St. Dunstan in the West

St. Dunstan in the West

On the north side of Fleet Street at No. 187 (P.O. Directory), between Fetter Lane and Chancery Lane. In the Ward of Farringdon Without.

Earliest mention found in records: 1237, "St. Dunstan over against the New Temple" (Cal. P.R. H. III. 1232–47, p. 178). Church probably in existence at a much earlier date.

Other forms: "St. Dunstan towards the New Temple," 1278–9 (Ct. H.W. I. 37). "St. Dunstan West," 1278–9 (ib. 39). "St. Dunstan near the New Temple," 1291 (ib. 101). "St. Dunstan de Weste," 31 Ed. I. (Lib. Cust. I. 229). "St. Dunstan next the New Temple," 10 Ed. II. (Ch. I. p. m. 10 Ed. II. 3). "St. Donstan de Fletestret," 1331 (Ct. H.W. I. 369). "St. Dunstan West in Fleetstreet," 16 Ed. III. (Anc. Deeds, A. 1784).

Fraternity of St. Mary and St. Dunstan in the church 18 H. VI. (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 262).

Chapel of St. Katherine erected by T. Duke, 15th century. Church repaired at various times.

Damaged in the Fire, but soon repaired at the charges of the parish. At this time the whole building projected into the street and had shops and sheds under it. It was accordingly resolved in 1820–30 to pull it down and rebuild it further back, and a portion of Clifford's Inn was taken for the purpose. A piece of ground about 30 ft. wide was laid into the street (Gent. Mag. Lib. XVI. 29–33) (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 276). Architect, J. Shaw.

A Rectory. Patrons: Advowson granted to the King by the Abbot and Convent of Westminster, and by him to the House of Converts 1237 (Cal. P.R. H. III. 1232–47. p. 178). Afterwards passed into the hands of the Abbot and Convent of Alnwick, and after the dissolution into private hands, being at that time a vicarage. In 1820 purchased by the Parishioners by a special Act, and constituted a rectory (End. Ch. Rep. 1902, p. 5).

Called "in the West" for difference from St. Dunstone in the east (S. 395).

Famous clock there projecting over the street was removed when the old church was pulled down. Statue of Q. Elizabeth 1586 over the Fleet Street doorway stood originally on the west front of Ludgate and was removed here in 1766.

St. Dunstan in the West, the church of, is situated on the north side of the west end of Fleet-street, where it has been long known as a grievous incumbrance to hackney and stage coachmen, drivers of omnibuses, and country females. But as it is about to be taken down, to the infinite regret of the city pickpockets, any description of it is unnecessary. It, however, unfortunately for the public, narrowly escaped destruction by the great fire of 1666, the flames having been stopped within three houses of its walls. It has been several times repaired, but it will, ere long, perhaps while these lines are being printed, be removed.

It is a church of very ancient foundation, in the gift of the abbot and convent of Westminster, who in 1237 gave it to Henry III. towards the maintenance of the foundation of the house called the Rolls, for the reception of converted Jews. It was afterwards conveyed to the abbot and convent of Alnwick, in Northumberland, in whom it continued till the dissolution of the religious houses by Henry VIII. Edward VI. granted the advowson of this church under the name of a vicarage to Lord Dudley. Soon after this, the rectory and vicarage were granted to Sir Richard Sackville, and the impropriation has ever since remained in private hands. The present vicar, is the Rev. Richard Lloyd, who was instituted by the Rev. C. Simeon, and the Society for Purchasing Livings, in 1805.

There is a considerable number of benefactions for the poor of this parish, given to be distributed in money, bread, and coals, which are fully described in the Report of the Parliamentary Commissioners on the Endowed Charities of the City of London. Among them is a house, No. 172, in Fleet-street, let at £70 a year for the repairs of the church, and a Free Grammar School, founded by letters patent of the 4th of Queen Elizabeth, to be called "The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth," which does not appear from the Parliamentary Reports ever to have been endowed. The Parochial Charity School is chiefly managed by a committee of subscribers.

Dunstan (St.) in the West, or St. Dunstan's, Fleet Street, is on the north side of Fleet Street, near Chancery Lane. It was designed by John Shaw, architect of the New Hall at Christ's Hospital, but he died while the work was in progress, and it was finished by his son. The first stone was laid July 27, 1831; and the church consecrated July 31, 1833. It is set much farther back from the street than the old church. The body of the church is octagonal in plan, and built of white bricks and stone, the groining is of ironwork. The tower, of a yellow freestone from Ketton in Rutlandshire, was copied from that of St. Helen at York, and is 130 feet high. In 1881 the window over the altar, which is on the north side of the church, was filled with painted glass as a memorial of the Rev. E. Auriol, for many years rector of the parish.

The parish church of St. Dunstan, called in the West, for difference from St. Dunstan in the East.—Stow, p. 146.

William Tyndal ("a man whose history is lost in his work and whose epitaph is the Reformation")³ was preaching in this church when he attracted the notice of Humphrey Monmouth, a wealthy alderman, who took him into his own house to live. Monmouth was afterwards sent to the Tower for "giving exhibition to Tyndall, Roy, and such others," and for administering privy help to translate, as well the Testament as other books.⁴ The Rev. Wm. Romaine, a noted evangelical preacher of the last century, and author of many religious works, was Lecturer of St. Dunstan's, where his preaching drew large crowds of people.

The projecting clock and the two figures in the old church which struck the hours and quarters were a never-failing attraction to country visitors.

