rounded by their tenements, with a certain part of a certain great gate, and a solar built thereon, opposite the highway of Aldgate Street, on the south side, being in the parish of All Saints Stanyngchurch, London.

These premises, after passing through various hands, were in 1440 conveyed to John Styuard, Knight, and Alice his wife; and on the 20th Oct. 1457, 36 Hen. VI. Thomas Pounde, William Beaufitz, and Thomas More, executors of the will of Alice Stiuard widow, and in fulfilment of the said will, sell to Richard Flemmyng, Nicholas Marshall, John Tentyrden, John Peterisfield, Thomas Dorchester, Richard Walter, William Rose, Robert Toke, Robert Wylkynson, John Pecke, Richard Holbeche, Peter Draper, John Savery, John Bate, John Lane junior, John Paxman, and Thomas Britayn, citizens and Ironmongers, all the aforesaid lands, tenements, rents, and services in the parish of All Saints Stayning, in the ward of Aldgate and elsewhere, within the said city of London.

In 1494, 9 Hen. VII. Peter Draper, Robert Wylkynson, and John Paxman, citizens and Ironmongers of London, by deed dated the 25th May, demise to Thomas Parker, Henry Hede, Thomas Munde, Robert Byfield, Roger Bartelot, and other citizens and Ironmongers of London, all those lands and tenements, &c. in the parish of All Saints Stanyng, in the ward of Aldgate, London, or elsewhere within the same city, which were formerly of Alice Stiuard widow, and appoint William Barnesby and John Stynte, Ironmongers, their lawful attorneys, to deliver seisin of the

same.

There is very little doubt that the Ironmongers' Hall was partly erected on the land above described, and partly on the site of a tenement belonging to Thomas Pattershall and Nicholas Poole, which is described in another set of deeds, and in which the Hall is distinctly mentioned.

In 1394, 18 Ric. II. Thomas Pattershall and Nicholas Poole, clerks, by deed dated the 11th Sept. grant to Richard Moordon, Ironmonger, and John Boxton, Pewterer, citizen of London, a certain annual rent of 40s. sterling, to be received from all that their tenement, with a garden adjacent, and appurtenances, which William Badby, of London, holds of them, and inhabits, in the parish of All Saints Stanyngchurch, in the ward of Aldgate, London, situate between the tenement of the Hospital of St. Mary without Bishopgate, of the east and north parts, and the tenement of John Fynden, saddler, and the garden of William Rook, of the west part, and the highway leading from Fenchurch Street towards Aldgate, of the south part.

In 1493, 8. Hen. VII. Geoffrey Downes, at the instance of John Tyse, of Spaldwick, in the county of Hunts, gentleman, and by deed dated the 12th of February, grants to John Shaa, citizen and goldsmith of London, Reginald Bray knight, Richard Higham gentleman, Bartholomew Reed, Ralph Latham goldsmith, and Henry Wodecock, those 40s. sterling of annual fee and quit rent, &c. issuing from all that tenement which was formerly of Thomas Pattershall and Nicholas Pool clerks, and now belonging to the mystery of Ironmongers of London, situate in the parish of All Saints of Stanyngchurch, in the ward of Aldgate.

On the 4th June in the following year, John Shaa, citizen and goldsmith of London, by deed of the same date, sells to William Scalder, John Halhede, and William Page, the aforesaid rent charge of 40s. per annum, then described as going out of a tenement called Ironmongers' Hall.

We have further evidence of the existence of the Hall at this period in the Churchwardens' Accounts of Allhallows Staining, in which the following entry is made under the date of 1494, as cited by Malcolm :—

66

Payd for a kylcherkyn of good ale, wiche was drunkyn in the Yrynmongers Hall, all chargs born 12s. 2d."

Upon what occasion this ale was "drunken" is not mentioned. The Hall then in being was entirely rebuilt in Queen Elizabeth's time, so that the present building (observes Malcolm) is the third, or perhaps the fourth, erected since the original charter of incorporation was granted.

