St. Martin le Grand

St. Martin le Grand

(Street) North out of the west end of Cheapside to Aldersgate Street, in Aldersgate Ward (P.O. Directory).

Earliest mention: "Street of St. Martin le Grand," 49 H. III. 1265 (Cal. P.R. H. III. 1258–66, p. 463).

Also called: "Seint Martynslane," 2 H. V. (Cal. L. Bk. I. p. 128). "St. Martin's Lane" (S. 306). "St. Martin's Street," 1 Jas. II. 1685 (L.C.C. Deeds, Harben Bequest, 1600–1700, No. 12).

A resort of felons and traitors, temp. H. V. 1414.

St. Martin's-le-Grand,—at 65, Newgate-st. about seven or eight doors on the R. from Cheapside, it extends to Aldersgate-st.

St. Martin's-Le-Grand, is at the western end of Cheapside, next Newgate-street, and opposite the New Post Office. This street, as far as the end of the New Post Office, near St. Ann's-lane, as well as the courts on the western side, is within its own liberties, and in the government of the City of Westminster. It derives its name from a collegiate church, founded on its site, by Ingabricus, and his brother, Edward, in 1056, and its addition from the privileges of sanctuary that were granted to it by several successive monarchs, to thieves, ruffians and murderers, which was abolished at the time of the reformation.

Martin's (St.) Lane, the street which, since the rebuilding of the City after the Great Fire, has been called St Martin's-le-Grand, [which see].

Then have ye the main street of this Ward [Aldersgate] which is called St. Martin's Lane.—Stow, p. 114.

Lower down on the West side of St. Martin's Lane, in the parish of St. Anne almost by Aldersgate, is one great house, commonly called Northumberland House; it belonged to H. Percy [Hotspur]. King Henry IV. in the 7th of his reign gave this house, with the tenements thereunto appertaining, to Queen Jane his wife, and then it was called her Wardrobe: it is now a printing house.¹—Stow, p. 115.

He [Milton] went sometimes to the house of one Blackborough, his relation, in the lane of St. Martin's-le-Grand, and at one of his usual visits was surprised to see his wife come from another room and implore forgiviness on knees.—Johnson's Life of Milton.

Like the liberty of St. Martin's-le-Grand, of which this was the principal street, this lane must have been noted for shops for the sale of imitative jewellery, etc.

By this hee travels to Saint Martin's Lane
And to the shope hee goes to buy a chaine.
Brathwait, The Honest Ghost, 1658.

St. Martin's Lane "on both sides" was within the Sanctuary of St. Martin's-le-Grand, and became in consequence the lurking-place of persons of disreputable character. In a royal order of Henry V., addressed to the Mayor and Sheriffs of London, dated Westminster, July 28 (1414), it is stated that

Whereas we are of a certainty informed that many traitors and other felons are harboured in two halpaces² situate near unto our highway, in a certain lane, called Seintmartynslane, near to our free Chapel of St. Martin's le Grand, for perpetrating divers felonies; and then, after such treasons and felonies by them perpetrated, do oftentimes conceal themselves, and privily and by night have ingress and egress from the sanctuary of the chapel aforesaid by means of such halpaces; and do nightly do and practice the same. ... We, wishing to provide a remedy in this behalf do command you ... that you cause the halpaces aforesaid to be levelled without delay, and wholly removed.—Riley, Memorials, p. 600.

The halpaces were levelled accordingly on August 7 following; but what became of the "traitors and felons" is not told.

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¹ Probably John Day's, who dwelt within Aldersgate (see Stow, p. 14).
² Halpace, haitpas, a room or floor raised on pillars.