It [the former church] is a good handsome freestone building, with a fair dial hanging over into the street. And on the side of the church, in a handsome frame of architecture, are placed in a standing posture two savages, or Hercules, with clubs erect; which quarterly strike on two bells hanging there.—Strype, B. iii. p. 276.

We added two to the number of fools, and stood a little, making our ears do penance to please our eyes, with the conceited notions of their [the puppets'] heads and hands, which moved to and fro with as much deliberate stiffness as the two wooden horologists at St. Dunstan's, when they strike the quarters.—Ned Ward's London Spy, pt. 5.

When labour and when dullness, club in hand,
Like the two figures at St. Dunstan's stand,
Beating alternately, in measur'd time,
The clockwork tintinnabulum of rhyme,
Exact and regular the sounds will be,
But such mere quarter-strokes are not for me.

Cowper, Table Talk.

There are references to the clock in Congreve (Love for Love), Wycherly (Poems, 1704, p. 168), Goldsmith (Vicar of Wakefield), and others, but it is hardly worth while to quote them. The old clock which projected over the street like that of Bow Church, Cheapside—was, with the brace of figures to strike the hours, the work of "Mr. Thomas Harris, living at the end of Water Lane, London." It appears from the parish records that he received for his labours "£35 and the old clock," and that the two figures were set up October 28, 1671.¹ When Sir Walter Scott, therefore, introduces Richie Moniplies as speaking of the "twa iron carles yonder, at the kirk beside the post, were just banging out sax of the clock," he is anticipating their presence by about half a century. He is certainly wrong also in calling the figures Adam and Eve.² They were both unmistakably masculine, and of aspect fierce enough, as Strype says, to be "two savages or Hercules."

It seems likely that similar figures had previously done duty at St. Paul's. In the Ant and the Nightingale: or, Father Hubbard's Tales (A.D. 1604), we read

What is mirth in me is harmless as the Quarter Jacks in Powles, that are up with their elbowes four time an hour, and yet misuse no creature living.

And again in the Gull's Hornbook (1609, chap, iv.)

But howsoever, if Paul's Jacks be once up with their elbows, and quarelling to strike eleven, as soon as ever the clock has parted them, and ended the fray with his hammer, let not the Duke's Gallery contain you any longer.

When the old church was taken down the two figures were bought by the Marquis of Hertford, and removed to his lordship's villa in the Regent's Park. The removal of the figures, Moxon says, drew tears from Charles Lamb's eyes. The villa is still called St. Dunstan's, and is now occupied by Mr. H. Hucks Gibbs. There is reason to believe that the old dial at St. Dunstan's (the one preceding Harris's) was of some celebrity. The churchyard (facing Fleet Street) was built in with stationers' shops; and Smethwick (one of the most celebrated) always described his shop as "in St Dunstan's Churchyard in Fleet Street, under the Diall." Such is his address on the 1609 edition of Romeo and Juliet, and the 1611 edition of Hamlet. Here, in St. Dunstan's churchyard, Marriot published the first edition of Walton's Angler.

There is newly extant a book of 18d. price, called "The Compleat Angler; or, the Contemplative Man's Recreation, being a Discourse of Fish and Fishing, not unworthy the perusal of most Anglers. Printed for Richard Marriot, in St. Dunstan's Churchyard, Fleet Street."—Mercurius Politicus, for May, 1653.

Dr. Donne, the poet, and Dr. Thomas White (founder of Sion College), were vicars of this church. A monument with medallion bust of White has been lately erected. Eminent Persons buried in.—Simon Fish, author of the Supplication of Beggers (d. A.D. 1531). Davies, of Hereford, the poet and writing-master (d. 1617). Thomas Campion, Doctor of Physic, also a poet (d. 1619). Dr. White (d. March 1, 1623–1624). Simon Wadlow, landlord of the Devil Tavern, Ben Jonson's "King of Skinkers" (buried March 30, 1627). George, first Lord Baltimore, Secretary of State, and one of the early colonisers of North America (d. April 15, 1632). John Graunt, one of the founders of Political Economy (d. 1674). Pinchbeck, who gave his name to a metallic compound (d. 1783). Thomas Mudge, the celebrated chronometer maker (d. 1794). Eminent Persons baptized in.—Wentworth, Earl of Strafford (the great earl who was beheaded). Bulstrode Whitelocke, the author of the Memorials. According to tradition the officiating minister was startled at the name of Bulstrode, and asked if they could not call the babe otherwise.

He [Lord Keeper Guilford] once heard Oates preach at St. Dunstan's, and much admired his theatrical behaviour in the pulpit: he prayed for his very good lord and patron the Duke of Norfolk, which made his lordship suspect him to be wasping towards popery.—Roger North's Lives, vol. i. p. 325.

Observe.— The statue of Queen Elizabeth over the Fleet Street doorway, which has the date 1586 inscribed upon it. This statue originally stood on the west front of Ludgate, and was removed here in 1766. It is the only known relic remaining of any of the City gates, for Temple Bar was only a bar to mark the liberties of the City without the walls.

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³ Froude, History of England, vol. ii. p. 30.
⁴ Fox, vol. iv. p. 617.

¹ Account of St. Dunstan's, by the Rev. F.J. Denham.
² O! Saint Dunstan has caught his [Moniplies] eye; pray God he swallow not the images. See how he stands astonished as old Adam and Eve ply their ding-dong.—Fortunes of Nigel.