mar School was built on part of the site of the Prior of Lewes's house, and under the school is a crypt, which was probably under the chapel of the priors. But in fact there were two crypts, the one which formed the subject of Mr. Gage Rokewood's paper, and the other which was described by Mr. Charles E. Gwilt.[1]
Mr. Wilkinson, in his Londina Illustrata, in which he gives an account of this crypt with an interior view and ground-plan, and all subsequent writers, seem to have taken for granted the identity of the crypt mentioned (I believe for the first time in print) by Mr. Bray, and the house of the Prior of Lewes, mentioned by Stow. It is, however, sufficiently evident from the letters patent of 12th Henry VIII., that the house which was afterwards used for the vestry hall and schoolhouse was the property of Richard Panell and others, in the 12th of King Henry VIII., seventeen years prior to the date of the Prior of Lewes' surrender, which was by fine levied in Michaelmas term 29th Henry VIII.; and the letters patent also describe the premises in question as having the house of the Prior of Lewes on the east and south.
In the surrender from the Prior of Lewes to King Henry VIII., and in the
- ↑ The following letter from Mr. Bray to my late father (who gave him some assistance in that part of the History of Surrey which relates to Southwark), shows that he was acquainted with both crypts, but he very naturally appropriated the more considerable remains to the Priors of Lewes, the only pre-occupiers of whom he was aware:—
"Gt. Russell Street, Tuesday morn. 25 May (1813).
"Dear Sir,
"From your readiness to assist me, and, what is better, to do it effectually, I shall make no scruple to give you some further trouble.
"I thought I had got St Olave's ready for the printer, but, on reading it again, I find a contradiction; you can probably get it cleared up for me.
"I am first told that opposite the church was the Prior of Lewes's town house since the Walnut Tree inn; that the chapel, consisting of two aisles, remains at the upper end of Walnut Tree Alley, but the earth having been raised it is now under ground, used as a cyder cellar or warehouse.
"I am afterwards informed that there is a Gothic building, a little to the west, under the school-house, resembling a small chapel or crypt, now a wine-vault belonging to the King's Head inn or tavern.
"Now I wish you to tell me which is the fact, or whether these two are in truth one and the same.
"The printer being at a stand, a speedy answer will be particularly obliging.
"Is there a portrait of Queen Elizabeth in the school-house? This has occurred since my writing last night.
"I am, Sir, yr. much obliged hble. servt.
"W. BRAY.R. Corner. Esq.
"St. Thomas's, Southwark."Tuesday morn. before 8."
