Bow Lane

John Watson bequeathed one house to The Clothworkers’ Company at Bow Lane. This property is now 34, Bow Lane. Under the terms of his will, Watson (who also gave the Company properties in Basing Lane and St. Thomas Apostle) directed that The Clothworkers’ Company should pay an annual stipend of 20s. to the parish of St. Mary Aldermary, which was to be distributed to the poor of the parish. Watson stated that any residue of the monies should be given to the poorest freemen of the Company.[1] The first reference to the Bow Lane property comes in a July 1563 entry in the Court Orders, which highlighted that the then tenant, Anthony Wells had not paid his £40 fine for the lease of the property.[2] The Company agreed that if he did not pay the fine by the following Saturday, his lease would be made void.[3] Wells did pay the fine, but died during the following year. The Company assigned his lease to Mr. Whyte.[4]

In 1583, John Hodgkin made suit for a lease of the ‘great messuage’, then called ‘The Black Lion’ at Bow Lane.[5] Hodgkin received a lease in April 1584, following a survey by The Clothworkers’ Company. The Company granted him a lease for twenty-six years, at a rent of £4 a year. He also had to pay a £100 fine, and spend at least £5 on rebuilding and repairing the property.[6] In 1605, the Company surveyed the property, where they noted that Hodgkin’s needed to daub and plaster the house on the back side.[7] In 1608, Hodgkin’s made suit for a new lease of the property. The Company granted his request and offered him a lease for twenty-six years, to begin at Our Lady Day 1605.[8]  Hodgkin was to pay £4 rent and a fine of £200. Covenants, that he should surrender his previous lease and not assign his lease without permission from the Company; were also included.

In 1612, Treswell described the Black Lion as a substantial messuage in his survey. It was four storeys high, with a garret, cellars and a shop. The second story comprised a large hall, a buttery, a kitchen, a chamber and a garret. The third storey comprised three chambers, while the fourth storey had three garrets.[9] In 1613, John Hodgkins made suit for an addition of years to his lease.[10] He offered to repair the house as an incentive to the Company. Mr. Fox, the then Company Master, instructed him to go ahead and repair or rebuild the tenement, and informed Hodgkins that if the house was built to the liking of the Company that they would add additional years to his lease. In the following year, Hodgkins applied to the Court for permission to assign his lease.[11]

Between Hodgkin’s suit for an addition of years in 1613 and 1641, the capital messuage was rebuilt and the property divided into four houses. Several suits for the new houses are noted in the Company Court Orders in 1641, with one of the most substantial leases being granted to Mr. Clute for 21 years at a rent of £5 and a fine of £169.[12] In 1646, two of the properties were granted to Samuel Hutchins and Mr. Porch, and the activities of these two leaseholders are noted often within the Court Orders.[13] In 1661, for example, Porch petitioned the Court to have a lease of his house and the house next door.[14] The Company agreed that Porch could have the lease of the neighbouring property, then in the hands of Mrs. Marriott, on the expiry of her lease.[15]

In 1664, the properties at Bow Lane were examined and described by the surveyors as ‘two houses and two small tenements’.[16] The four properties were razed to the ground during the Great Fire of London in 1666. In the aftermath of the Fire, the Company granted plots of land to several leaseholders, including their pre-Fire tenants, Porch and Hutchins. One property suitor, Mr. Goodwin promised that if he received a grant of the lands he would rebuild the house on the lands according to the Act of Parliament that stated all properties must be rebuilt of stone in the aftermath of the Fire.[17] Rebuilding clauses were common in these post-Fire leases, placing much of the responsibility and cost of this rebuilding directly onto the tenant. In Goodwin’s case, this rebuilding clause meant that he received a lease for seventy-one years at a rent of £9 a year, but with no fine. He had to pay all taxes relating to the lands and give 10s. to the Company poor box.[18] The Company sold the Bow Lane property in 1855.

