St. Martin le Grand Liberty

St. Martins le Grand lies West out of St. Anns Lane; now much inhabited by Shoemakers.

It is a Place which yet claimeth Privileges, and belonging to the City of Westminster, at the Election of Burgesses of Parliament for that City, the Inhabitants of St. Martins have their Voices; and although within the City of London, and Ward of Aldersgate, yet it is exempt from their Jurisdiction. In this Liberty they still have a Prison, and a Bailiff, and keep Courts for mean Actions. Its Bounds and extent appear by the prick'd Lines in the Map, severed from the Ward of Aldersgate. It contains but one principal Street, and that is called St. Martins le Grand; which cometh out of Blowbladder street, by the West end of Cheapside, and runneth to Aldersgate. But this Liberty runneth but to Bell Court, near unto St. Anns lane. And all from Bell Court unto Aldersgate, is in Aldersgate Ward, and out of this Liberty. This Street is a Place of a considerable Trade, it is a great Thoroughfare, and its Houses well built.

In this Liberty are these Courts and Places of Name: Round Court, pretty large, with a handsome Free stone Pavement, the part towards St. Martins being a handsome square Court. It hath a passage into Blow-bladder street, which is taken up by Milleners, Sempstresses, and such as sell a sort of Copper Lace, called St. Martins Lace, for which it is of Note. Out of this Court is an Alley which leadeth into the New Rents, which also cometh into St. Martins Street; and at the upper end are two Passages into Foster lane, one of which goeth into a place called Dark Entry, by St. Leonard Foster lane Churchyard. Mouldmakers Rents, an indifferent open Place; out of which are several passages, as into New Rents, Deans Court, and George street. New Rents, a pretty handsome Street, which comes out of St. Martins Street; and at the upper end is the Swan Tavern. Great Deans Court, a good open Place, pretty well built and inhabited; hath a passage into Mouldmakers Rents or Row, and another into George street. In this Court is another small one, called Little Deans Court, which is but very ordinary. George street, of which there are two; the one leading into Foster lane, and the other into Round Court. St. John's Alley, very ordinary. Cock Alley, hath a narrow Entrance which leads into an open Place with a Free stone Pavement, indifferent good. Christopers Alley, hath a Free stone Pavement, pretty good; which at the upper end hath a Door into the Bagnio. Four Dove Court, an indifferent open Place, with a Free stone Pavement. Kings Head Court, a good handsome Place, well built and inhabited, with a Free stone Pavement. Angel Alley, pretty good; the upper end falls into Butcher Hall Lane. Of this Street, that part within this Liberty, goeth no farther than Kings Head Court; the rest of this Street is in the Ward of Faringdon within.