THe next adioyning to Colemanstreete ward on the
west side thereof is Bassinges hall warde, a small
thing & consisteth of one street called Bassinges hal
streete
, of Bassinges hall, the most principall house
of that streete whereof the warde taketh name. It
beginneth in the south by the late spoken market house called
the Bay hall, which is the last house of Colemanstreete warde,
this

226
this streete runneth from thence north down to London wall, and
some little distance both east and west, against the saide wall, and
this is the boundes of Bassinges hall warde. Monumentes of
building on the east side thereof, amongst diuers fayre houses for
marchants, haue ye 3. halles of Companies, namely, the Masons
hall
for The special character yͤ (LATIN SMALL LETTER Y WITH LATIN SMALL LETTER E ABOVE) does not display on all browsers and has been replaced by its simplified form.ye first, but of what antiquitie that Company I haue not
read. The next is the Weauers hal, which Companie hath been of
great antiquitie in this Citie, as appeareth by a Charter of Henry
the second
,
Patent of H. 2.
in these wordes, Rex omnibus ad quos &c. to be eng
lished thus, Henry king of England, Duke of Normandy, and
of Gwian, Earle of Andiow, to the Bishop, Iustices, Sheriffes,
Barons, Ministers, and al his trew Leagues of London, sendeth
greeting, know ye that we haue granted to the Weauers in Lon
don
, their Guilde to be had in London, with all the Freedomes,
and Customes, that they had in time of king Henry my Grand
father,1 so that none but they intermit within the citie of their craft
but hee bee of their Guilde, neither in Southwarke or other pla
ces pertayning to London, otherwise then it was done in the time
of king Henry
my Grandfather: wherfore I will and straightly
command that ouer all lawfully, they may treat, and haue all a
foresaide, as well in peace, free, worshipfull, and wholy, as they
had it, freer, better, worshipfullier, and wholier, then in the time of
king Henry
my Grandfather, so that they yeeld yearelie to mee
two markes of gold, at the feast of S. Michaell,2 and I forbid that
any man to them do any vnright, or disease, vpon pain of ten pound
witnes Thomas of Canterbury, Warwicke fili Gar. Cham
berlaine at Winchester.
Patent
Also I read that the same Henry the
second
in the 31: of his raigne
, made a confirmation to the Wea
uers
that had a Guilde or Fraternitie in London, wherein it ap
peareth that the saide Weauers made wolen cloth, and that they
had the correction thereof, but amongst other Articles in that
patent, it was decreede, that if any man made cloth of Spanish
wooll, mixed with English Wooll, the Port graue, or principall
magistrate of London ought to burne it, &c.
Moreouer in the yeare 1197. king Richarde the first at
the instance of Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury and Iusticiar
of England ordeyned that the wollen clothes in euery part of this
realme should be in bredth two yards within the listes and as good
in

227
in the middest as in the sides &c. King Henry the thirde granted
to the citizens of London that they should not be vexed, for the bu
rels, or clothlisted, according to the constitution made for bredth of
cloth, the ninth of his raigne, &c.
Lower downe is the Girdlars hall, and this is all touching the
east side of this ward.
On the west side almost at the south end thereof is Bakewel
hall
, corruptlie called Blackewell hall, concerning the originall
whereof I haue heard diuers opinions, which I ouerpasse as fa
bles, without colour of truth, for though the same seemed a buil
ding of great antiquitie, yet in mine opinion the foundation there
of was first laide since the Conquest of VVilliam Duke of Nor
mandy
:3 for the same was builded vpon vaultes of stone, which
stone was brought from Cane in Normandy, the like of that of
Paules Church, builded by Mauritious and his successors Bi
shops of London: but that this house hath beene a Temple or
Iewish Sinagogue
This text has been supplied. Reason: Type not (sufficiently) inked. Evidence: The text has been supplied based on evidence internal to this text (context, etc.). ()(as some haue fantasied) I allow not, seeing
that it hath no such forme of roundnes, or other likenesse, neither
had it the forme of a Church, for the assembly of Christians which
are builded East and West, but contrariwise the same was
builded North and South, and in forme of a noble mans house, and
therefore the best opinion in my iudgement is that, it was of olde
time belongiug to the family of the Bassinges, which was in this
Realme, a name of great antiquitie and renowne, and that it bare
also the name of that family, and was called
Armes of the
Bassinges
therefore Bassinges
Haugh, or Hall
: whereunto I am the rather induced, for that the
Armes of that family were of olde time so abundantlie placed in
sundry partes of that house, euen in the stone worke, but more es
pecially on the walles of the hall, which carried a continuall pain
ting of them, on euery side so close together,
How Bassings
hall warde

