Zone d'identification
Cote
Titre
Date(s)
- 1930-1991 (Création/Production)
Niveau de description
Étendue matérielle et support
0.75 linear metres
Zone du contexte
Nom du producteur
Notice biographique
Prince Henry's Room in Fleet Street is one of the few houses in London which survive today from before the Great Fire of London in 1666.
The history of the site can be traced back to the 12th century when it formed part of the property granted to the Knights Templar, which in 1312 passed to the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
The Order of St John was dissolved in 1540. In 1610 the owner of the property decided to rebuild. The new building became a tavern, known for the next thirty years as the Prince's Arms . In 1671 the property was sold to James Sotheby in whose family the freehold remained until it was purchased by the London County Council in 1900.
The house changed its name to the Fountain during the 17th century and from 1795 to 1816 the front part of the house was occupied by a well-known exhibition, Mrs Salmon's Waxworks, while the tavern business continued in the back part of the premises.
Several mythical stories have attached themselves to the site. When the London County Council took over the building, a signboard across the front declared that it was "formerly the palace of Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey" but evidence of the rebuilding in 1610 refutes this claim. A more persistent story states that the house was built for the Council of the Duchy of Cornwall and that the room on the first floor was set apart for its use after Prince Henry became Prince of Wales in 1610. This would explain the three feathers motif on the facade and why the inn was called The Prince's Arms . However, records clearly show that the house was erected as a tavern and that the name was in use two years before Prince Henry was born.
In 1900 it was discovered that there was a false front on the building incorporating eight carved panels. Behind this was the original 17th century half-timbered front, shorn of its bay windows but entirely preserved by the thick layers of paint which covered the whole front. The facade now appears in its original form.
Inside the building the main feature of interest is the large room on the first floor. Originally panelled in oak, only the portion on the west side of the room now remains. The remaining panelling and the chimney piece are Georgian and of pine.
The great treasure of the house is the ceiling, one of the best remaining Jacobian enriched plaster ceilings in London. In the centre of the design are the Prince of Wales feathers, and the letters PH in a star-shaped border. There are two stained glass windows in the room - both 20th century. The right-hand window is the 'Royal' window, designed to commemorate the supposed association of the chamber with the Duchy of Cornwall. The other window illustrates the connection of the room with the London County Council, the City of London and the Society of the Inner Temple.
Prince Henry's Room was transferred to the City of London in 1969 from the Greater London Council.
Dépôt
Histoire archivistique
GB 0074 CLA/085 1930-1991 collection 0.75 linear metres City of London Corporation xx Corporation of London
Prince Henry's Room in Fleet Street is one of the few houses in London which survive today from before the Great Fire of London in 1666.
The history of the site can be traced back to the 12th century when it formed part of the property granted to the Knights Templar, which in 1312 passed to the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
The Order of St John was dissolved in 1540. In 1610 the owner of the property decided to rebuild. The new building became a tavern, known for the next thirty years as the Prince's Arms . In 1671 the property was sold to James Sotheby in whose family the freehold remained until it was purchased by the London County Council in 1900.
The house changed its name to the Fountain during the 17th century and from 1795 to 1816 the front part of the house was occupied by a well-known exhibition, Mrs Salmon's Waxworks, while the tavern business continued in the back part of the premises.
Several mythical stories have attached themselves to the site. When the London County Council took over the building, a signboard across the front declared that it was "formerly the palace of Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey" but evidence of the rebuilding in 1610 refutes this claim. A more persistent story states that the house was built for the Council of the Duchy of Cornwall and that the room on the first floor was set apart for its use after Prince Henry became Prince of Wales in 1610. This would explain the three feathers motif on the facade and why the inn was called The Prince's Arms . However, records clearly show that the house was erected as a tavern and that the name was in use two years before Prince Henry was born.
In 1900 it was discovered that there was a false front on the building incorporating eight carved panels. Behind this was the original 17th century half-timbered front, shorn of its bay windows but entirely preserved by the thick layers of paint which covered the whole front. The facade now appears in its original form.
Inside the building the main feature of interest is the large room on the first floor. Originally panelled in oak, only the portion on the west side of the room now remains. The remaining panelling and the chimney piece are Georgian and of pine.
The great treasure of the house is the ceiling, one of the best remaining Jacobian enriched plaster ceilings in London. In the centre of the design are the Prince of Wales feathers, and the letters PH in a star-shaped border. There are two stained glass windows in the room - both 20th century. The right-hand window is the 'Royal' window, designed to commemorate the supposed association of the chamber with the Duchy of Cornwall. The other window illustrates the connection of the room with the London County Council, the City of London and the Society of the Inner Temple.
Prince Henry's Room was transferred to the City of London in 1969 from the Greater London Council.
Transferred from the City of London in May 2013
The records consist of nine visitor books covering the period 1930 to 1991.
One series of visitors' books
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright is held by the City of London.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Added June 2013 Europe Inns Architecture Monuments Architectural monuments Commercial buildings Buildings Prince Henry's Room Fleet Street City of London London England UK Western Europe
Source immédiate d'acquisition ou de transfert
Transferred from the City of London in May 2013
Zone du contenu et de la structure
Portée et contenu
The records consist of nine visitor books covering the period 1930 to 1991.
Évaluation, élimination et calendrier de conservation
Accroissements
Mode de classement
One series of visitors' books
Zone des conditions d'accès et d'utilisation
Conditions d'accès
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions de reproduction
Copyright is held by the City of London.
Langue des documents
- anglais
Écriture des documents
- latin
Notes de langue et graphie
English
Caractéristiques matérielle et contraintes techniques
Instruments de recherche
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Zone des sources complémentaires
Existence et lieu de conservation des originaux
Existence et lieu de conservation des copies
Unités de description associées
Zone des notes
Identifiant(s) alternatif(s)
Mots-clés
Mots-clés - Sujets
Mots-clés - Lieux
Mots-clés - Noms
Mots-clés - Genre
Zone du contrôle de la description
Identifiant de la description
Identifiant du service d'archives
Règles et/ou conventions utilisées
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Statut
Niveau de détail
Dates de production, de révision, de suppression
Langue(s)
- anglais