The subjoined engraving represents the Ironmongers' Hall as laid down in a copy of Aggas's map, which is the only delineation, after a very careful research, that I have been able to discover of any edifice of former times.

["Blank Chepeston " in the above plan is probably a typographical error, and should be read Blanch Apleton. "This Blanch Apleton was a manor belonging to Sir Thomas Roos, of Hamelake, Knight, the 7th of Richard II. standing at the north-east corner of Mart-lane, corruptly termed Marke-lane. In the reign of Edward IV. all basket-makers, wire-drawers, and other foreigners were permitted to have shops in this manor of Blanch Apleton, and not elsewhere within the city, or suburbs thereof."--Vide Stowe, ed. 1842, p. 57.]

It is clear from this plan, if we may rely on the accuracy of its detail, that the approach to the Hall at that time was

through the garden from the way now occupied by Leadenhall Street, and that the principal front then lay towards the north, the part abutting on Fenchurch Street presenting only a blank wall, with something which has the appearance of a pent-house, extending to nearly the whole length of the building.

This description, however, can only apply to the first erection, as we are led to infer, from some incidental notices, that the Hall, as rebuilt in 1587, was constructed on a different plan, and had its principal entrance towards the south, as the Hall of the present time.*

In the Company's accounts for the year 1540-41 there is a charge for certain

Reparacons done of owre Halle and the howse there by.

Iïm, payed ffor a loode of tyells
Payed ffor a c. of harte lathe

Payde ffor di. a m. of spryggs

Payed to the sarvaunts allso ffor viij. dayes.

Payed ffor reparacons another tyeme ffor a lodde of

Payd ffor carryage a weye of a lodde of rubbyshe

Sm xxix iiijd

vs iiijd

vd

iijd

iiijd

iiijs

vjd

x3 viijd

vjs viijd

viija

iiija ija

The following explanatory note is printed with Aggas's map :"Londinum Antiqua. This plan shews the ancient extent of the famous citie of London and Westminster, as it was near the beginning of the reign of Q. Elizabeth. These plates for their great scarcity are reingraved, to oblige the curious, and to hand to posterity the old prospect, whereby at one view may be seen how much was built of this populous city and parts adjacent at the time Randulphus Aggas, in his 'Oxonia Antiqua,' published A.D. 1578, says, 'near ten years past, the author made a doubt whether to print, or lay this work aside untill he had first London plotted out.""

Some notices of the interior arrangements of the Hall are obtained from the Inventories of the Company's goods, which are taken annually on the induction of a new warden into office.

In the "Inventory of all the Landes, Platte, Juells, and Goods that belongeth unto the Company or Mystery of the Iremongers, the last daye of Maye, in the yere of or Lord God 1556, Master Robert Downe being then our Mr, and Alexander Avenon and Xpfer Drap, Wardens at the making hereof," mention is made of the "Cownting Howse," the "Courte Chambar," the "lytell spence behynd the Court Cham," the "ynnard garrat," the “greate garrat," the "parlar joyned rownd a bowght," the "buttry," and the "Hawlle." Amongst the articles of furniture described in the inventory are the following:

A shuet of vestemetts of clothe of gold.

A herse cloth of clothe of gold, in a box.

Another of black worsted wth a wyght cros of Brygges satten.
A supar altar of stone.

6 doss. of wooden trenchers.

A boke to give one othe, wt a cryfyx apon yt.

A doss. sylver spons, wt lyons, waying xvj. onces; the gift of Mr. Downs.

6 quessyons of green say wt ffethers.

2 great carpetts for the ij. tables of tapestry worke, one of them leyned.

ij. pes

of tapestry that hang in the one end of the same Cort Chambaz

1 small carpet for the wyndo of tapestry.

In 1557 the following entries occur for nails and other articles, which were probably required for some repairs about the Hall :

Paid for je of double xd nayls

for je vjd nayles .

xija

iiijdob.