tooke that
name:
as one escutcheō could
be placed by another, which I my selfe haue often seene and noted
before the old building was taken downe: these Armes were a
Gerond of twelue pointes, golde and azure. Of the Bassinges
therefore builders of this house, and owners of the ground, neare
adioyning, that warde taketh the name, as Coleman street warde
of Coleman, and Faringden warde of VVilliam and Nicholas
Faringden
, men that were principall owners of those places.
And of olde time the most noble persons that inhabited this
Q2
Citie

228
Citie, were appointed to be principall magistrates there, as was
Godfrey de Magun (or Magnauile) Portgraue or Sheriffe,
in the raign of William Conqueror, and of William Rufus, Hugh
de Buch
, in the raigne of Henry the first, Aubery de vere Earle
of Oxforde, after him Gilbert Becket, in the raigne of king Ste
phen
, after that Godfrey de Magnauile the sonne of William
the sonne of Godfrey de Magnauile Earles of Essex, were Port
graues or Sheriffes of London, and Middlesex. In the raigne
of Henry the second
, Peter Fitzwalter: after him Iohn Fitznigel
&c. so likewise in the raigne of king Iohn, the 16. of his raigne, a
time of great trobles in the yeare 1214. Salomon Bassing, and
Hugh Bassing, Barons of this Realme, as may be supposed were
Sheriffes:
Sallomon
Bassing
and
other of that
name.
and the saide Salomon Bassing was Maior in the yere
1216. which was the first of Henry the thirde, also Adam Bas
sing
sonne to Salomon (as it seemeth) was one of the Sheriffes
in the yeare 1243. the 28. of Henry the thirde.
Unto this Adam de Bassing, king Henry the thirde in the 31
of his raigne
gaue and confirmed certaine messuages in Alderman
bury
, and in Milke streete (places not far from Bassinges hall)
with the aduowson of the Church at Bassinges hal, with sundrie
liberties and priuiledges.
This man was afterwardes Maior in the yeare 1251. the 36.
of Henry the thirde
, moreouer Thomas Bassing was one of the
Sheriffes, 1269. Robert Bassing Sheriffe, 1279. and Willi
am Bassing
was Sheriffe 1308. &c. for more of the Bassinges in
this Citie I need not note, onely I read of a branch of this family
of Bassinges, to haue spread it self into Cambridgeshire, near vnto
a water or bourne, and was therefore for a difference from other of
that name, called Bassing
Bassing borne
at the bourn, and more shortly Bassing
borne. But this family is also worne out, and hath left the name
to the place, where they dwelt. Thus much for this Bassinges
hall
.
Now how Blakewell hall
Bakewel hall
giuen to the
Citie.
tooke that name is an other
question: for which I reade that Thomas Bakewell dwelled
in this house, in the six and thirteth of Edwarde the thirde,4 and
that in the 20. of Richarde the second, the saide king for the
summe of fifty poundes which the Maior and Comminaltie had
paide into the Hanapar granted, licence so much as was in him
to

229
to Iohn Frosh, William Parker, and Stephen Spilman (Citizens
and Mercers) that they, the saide messuage, called Bakewell hal,
and one garden with the appurtenances in the parish of S. Mi
chaell
of Bassings haugh
, and of S. Lawrence in the Iury of
London, and one messuage, two shops, and one Garden, in the
saide parish of S. Michaell, which they held of the king in bur
gage, might giue and assigne to the Maior and Comminaltie
Bakewell hall
a market place
for wollen
clothes.
for e
uer.
This Bakewell hall thus established, hath beene long since im
ployed as a weekelie market place, for all sortes of Wollen clothes
broade and narrow, brought from all parts of this Realme, there
to be solde. The which house of late yeares growing ruinous
and in danger of falling, Richarde May Marchant Taylor at
his decease gaue towardes the new building
Bakewell hall
new builded.
of the outward part
thereof 300. poundThis text has been supplied. Reason: The text is not clear for some reason not covered by other values of @reason. Evidence: The text has been supplied based on evidence internal to this text (context, etc.). (SM)es vpon condition that the same should be per
formed within three yeres after his decease, whereupon the olde
Bakewell hal, was taken downe, and in the moneth of February
next following, the foundation of a new strong & beutifull Store
house being laide, the worke thereof was so diligently applied that
within the space of ten monethes after, to the charges of fiue and
twentie hundred poundes, the same was finished in the yeare
1588.
Next beyond this house be placed diuers fayre houses for mar
chantes and others, till yee come to the backe gate of Guild hall,
which gate and parte of the building within the same, is of this
warde. Some small distance beyond this gate, the Coopers haue
their common hall. Then is the parish church of S. Michaell.
called S. Michaell at Bassinges hall, a proper church lately ree
dified, or new builded, whereto Iohn Barton Mercer and Agnes
his wife were great benefactors, as appeareth by his marke pla
ced throughout the whole roofe of the Quier, and middle Ile of the
church, hee deceased in the yeare 1460. and was buried in the
Quire with this Epitaph.

