Baldwin's Gardens
Names
- Baldwin's Gardens
- Baldwyns Gardens
Street/Area/District
- Baldwin's Gardens
Maps & Views
- 1720 London (Strype): Baldwins Garden
- 1746 London, Westminster & Southwark (Rocque): Baldwins Gardens
- 1799 London (Horwood): Baldwin's Gardens
Descriptions
from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)
Baldwin's Gardens
East out of Gray's Inn Lane to Leather Lane (P.O. Directory).
In parish of St. Andrew, Holborn, outside the City boundary, and within the precincts of the old Manor of Portpool, afterwards known as Gray's Inn.
Said to have been erected by Richard Baldwin in 1589, gardener to Queen Elizabeth, as recorded on a stone set into one of the houses before they were rebuilt (N. and Q. 11th> S. VI. p. 14).
Petition with reference to building there in 1626 (L. and P. Chas. I. I. 524).
"Baldwin's Rents" mentioned 1640 (ib. XVII. p. 13).
The privileges of sanctuary possessed by the inhabitants were abolished 1695–7.
from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)
Baldwin's-Gardens, Leather-lane, Holborn, are at No. 77, leading to 32, Gray's-inn-lane, about a furlong in length. In this place is the central station of the National Schools.—[See National Schools].
from London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions, by Henry Benjamin Wheatley and Peter Cunningham (1891)
Baldwin's Gardens, on the east side of Gray's Inn Lane (now Gray's Inn Road), is said to have derived its name from Richard Baldwin, one of the royal gardeners, who built some houses here in 1589. It became a place of sanctuary, abolished by Act of Parliament in 1697. It was used as a refuge by Henry Purcell, the musician (d. 1695); Tom Brown (d. 1704) dated some verses "from Mrs. Stewart's, at the Hole in the Wall in Baldwin's Gardens." In the Guildhall Collection of Tradesmen's Tokens is one of Nicholas Smith, "the Wheatsheaf in Baldwyn's Gardens, 1666." There is still a Hole in the Wall in Baldwin's Gardens, but no Wheatsheaf.
But I suppose you spoke figuratively, and by robbing of orchards you understood Baldwin's Garden, and by lampooning the Court you meant Three Crane Court; and you might have enlarged with Bond's Stables and the Pall Mall.—Andrew Marvell, The Rehearsal Transprosed, pt. 2, 1674.
A single sheet, entitled "The English and French Prophets mad, or bewitcht at their Assemblies in Baldwin's Gardens," was published by J. Applebee, 1707. Dr. Rimbault describes a letter of Anthony Wood's, addressed "For John Aubrey, Esq., to be left at Mr. Caley's house in Baldwin's Gardens, near Gray's Inn Lane, London."—Notes and Queries, 1st S., vol. i. p. 410.
Baldwin's Gardens acquired an evil reputation, but its character has greatly improved of late years. Here was the notorious "Thieves Kitchen," pulled down to make way for St. Alban's Church. [See that heading.]