Bevis Marks

Bevis Marks

East from St. Mary Axe at No. 52 to Duke Street (P.O. Directory). In Aldgate Ward.

First mention: Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 81.

Earlier forms: "Bewesmarkes," 1407 (Ct. H.W. ii. 372). "Bevys Marke," 1450 (ib. 518). "Bevesmarkes," 4 H. VIII. (1513), Lond. I. p.m. I. 30. "Buries Markes" (S. 141). "Bevers-market," 1630 (Hessel's Archives Dutch Ch. Registers No. 435). "Beavis Markes" (O. and M. 1677).

In Stow's time it consisted of a large house, courts and garden plots, which he said belonged at one time to the Bassets, and subsequently to the Abbots of Bury in Suffolk (Bury St. Edmunds), and since the dissolution of the Abbey to the Heneages (S. 148, and L. and P. H. VIII. XV. p. 479).

But Stow must have been in error about the Bassets, for it appears from documents relating to the abbey of Bury St. Edmonds, extracts from which were communicated to a meeting of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society, 1st July, 1913, at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in Bevis Marks, that the house of the Abbots must have been in their possession prior to 1156, and was perhaps given to them by David the Dane some time after 1020, when the first Abbot was consecrated.

Derivation of name: Stow says it was named after the Abbots of Bury, Buries Markes, corruptly "Bevis Markes" (S. 148).

The synagogue mentioned above was built in 1679, being the oldest in use in England. Erected by the Sephardic branch—the highest type (paper by A. M. Hyamson, Esq., communicated to L. and M. Arch. Soc., 1st July, 1913).

Hatton (1708) says it was called Brooks Court and Garden when it belonged to the Abbot of Bury, but there does not seem to be any authority for this statement.

But it does appear from some of the documents above quoted that a portion of the street lay at one time within the parish of St. Ethelburga, which would suggest that it then occupied some portion at least of the present Camomile Street.

The documents relating to the early history of the house, in which it is described as "the Hospice of the Abbot of St. Edmund beside the Church of Holy Trinity," are set out in Trans. L. and M. Arch. Soc. N.S. III. (1), p. 49.

In one of these documents the Priory of Holy Trinity is described as "in front of the hospice of the Abbot of Bury."

Statue of a youth in Phrygian costume found here in the course of excavations in 1849 (R. Smith, 47).

Bevies marks, (which Stow says is properly called Buries Marks, here having been formerly Brooks Court and Gardens, belonging to the Abbot of Bury in Suffolk) is a Str. betn Bevis Lane SE, and Camomile str. NW L. 140 Yds.

Bevis Marks, St. Mary Ax. Here was once a very large house with several courts and gardens, which belonging to the Abbot of Bury in Suffolk, was called Bury's Marks, corruptly Bevis Marks. This house being demolished, the ground has many houses built upon it, and among the rest a synagogue of Jews. Stow.

Bevis-Marks, St. Mary-Axe, Leadenhall-Street,—at 30, leading to Duke-st. is the first E. parallel to part of Houndsditch, and the E. continuation of Camomile-street, from opposite Bishopsgate-church.

Bevis Marks, St. Mary-Axe, Leadenhall-street, is at No. 30, and leads to Duke-street: it is the first street parallel to and eastward of part of Houndsditch, and the east continuation of Camomile-street, from nearly opposite Bishopsgate Church. In this place was formerly a very large house, with several courts and gardents, which belonging to the abbot of Bury, in Suffolk, was called Burys (corruptly Bevis) Marks. This house being demolished, the ground has many houses upon its site, and amongst the rest a Synagogue of Jews.

Bevis Marks, in the parish of Allhallows, London Wall, extends from Duke Street, Aldgate, to St. Mary Axe.

Then next is one great house, large of rooms, fair courts and garden plots, some time pertaining to the Bassets, since that to the Abbots of Bury, in Suffolk, and therefore called Burie's Markes, corruptly Bevis Markes, and since the dissolution of the abbey of Bury, to Thomas Heneage the father, and to Sir Thomas his son.—Stow, p. 55.

On part of the site of this great house stands the Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Synagogue, founded 1679, the oldest in use in England. The remembrance of the abbots survives in Bury Street on the south side of Bevis Marks, and Bury Court, St. Mary Axe; as does that of their successors in Heneage Lane, the next turning to Bury Street. The entry of the birth of Benjamin D'Israeli, Earl of Beaconsfield, is in the register of the old Synagogue.

Dickens places the office of Sampson Brass, "Old Curiosity Shop," in Bevis Marks.