Iohn Barton lyeth vnder here,
Sometimes of London Citizen and Mercer,
And Ienet5 his wife, with their progeny,
Beene turned to earth as yee may see,
Q3
Frendes

230
Frendes free what so yee bee,
Pray for vs wee you pray,
As you see vs in this degree,
So shall you bee another day.

Frances Cooke, Iohn Martin, Edward Bromflit, Esqui
er of Warwickshire, 1460. Richard Barnes, Sir Roger Roe,
Roger Velden, 1479. Sir Iames Yarforde, Mercer Maior,
deceased 1527. and buried vnder a fayre Tombe with his Lady in
a speciall Chappell by him builded, on the North side the Quier,
Sir Iohn Gresham Mercer Maior, who deceased 1554. Sir
Iohn Ailife
Chirurgeon, then a Grocer, one of the Sheriffes,
1548. Nicholas Bakhurst one of the Sheriffes 1577This text has been supplied. Reason: Type not (sufficiently) inked. Evidence: The text has been supplied based on guesswork. (). VVols
Dixie
Skinner Maior, 1585. &c. And thus I ende this warde,
which hath an Alderman his Deputie, for common Counsaile 4.
Constables two, Scauengers two, for the Wardmote inquest
seauenteene, and a Beadle, it is taxed to the fiteene in London
seauen pound, and likewise in the Exchequer at

Notes

  1. I.e., Thomas Stow. (CD)
  2. Celebrated on 29 September. (CD)
  3. I.e., 1066. (KL)
  4. I.e., 1331-1332 and 1338-1339. (KL)
  5. In the paragraph above, Stow claims that John Barton’s wife is Agnes. (KL)

Cite this page

MLA citation

Stow, John, and William fitz-Stephen. Survey of London: Bassinghall Ward. The Map of Early Modern London, edited by Janelle Jenstad, U of Victoria, 15 Sep. 2020, mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_BASI1.htm.

Chicago citation

Stow, John, and William fitz-Stephen. Survey of London: Bassinghall Ward. The Map of Early Modern London. Ed. Janelle Jenstad. Victoria: University of Victoria. Accessed September 15, 2020. https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_BASI1.htm.

APA citation

Stow, J., & fitz-Stephen, W. 2020. Survey of London: Bassinghall Ward. In J. Jenstad (Ed), The Map of Early Modern London. Victoria: University of Victoria. Retrieved from https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_BASI1.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: Bassinghall Ward
T2  - The Map of Early Modern London
PY  - 2020
DA  - 2020/09/15
CY  - Victoria
PB  - University of Victoria
LA  - English
UR  - https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_BASI1.htm
UR  - https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/xml/standalone/stow_1598_BASI1.xml
ER  - 

RefWorks

RT Web Page
SR Electronic(1)
A1 Stow, John
A1 fitz-Stephen, William
A6 Jenstad, Janelle
T1 Survey of London: Bassinghall Ward
T2 The Map of Early Modern London
WP 2020
FD 2020/09/15
RD 2020/09/15
PP Victoria
PB University of Victoria
LA English
OL English
LK https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_BASI1.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>fitz-Stephen</surname></name></author>. <title level="a">Survey of London: Bassinghall 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="2020-09-15">15 Sep. 2020</date>, <ref target="https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_BASI1.htm">mapoflondon.uvic.ca/stow_1598_BASI1.htm</ref>.</bibl>

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