Crosby Hall, London
Crosby Hall is a historic building in London. The Great Hall was built in 1466 and originally known as Crosby Place in Bishopsgate, in the City of London. It was moved in 1910 to its present site in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. It now forms part of a private residence, which in 2021 was renamed Crosby Moran Hall.[2]
Crosby Moran Hall
1466 (Great Hall and Parlour)
1910 (re-erection)
1925–26 (North Range)
1996–2021 (remainder)
Sir John Crosby (1466)
1910; 1988–2021
Walter Godfrey (1910)
Medieval, Tudor
Christopher Moran
24 June 1954[1]
1358160
The Great Hall, and additional work of 1910 and 1925–1926, are listed Grade II*.[1] Although fragmentary and not on its original site, this is the only example of a medieval City merchant house surviving in London.[1] Between 1988 and 2021 it was restored, and further buildings added, to create the present complex. The Great Hall is considered to be the most important surviving secular domestic medieval building in London.[3]
History[edit]
Bishopsgate[edit]
The Great Hall is the only surviving part of the medieval mansion of Crosby Place, Bishopsgate, in the City of London.[4] It was built between 1466 and 1475 on the grounds of St Helen's Convent next to St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate (Coordinates: 51°30′52″N 0°05′00″W / 51.5145°N 0.0832°W[5]) by the wool merchant and alderman, Sir John Crosby, a warden of the Worshipful Company of Grocers and auditor of the City of London.[6] Crosby originally leased the main property before 1466, and in that year renewed his lease, incorporating additional, adjacent properties. Over the following years, he progressively developed the property into a large mansion.[7] However, as John Stow later reported, "Sir John died in 1475, so short a space enjoyed he that sumptuous building."[4] In 1476, the hall was bequeathed to his widow, Anne, Lady Crosby.[4] Archaeological fieldwork in 1982 and 2005–9 recorded elements of the layout of the medieval complex.[8]