20 CHILDREN OF THE CHAPEL AT BLACKFRIARS 
built a new wall which served on the one side as a continuation 
of the city wall shutting them in from outside danger, and on 
the other side as a means of isolation from the City proper. This 
new wall ran westward from the old Ludgate down the slope, 
approximately along what is now Pilgrim street, to a point a 
few yards south of Fleet bridge,—now the site of Ludgate cir- 
cus;—thence southward along the Fleet ditch,—present New 
Bridge street,—to the Thames; thence along the Thames to the 
east side of the old Baynard castle site ;? thence with broken saw- 
teeth irregularity northeastward, enclosing Mountfitchett’s Tower 
and angling up the Ward Row,—later Wardrop, Wardrobe, now 
St. Andrews Hill,—to Carter lane; thence in an irregular diag- 
onal northwestward past the end of Creed lane to the original 
starting corner adjoining Ludgate.’ 
This walled precinct of the Blackfriars was a sanctuary in- 
violate, within which the will of the Friars was supreme over 
laws of city and state.* It was a liberty independent of City and 
society in matters of control, yet claiming protection from both, 
just as in the case of all similar religious orders of the time. No 
one, even though an official from the City, might enter within the 
four constantly guarded gates of its walls without permission. 
The monastery with all its rights and possessions was, upon 
the dissolution of the Catholic religious orders by Henry VIII, 
surrendered to the Crown November 12, 1538.° 
yearly income was then 104/. 15 s. 4. d.° 
Upon the dissolution of the order, the liberties and privileges 
of the Friars were granted by Henry VIII also to the Friars’ 
Its value in 
*“Now here is to bee noted, that 
the VVall of London, at that time, 
went ftraight South from Ludgate, 
downe to the river of Thames: But 
for building of the Blacke Friers 
Church, the faid VVall in that place 
was by commandement taken 
downe, and a new VVall made, 
{traight VVelt from Ludgate to 
Fleet bridge, and then by the water 
of Fleet, to the River of Thames, 
&c.”—Idem, 405. 
*This is the original castle of 
Baynard and Fitzwalter, which was 
given to the Friars. It must not be 
confounded with the later, larger 
castle built a little to the east in 
1428 by Humphry, Duke of Glou- 
cester, and shown prominently as 
“Baynards castle’ in all ancient 
maps. after that date. See also W. 
J. Loftie (wu. 4.), 80. 
°On preceding data as to site, 
walls, &c., cf. the various ancient 
maps of London. Also, cf. W. J. 
Loftie, London (Historic Towns, 
ed. E. A. Freeman & Wm. Hunt, 
1887), 76-80. 
4Cf. infra, 21°. 
>John Stowe, op. cit. (1633), 374. 
STdem, op. cit. (1603), 342; 
(1633), 374; (ed. Strype, 1744), I, 
668a. ‘ 
134 
