CHAPTER 3: NORTHUMBERLAND STREET
The buildings now standing in Northumberland Street have all been
erected since 1850, but the street itself, which was renamed in 1760, is on
the site of Hartshorn (or Christopher) Lane, and was certainly in existence
in the time of Elizabeth and probably earlier. Although this street originally
extended to the river, only the upper part of it now remains, and it is so narrow
in comparison with its neighbours that it passes almost unnoticed, though the
adjective "handsome" was applied to it in the eighteenth century.
In 1491 the Abbot of Westminster granted to Thomas Walker,
citizen and grocer of London, and his son, Richard, two cottages and a waste
piece of ground and a stable lying between the inn called "le Cristofer" on
the east and four cottages of Thomas Walker on the west and abutting north
on the street and south on another piece of ground belonging to Thomas
Walker. (ref. 80) The ground granted contained 27 feet in width and 136 feet in
depth. In 1516 Humfrey Cooke, who is described as a carpenter of the
parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, (fn. a) and who seems to have become possessed
of the rest of Walker's property in the neighbourhood, obtained a similar
lease. (ref. 81) Included in the grant was a house called "a Gatehouse," which was
probably the entrance to the alley leading to the river which later became
Christopher or Hartshorn Lane.
Humfrey Cooke died in 1531 leaving his leasehold property to his
daughter, "Christeane," and her husband, John Russell, and his freehold
property in trust for the education of his younger children. (ref. 82) Soon after his
death an action was brought in the Court of Chancery to ensure the rights of
the minors to their property and in the petitioner's bill it is stated that
Humfrey Cooke senior bought the "mesuage called the Cristofer, one Close,
syx litill tenements and syx gardeyns in the parishe of Seynt Martyns in the
Felds" from Robert Chesman of "Kentishe town" by indenture bearing
date 4th December, 1514. (ref. 83)
The freehold of John Russell's property was sold (ref. 84) by the Abbey to
the King in 1546 and purchased from the latter by Russell. Russell also
became possessed of the Christopher, etc., in right of his wife, since her
brother and sisters died young. In his will, (ref. 85) dated 19th December, 1564,
Russell described himself as "Citizen and Carpenter of London dwelling in
the parishe of St. Martin in the feilds, Maister Carpenter as well to the quenes
matie as also hath ben to her moste deare father and brother the famous kinge
Henrie the eighte and king Edward the sixte and also to the Late kinge
Phillippe and quene marie." He left to his "wellbeloved wief" his "best
Antique cuppe with a Cover of silver all gilte, sixte gilte sponnes, sixe Apostles
spones, the beste Featherbedde and bedstede, the beste twoe Pillowes, the
beste boulster, the beste paire of blancketts, twoe paire of the beste sheetes
wth the beste Coverlett and beste Curtynes to the same … and … the
Inne of myne called the Christofer with the foure tenements to the same
belonginge and one tenemente wth one Gatehowse there whiche I purchased
of the Kinge Henrie theighte." (fn. b)
The whole property descended through John's son, Francis, to his
grandson, also named John. In 1586 the latter had granted a lease to William
Penfold and Alice, his wife, of "all those twoe mesuages … nowe
standinge … uppon the Wharffe called Penfolds Wharffe otherwyse
called Russells Wharffe and sometymes called Stowes Wharffe … and
nowe in the tenures … of the said William Penfolde and of one Edward
Jenyng and John Slanye. And also all the said Wharffe … beinge …
betwene the Waye … leading from the mesuage … nowe in the
occupacion of Oswell Wowyn Sadler (fn. c) to the Thamys on the one syde and the
garden nowe in the occupacion of master Cooke and the waye parcell of the
said Wharffe latelye demysed to master Colshull deceased and nowe in the
occupacion of the saide master Cooke on the other syde And the lyttle garden
latelye made over the Sewer or ditche by Roberte Brett, and the yarde or waie
leadinge to certaine newe stables latelye buylt by John Trott deceased nowe in
the occupacion of Oswell Wowyn abuttinge on the upper ende towarde the
streate there And the Thamys adioyninge to the other ende of the premysses
towards the southeste parte And also the Cartewaye footewaye and passage
leadinge from the saide wharffe to the highe streate … And also free
way … to passe … in and oute at the great gate nexte the streate and
the myddle gate at all … tymes." (ref. 86) (fn. d) In addition to this property John
Russell held five tenements in the Strand, the Christopher, then in the tenure
of Daniel Dunster, and a brewhouse on the west side of the lane in the tenure
of Robert Langley. (ref. 90)
In 1613, Michael Apsley, brother-in-law and heir of John Russell,
granted (ref. 91) his ground at the southern end of the lane "called Christofer lane
and now called hartshorne lane" to the Earl of Northampton, who enclosed
some of it within his garden and bequeathed the rest to the Wardens of
Trinity Hospital, Greenwich, in whose possession it remained until it was
leased by them to the Earl of Northumberland in 1759. (ref. 68) The extent of the
property at that date is shown on the plan reproduced here. The Duke of
Northumberland purchased the freehold in 1821 by authority of the Act 1
and 2 Geo. IV cap. 39.
