Christopher Court - Church Alley, Fenchurch Street

Christopher Court

East out of Little Tower Hill to St. Katherine's Square (Lockie, 1810).

Earliest mention : Horwood, 1799.

Removed for the formation of St. Katherine's Docks and the adjacent warehouses 1827.

Christopher, Christofer Alley

In Seacoal Lane, in parish of St. Sepulchre, in ward of Farringdon Without.

First mention : I Eliz. (Lond. I. p.m. I. 188).

Also mentioned in 1578 (Ct. H.W. II. 697).

Not named in the maps.

Perhaps named after "le Crystofer" (q.v.).

See Brazier's Buildings.

Christopher's (St.) Alley

On the north and east sides of the church of St. Christopher le Stocks in Broad Street Ward (Hatton, 1708-Boyle, 1799).

Removed 1766-86 for the extension of the Bank of England.

It appears from Stow (ed. 1603, p. 193) that there was another alley of this name occupying part of the site of the first Royal Exchange, and removed for its erection in 1566.

Christ's Hospital

On the north side of Newgate Street on the site occupied by the Grey Friars Monastery (O.S. 1894).

First mention : The site of the monastery was granted to the mayor and citizens of London, 38 H. VIII. 1547 (L. and P. H. VIII. XXI. (2), p. 414), and in the reign of Edward VI., owing to the King's efforts to cope with the increase of beggary in the City, the buildings were repaired and furnished for the maintenance of poor fatherless children, and were to be called Christ's Hospital (Tanner, s.v.).

Strype describes it as the house "that was the late Grey Friars for the Innocent and Fatherless, to be called Christ's Hospital, where poor children are to be trained up to the overthrow of Beggary" (Strype, ed. 1720, I. III. 131).

Town Ditch covered over as hurtful to the Hospital (ib. 132).

The Hospital is also known as the "Blue Coat School" from the long blue gowns worn by the boys, ever since the foundation of the school in the 16th century.

Much damaged in the Fire. The hall rebuilt 1680 by Sir John Frederick, and a large portion of the remaining buildings by Sir Robert Clayton.

Again rebuilt 1825-9 : Architect, John Shaw. The site of the old Giltspur Street Compter was acquired for a playground, 1858.

The cloisters of the convent were in existence 1820.

School was removed to Horsham 1897, the Newgate Street gateway being re-erected there.

The site is now occupied by the new buildings of the General Post Office, opened 1910.

For some account of the Hospital buildings, etc., See Trans. L. and M. Arch. Soc. N.S. II. (4), p. 495.

The discoveries of the Roman Wall and angle bastion on this site, made in the course of the excavations for the new General Post Office buildings, are indicated on the Plan, Plate I., and are fully treated of in Arch. LXIII. and L. and M. Arch. Soc. N.S. II. (3), 271.

Church

This word was employed in early times to denote (1) A Christian community organised as a self-governing unit for administrative purposes. (2) The spiritual and administrative charge of some dependent section of such a unit. (3) The temporal emoluments and profits belonging to such a unit or to some section of it. Prior to the 13th century, the term so used never included tithes.

Oratories or altars served by a single priest are the origin of most of the village churches the word oratory (oratoria) meaning a prayer station. They were also called capellae (chapels). The clergy who ministered at these oratories were the mass-priests of their founders, and their patrons levied tribute on the offerings made by the faithful in such chapelries. There was no compulsion to pay tithes to them.

In the 12th century the term "church" was applied to these oratories.

See Churches.

Church Alley

See Dunstan's (St.) Alley.

Church Alley

West out of Basinghall Street at No. 70, leading to Three Nun Court (P.O. Directory). In Bassishaw Ward.

First mention : Strype, ed. 1720.

Former name : "Bassishaw Alley" (O. and M. 1677-Hatton, 1708).

In some of the maps of the 18th century, as Rocque and Horwood, "Church Alley" extends into Aldermanbury, occupying the site of Three Nun Court.

Called "Church Alley North." "Church Alley South," in Strype, ed. 1755, p. 820. "Church Passage," 1792 (End. Ch. Rep. 1829, p. 108).

It formed a square in which stood St. Michael's Bassishaw Church, hence the name.

Church Alley

Out of Noble Street, Foster Lane (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Church Alley

South-west out of Giltspur Street at Pye Corner to Snow Hill, on the east side of St. Sepulchre's Church and churchyard, in Farringdon Ward Without (Boyle, 1799).

Former names : "Green Dragon Court" (O. and M. 1677). "St. Sepulchre's Alley" or " Sepulchre Alley" (P.C. 1732-Lond. Guide, 1758). "Church Lane" (Strype, 1720 and 1755).

A paved passage from Hart Street without Newgate to the south end of Pye Corner (Hatton, 1708).

Removed towards the end of the i8th century for the widening of Giltspur Street.

Church Alley

On the west side of Puddledock Hill, a passage to Blackfryars (Hatton, 1708-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Church Alley

In parish of St. Nicholas Shambles, 14 H. VII. (L. and P. H. VIII. I. 1509-14, p. 744).

Not further identified.

Church Alley

Tenements and shops of Adam Godman on the northern side of an "alei" called "Chirchealei" in parish of St. Stephen Colman Strete (Cal. P.R. H. VI. 1446-52, p. 178).

No later mention.

Church Alley

North out of Watling Street, on the east side of St. Augustine's Church (Rocque, 1746-Boyle, 1799).

It seems to be still shown as a passage by the east side of the church, but is not named and is used as an entrance to business houses adjoining.

Church Alley

Out of Harp Alley, Shoe Lane, in Farringdon Ward Without (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Probably identical with Churchyard Alley, Shoe Lane (q.v.).

Church Alley

Tenement situate in "le chirch Aley" in parish of St. Michael (upon Cornhull), 1455 (Ct. H.W. II. 536).

Mentioned in Churchwardens' Accounts of the parish in 1458 (Overall, p. 14).

It seems to have been called "the Church Rents" at this time also (ib. 32).

Qy.=St. Michael's Alley (q.v.).

Church Alley

See Peter's (St.) Alley, Cornhill.

Church Alley, All Hallows Staining

See Star Alley.

Church Alley, Blackfriars

See Church Hill.

Church Alley, Clements Lane

See Church Court.

Church Alley, Fenchurch Street

See Tabernacle Alley.