Individuals associated with this property

• William Barton, Lease giver, 13-4-1647. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 161v
• Edward Bridgeman, Occupier, 17-8-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 42r-43v
• Edward Bridgman, Occupier, 17-8-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 42r-42v
• Edwine Brigham, Late occupier, 13-1-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 29av
• Edward Bridgman, Leaseholder, 27-10-1642. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 75r
• Edward Bridgman, Suitor, 27-10-1642. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 75r
• Mathew Cabreth, Suitor, 13-1-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 29av
• John Clulo, Suitor, 13-1-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 29av
• John Clute, Lease taker, 17-8-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 42r-42v
• John Clute, Lease taker, 17-8-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 42r-43v
• John Clute, Suitor, 17-8-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 42r-43v
• John Cullymore, Seller, 26-4-1613. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 143v (On the back part of the Black Lyon, Bow Lane at St. Thomas Apples)
• Nicholas Goodwin, Lease taker, 1-9-1669. Document reference: CL/b/1/10/p. 202-203
• Nicholas Goodwin, Lease taker, 1-8-1669. Document reference: CL/b/1/10/p. 203 (Land next adjoining Hitchin's property, Bow Lane)
• Roger Hare, Leaseholder, 10-6-1605. Document reference: CL/b/1/3/f. 245r
• - Hitchins, Leaseholder, 10-9-1662. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 200r
• - Hitchins, Leaseholder, 21-7-1669. Document reference: CL/b/1/10/p. 193
• John Hodgekin, Leaseholder, 10-6-1605. Document reference: CL/b/1/3/f. 245r
• - Hodgkin, Leaseholder, 18-1-1583. Document reference: CL/b/1/3/f. 19v
• - Hodgkin, Suitor, 18-1-1583. Document reference: CL/b/1/3/f. 19v
• John Hodgkin, Leaseholder, 8-3-1613. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 138v (Black Lyon, Bowe Lane)
• John Hodgkin, Lease taker, 5-4-1584. Document reference: CL/b/1/3/f. 37v (The Black Lion, Bow Lane)
• John Hodgkin, Lease taker, 3-7-1612. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 113r (Black Lyon, Bow Lane)
• John Hodgkin, Suitor, 8-3-1613. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 138v (Black Lyon, Bowe Lane)
• Jozian Hodgkin, Occupier, 2-8-1614. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 177r (The Black Lyon, Bowe Lane)
• - Hodgkins, Late occupier, 4-5-1608. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 23v (The Black Lyon, Bow Lane)
• John Hodgkins, Lease taker, 4-5-1608. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 23v (The Black Lyon, Bow Lane)
• John Hodgkins, Lease taker, 2-8-1608. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 29v (The Black Lyon, Bow Lane)
• John Hodgkins, Suitor, 7-6-1613. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 148r (The Black Lyon, Bowe Lane)
• Thomas Hodgkins, Leaseholder, 27-6-1608. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 27r (Black Lyon, Bow Lane)
• John Hodgkin, Leaseholder, 2-8-1614. Document reference: CL/b/1/5/f. 177r (The Black Lyon, Bowe Lane)
• Samuel Hutchins, Leaseholder, 27-10-1642. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 75r
• Samuel Hutchins, Leaseholder, 15-4-1646. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 137v-138r
• - Marriott, Leaseholder, 27-3-1661. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 168v
• - Perche, Leaseholder, 10-6-1605. Document reference: CL/b/1/3/f. 245r
• - Poach, Leaseholder, 10-9-1662. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 200r
• - Poache, Lease giver, 1-9-1669. Document reference: CL/b/1/10/p. 202-203
• - Porch, Leaseholder, 21-7-1669. Document reference: CL/b/1/10/p. 193
• - Porch, Petitioner, 21-7-1669. Document reference: CL/b/1/10/p. 193
• Robert Porch, Leaseholder, 1-2-1661. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 159v
• Robert Porch, Leaseholder, 27-3-1661. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 168v
• Robert Porch, Leaseholder, 10-8-1664. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 263v
• Robert Porch, Lease taker, 13-4-1647. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 161v
• Robert Porch, Suitor, 1-2-1661. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 159v
• Robert Porch, Suitor, 27-3-1661. Document reference: CL/b/1/9/f. 168v
• - Warwicke, Leaseholder, 17-8-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 42r-42v
• - Warwicke, Leaseholder, 17-8-1641. Document reference: CL/b/1/8/f. 42r-43v
• Antony Wells, Leaseholder, 6-7-1563. Document reference: CL/b/1/2/f. 54r (Bowe Lane)