Figure 5:
Plan of Northumberland House and of the Trinity Hospital property leased to
the Earl of Northumberland in 1759
Michael Apsley died in 1618 leaving (ref. 92) all his freehold property,
including the northern part of Hartshorn Lane, to Edward Apsley, son and
heir of Sir Edward Apsley of Thakeham, Sussex. Edward Apsley, junior,
under the title of "Colonel" was in 1644 commissioned to raise a
parliamentary army in Sussex. (ref. 93) He roused the indignation of the parishioners
of St. Martin-in-the-Fields by stopping the Hartshorn Lane sewer, which
he was afterwards forced to reopen (see p. 25). He died in 1651 leaving (ref. 94)
his property to his nephew, Edward Fenwick (then a minor), son of his
brother-in-law, George. (fn. e) There is a note on the will that "the Leases
concerning my howses in Harthorne Lane are at Mr. Hougor a Grocer his
shopp is at the topp of the lane."
Apsley
All of Apsley's property in Hartshorn Lane was acquired by trustees
of the Earl of Northumberland circa 1660. (fn. f) The Earl used part of the ground
on the west side of the way adjoining the wall of Northumberland House for
a coalyard, but granted leases of the remainder to Edward Boggas, who in
turn leased it to Craven Howard and Hugh Marchant for use in connection
with Marchant's waterworks. (ref. 95) The ground on the east side of the lane was
in 1666 sold to John Breedon. (ref. 96) In 1703 Breedon's heirs sold it to Francis
Tuckwell, "Cittizen and Fishmonger of London." (ref. 97) There were then two
houses facing the Strand, one being in the tenure of William Spring,
goldsmith, (fn. g) and twenty houses on the east side of Hartshorn Lane, of which
one was a brewhouse "in the tenure of Robert Breedon the elder, Brewer." (fn. h)
In 1720 Strype described Hartshorn Lane as "a Place much clogged
and pestered with Carts repairing to the Wharfs; and therefore not well
inhabited. On the East Side is Plough Court (leading into Spur Alley) which
is but small; and lower down is a Place called the Limewharf [shown in the
reproduction of part of Morden and Lea's map, p. 27] a Place indifferent
well built."
Hugh, Earl of Northumberland, who carried out extensive alterations
and repairs at Northumberland House (see p. 15) bought up as much of the
surrounding property as he could in order to improve the amenities of his
house. As stated above he obtained a lease of the Trinity Hospital property
on both sides of Hartshorn Lane in 1759, and he seems at once to have set
about rebuilding the houses thereon. The street was renamed in his honour
and it is described by Dodsley in 1761 as "a handsome street now building in
the Strand, by Northumberland House, down to the Thames, the houses in
Hartshorn alley being pulled down for that purpose." (ref. 73) Most of the
rebuilding seems to have been carried out by John Lambert, "carpenter,"
who was granted building leases of the property. (ref. 99) Several of the houses at
the northern end of the street were also rebuilt about this date.
Godfrey
Views of houses in Northumberland Street in 1874 are given on Plates 13 and
14.
The whole of the southern end was swept away in connection with
the formation of Northumberland Avenue.
The Hartshorn Lane Sewer.
