36. THE CHAPEL OF ST. THOMAS ON LONDON BRIDGE
The chapel on London Bridge was founded
before 1205, in honour of St. Thomas à Becket,
by Peter de Colechurch, (fn. 1) the chaplain who
supervised the building of the bridge (fn. 2) begun in
1176. (fn. 2a) The original structure was of very short
duration, for it was burned down in 1212, (fn. 3) but
it was rebuilt when the bridge was restored. From
the first there are said to have been there two priests
and four clerks, (fn. 4) who may probably be identified
with the preachers licensed by King John in
1207 to preach in aid of the bridge. (fn. 5) A grant
of a corrody in 1277 shows that there were then
two or more chaplains, and that they and other
persons called brothers of the Bridge lived to
gether, (fn. 6) though where the house was situated is
not indicated. (fn. 7) The Bridge-house, however,
was referred to in a will of 1272, (fn. 7a) and between
1265 and 1271 the brothers of the Bridge-house
assented to the alienation of certain tenements
which had been left to them by Richard le Keu
on condition that they maintained a chantry. (fn. 8)
Three other chantries were established in the
chapel in 1334, 1349, and 1363, (fn. 8a) yet it is not
certain that the number of chaplains increased
correspondingly, since in 1350 there were four,
and in 1381 five chaplains and a clerk. (fn. 8b) More
priests, however, must have been needed than
before, and this may have been the cause of
the building of a new chapel between 1384
and 1397. (fn. 8c) There is an interesting account
of the contents of the chapel in 1350: (fn. 9) the
books comprised three portifories, three Legends
of Saints, four psalters, three graduals, a Tropary, two antiphonars, (fn. 9a) a quire, an Ordinal
with a Martyrology of the Saints, an 'Epistolar,'
and three missals, one having large gilt letters;
among the vestments were four sets for weekdays, one for Sundays, and one for festivals; the
plate was of no great quantity, but the relics
included a portion of the True Cross, and some
inclosed in a purse which was kept on the altar
for the pilgrims who visited the chapel.
The history of the chapel in the 15th century
was marked by more than one contest. The
priests were suspended in 1419–20 for some reason
which is not disclosed, but which to the wardens
appeared unjust; the difficulty, however, could not
have been very serious, as absolution was obtained from the bishop of London for half a
mark. (fn. 9b)
The oblations of the chapel, and the administration of the sacraments by the chaplains were
the subject of a dispute in 1433 between the rector
of St. Magnus on one side and the mayor and
commonalty of the City and the wardens of the
bridge on the other, the former declaring that
the chapel was within the parish and that the
oblations belonged to him, the others maintaining
that it had always been free from payments to
the rector. (fn. 10) The bishop of London decided
that the chaplains should have the oblations for
the use and work of the chapel and the bridge,
paying to the rector 20d. every year in lieu of
all claims, and that they might freely administer
the sacraments in the chapel as had ever been
the custom. (fn. 11)
A few years later a controversy arose between the bishop of London and the bridgemasters over the suspension of the priests of the
chapel; (fn. 12) and a papal bull confirming the privileges of the chaplains appears to have been
necessary in 1465–6. (fn. 12a)
At this date the pope granted an indulgence
of forty days to those who visited the chapel on
the Feast of St. Thomas of Canterbury, and on
the day of his Translation, and contributed to the
repairs of the chapel; and in the same year he
increased the indulgence offered to 100 days and
extended its benefits to those also who visited
the chapel on Good Friday and the Feast of the
Assumption of B. V. Mary. (fn. 13)
Money may then have been needed for repairs
or improvements, and the offerings of the many
were the best means of raising it. Only a few
persons could make such gifts as Anneys Breteyn,
who in 1489 gave £40, in part payment of
£60, towards some work within the building. (fn. 13a)
The cost of the chapel for the year ending at
Michaelmas, 1484, was £33 5s. 3d, (fn. 14) almost
exactly the same sum as in 1381–2, (fn. 14a) so that
there may have been five chaplains in 1484 as
in 1381, yet the number evidently varied, wages
being paid in 1444–5 (fn. 14b) to four chaplains and
in 1494 to two chaplains and four clerks. (fn. 14c)
It was decided by the City in October, 1538, (fn. 15)
that from henceforth there should be only two
priests and a 'conduct' in the Bridge-chapel, the
others being dismissed with a quarter's wages.
In 1541–2 there was only one priest, with a clerk
as assistant, (fn. 15a) and in 1548 he was ordered to deliver
the goods and ornaments to the bridge-master
and shut up the chapel, (fn. 16) which was subsequently
defaced and turned into a dwelling-house. (fn. 17)
There is a seal of the brotherhood of the
end of the thirteenth century. (fn. 18) It is oval in
shape, and represents St. Thomas the archbishop
wearing mitre and pall. Seated on a throne, he
lifts his right hand in benediction, while in his
left he holds a long cross. On each side there is a
long candle in a candlestick. In the base, under
the arch of a bridge, the prow of a boat is seen
on the water. Legend :—
SIGILL' BEATI: THOM . . . . RTIRIS: D'
PONTE: LON . . . . . .