was derived from the church of "Garschurch" (q.v.).

See Benet (St.) Gracechurch and Gracechurch.

Walls discovered at the south-west corner of Fenchurch Street built across Gracechurch Street at a depth of 22 ft., and at Corbet Court on the opposite side of Gracechurch Street (Arch. LX. 224 et seq). At Nag's Head Court the gravel is reached at a depth of 16 ft. below the surface (Tite, xviii.).

Roman foundations found on the site of the Mercantile Bank of India on the western side of Gracechurch Street 7 ft. wide, descending to a depth of 30 ft. below the pavement. At the northern end of the street also remains of large Roman public buildings have been discovered.

Gracechurch Street. Strype (1720) labels this "Gracias Street" in the Map of Broadstreet Ward.

Gracechurch-Street,—the N. continuation of Fish-street-hill from London-bridge, extending from Eastcheap to Leadenhall-street, or to Cornhill.

Gracechurch-St. is the north continuation of Fish-street-hill from London-bridge. It was originally called Grass-church-street, from a grass or herb market, near Allhallow's church, Lombard-street.

Gracechurch Street, between Cornhill and Eastcheap, was so named "from the parish church of St. Benet, called Grass Church, of the herb-market there kept."¹ The church of St. Benet, at the corner of Fenchurch Street, was pulled down in 1867. It is written Grascherche in a Letter-Book of 1320. Stow writes it "Grasse Street." It was often written "Gracious Street." In Dekker's description of the royal procession in 1604, we are told that this street "was worthy of that name it carries till this hour." It was destroyed in the Great Fire, and on being rebuilt was named Gracechurch Street. Graschurch was the great corn market of the City. Great pains seem to have been taken to encourage the bringing of corn to it, and its management was closely watched. In the reign of Edward I. it was laid down as "the custom of Grascherch" that every cart not belonging to a citizen shall pay a toll of a half-penny. Carts that bring cheese and corn, or nuts and corn, if the cheese or nuts be worth more than the corn, shall pay twopence; but if the corn is worth the most, they shall pay only one halfpenny.² In the succeeding reign, 1323–1324, it was ordered that "those who bring corn or malt unto the City of London for sale ... from the counties of Cauntebrigge [Cambridge], Huntyngdone, Bedeforde, and those who come by Ware, bring all the corn and malt which they shall bring unto the said City for sale unto the market upon the Pavement at Graschirche;"³ corn and malt from other parts were to be taken for sale to "the Market upon the Pavement before the Friars Minors in Newgate Street." The market was not, however, restricted to corn and malt. In an ordinance for the regulation of the trade of blacksmiths, it is directed that, for the repression of "false work," smiths "who wish to send their work for sale out of their houses or shops, shall send the same to, and stand openly at Graschirche," or upon the "pavement hard by St. Nicholas Flesshameles, or near to the Tun upon Cornhulle."⁴

In Grasse Street have ye one fair Conduit of sweet water, castellated, with crest and vent, made by the appointment of Thomas Hill, mayor 1484, who gave by his testament one hundred marks towards the conveyance of water to this place. It was begun by his executors in the year 1491, and finished of his goods at whatever cost.—Stow, p. 80.

When Philip and Mary made their entry into London in 1554,

The conduit in Gracechurch Street had been newly decorated: the Nine Worthies had been painted round the winding turret, and among them were Henry VIII. and Edward. The first seven carried maces, swords, or poleaxes. Henry held in one hand a sceptre, with the other he was presenting a book to his son, on which was written Verbum Dei. As the train went by the unwelcome figure caught the eye of Gardiner. The painter was summoned, called knave, traitor, heretic, an enemy to the Queen's Catholic proceedings. The offensive Bible was washed out, and a pair of gloves inserted in its place.—Froude, History of England, vol. vi p. 253.

Richard Tarlton, the clown (d. 1588), kept "a tavern at the sign of the Saba [Queen of Sheba] in Gracious Street."

It chanced that one Fancy and Nancy, two musicians in London, used often with their boys to visit Tarlton when he dwelt in Gracious Street at the signe of the Saba, a taverne, he being one, etc.—Tarlton's Jests, 4to, 1611.

When Tarlton dwelt in Gracious Street, at a tavern at the sign of the Saba, he was chosen scavenger, and often the ward complained of his slacknesse in keeping the streets cleane.—Ibid.

At the Cross Keys Inn, a large and noted house for coaches and waggons, and celebrated in the annals of acting,⁵ pulled down a few years ago, Bankes exhibited the extraordinary feats of his horse Marocco.

There was one Banks, in the time of Tarlton, who served the Earl of Essex, and had a horse of strange qualities, and being at the Crosse-Keyes in Gracious Streete, getting money with him as he was mightily resorted to, Tarlton then, with his fellowes, playing at the Bel by, came into the Crosse-Keyes amongst many people, to see fashions, which Banks perceiving, to make the people laugh, saies, "Signior," to his horse, "Go fetch me the veriest fool in the company." The jade comes immediately and with his mouth drawes Tarlton forth. Tarlton, with merry words said nothing but "God a mercy, horse." ... Ever after it was a by word thorow London, "God a mercy, horse," and is to this day.—Tarlton's Jests, 4to, 1611.

Taylor, the Water Poet, in his Carrier's Cosmographie (4to, 1637), mentions "The Tabard neere the Conduit," and "The Spread Eagle," both in "Gracious Street." Both houses have disappeared, the Tabard (afterwards the Talbot) leaving its memory in Talbot Court, on the east side of Gracechurch Street, near Eastcheap. The Spread Eagle remained till the advent of railways a famous coaching establishment, and a good example of those old London inns with their ample courtyards, galleries, and travellers' rooms. It was pulled down in 1865, and the vacant site—described in the Sale Catalogue as "about 12,000 feet of freehold and long leasehold ground"—was sold by auction, October 25, 1865, £95,000—a noteworthy instance of the value of land in the City. A large block of offices have been built on the site. William Hone, author of the Every Day Book, after his failure as a bookseller, kept the "Grasshopper" coffee and chop-house, No. 13, but was as unsuccessful as in his previous ventures. It is now a noted eating-house.

In White Hart Court was the Friends' (Quakers) Meeting-house. On the passing of the Conventicles Act, in 1670, George Fox was seized and carried off to "the Mayor's house" by a party of soldiers while preaching in this meeting-house.⁶ It was at the house of Henry Goldney in this court that he died, January 19, 1690. He had preached in the meeting-house only two days before his death. In Nag's Head Court died (1737) Matthew Green, the author ot "The Spleen," and other poems of great originality and merit. W. Curtis, author of Flora Londinensis and other botanical works, kept an apothecary's shop in this street. Peter Collinson, F.R.S., the eminent botanist, was a wholesale mercer at the sign of the Red Lion.

---

¹ Stow, p. 80.
² Liber Albus, p. 236.
³ Ibid. p. 372.
⁴ Riley, Memorials, p. 361.
⁵ See Malone's History of the Stage var. ed., vol. iii. p. 47, etc.
⁶ Fox's Journal, vol. ii. p. 125.