In the early part of Charles I's reign a considerable amount of building
was going on in the neighbourhood of St. Martin's Lane and Covent Garden,
in spite of proclamations to the contrary. Prior to this time the sewage of the
district had gone into the open ditch and so been carried above ground to
the Thames near Scotland Yard. With the increase in the number of houses the
"annoyance" became so great that the owners of the ground were forced to
take action. On 9th December, 1634, the Privy Council ordered (ref. 93) that
the Earls of Bedford, Salisbury, Suffolk and Leicester, "and other persons
interested in the passage of water intended to be carried through a great
sewer by Hartshorn Lane, are to treat with the inhabitants dwelling near
the place where the sewer is to pass, and if they cannot make a reasonable
accord with them, they are to attend the referees who are to make a final
agreement." The sewer, which extended down St. Martin's Lane and
Hartshorn Lane to the river, was duly constructed, but in November, 1655,
several inhabitants of the parish complained to the Protector that Colonel
Apsley had stopped the sewer nine or ten years previously "which caused
the water to break out in our houses and two children's lives were lost." The
sewer had been reopened by the order of the Commissioners of Sewers, but
Colonel Fenwick, "the present owner of the soil," threatened again to stop
it. (ref. 15) In 1663 Sir Thomas Hesilrige and Henry Shelley (the Earl of
Northumberland's trustees) tried to turn the tables on the Commissioners by
complaining that the enlargement of the sewer in Hartshorn Lane had
weakened "the foundacions of their seaverall houses," but their case was
dismissed on a technical point and the sewer remained. (ref. 100) It next comes into
notice in 1694, when Craven Howard, Hugh Marchant and others
petitioned the Commissioners for "an Order for breaking open a certain
Sewer in St. Martin's Lane and Harthorne Lane, and for laying of truncks
and pipes in the bottom of the same sewer, for conveying of the Sewer water
and other water to and from the Overshott mills for raiseing of Thames
Water for the better supplying of the Liberty of Westminster and places
adjacent with Thames Water" in accordance with a concession made to them
by letters patent dated 8th May, 1694. In return for the use of the power
provided by the sewer water the petitioners promised to repair and maintain
the sewer. Sir Christopher Wren and Richard Rider reported favourably on
the project, and a formal agreement was made. Craven Howard and Hugh
Marchant had already obtained leases of the greater part of the strip of ground
between Northumberland Garden and the site of Northumberland Court on
the west and Hartshorn Lane on the east, and on part of this ground the mill
was erected. (ref. 99) Apparently the scheme worked satisfactorily for a time, but
it was never very successful and probably ceased to be profitable after the
establishment of the Chelsea Waterworks in 1722.
In July, 1775, Peter Valleton and "others Inhabitants of the Strand
by Charing Cross" petitioned the Commissioners that the sewers in the
Strand might be cleansed, " The Stoppage of which they Apprehended was
Occasioned by the Dams made by the Proprietors of the mills in
Northumberland Street in order to work the said mills by which means the
Water forced itself into their Vaults and Kitchens." (ref. 100) The sewer was
inspected and it was found "that the Bottom and Springing Walls of the said
Sewer were in some places wash'd away by the Water falling over … the
said Dams." Susannah Vickery informed the court that "she was Lessee of
the Water Mill … from Mr. Royston and had Granted a Lease thereof to
one John Allen a Starchmaker at Lambeth" and the latter was therefore
ordered to remove the dams and make good the sewer. Nothing effective was
done, and in August, 1776, the inhabitants again complained that the lower
parts of their houses were "oftentimes 3 or 4 feet deep in water." Upon
enquiry it was found that the sewer water had "not been used for several
years past for the Original purpose of supplying the Inhabitants with water
by means of the said Water Works but that the Proprietors make use of the
said Sewer Water for no other purpose than to turn a Corn Mill." The
Commissioners ordered an accurate plan of the sewer to be made, part of
which is reproduced below, and after considerable litigation the patent of
Marchant's Waterworks was repealed by Order in Council of 16th June,
1779. (ref. 100)
Figure 6:
Plan of Hartshorn Lane Sewer.
Copied from a plan in the possession of the
Council