The Strand: Essex House

Portrait of William Cecil (1520-98) 1st Baron Burghley from Memoirs of the Court of Queen Elizabeth Giclee Print 9" x 12" $34.99 Unframed

Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of:

Essex Street recalls the fascinating and unhappy Essex, favourite of Queen Elizabeth.

Essex House was built on the above-mentioned piece of ground called the Outer Temple which never belonged to the lawyers, but had been annexed by the Bishops of Exeter in the reign of the second Edward.

This was then known as Exeter House. It was sacked by the populace in the same reign, and the unlucky prelate Walter Stapledon, who had taken the side of the King in his disputes with the Queen, was carried off and beheaded.

The house was rebuilt, and continued to belong to the See until the reign of Henry VIII. But it seemed to have some malignant influence, for nearly all its successive owners suffered some unhappy fate.

Lord Paget, who occupied it during Henry VIII's reign, narrowly escaped being beheaded.

Thomas Howard, fourth son of the Duke of Norfolk, who succeeded, died in the Tower after many years of imprisonment.

Dudley, Earl of Leicester, followed, and during his period of residence the house can claim association with the name of Spenser, who was a frequent visitor.

Leicester escaped the malevolent influence of the house, which he left to his son-in-law, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.

During the Earl's occupancy the mansion went through some stormy scenes.

It was here that he assembled his fellow-conspirators which he left to his step-son, Robert Devereux, to arouse the people to aid him to obtain possession of the Queen's person, but he found his popularity unequal to the demand. The people turned against him, and he was driven back to his own house, which he barricaded.

But his resistance was useless. Artillery was employed against him, and a gun mounted on the tower of St Clement's Church. He was forced to surrender, and being found guilty of high treason, was executed.

After the Restoration the house was let in tenements. It was pulled down about the end of the seventeenth century, but the Watergate at the end of the street is said to have been a part of it. The street was built in 1862.

Dr. Johnson established here a small club known as the Essex Head Club.

The Essex Street Chapel, which was the headquarters of the Unitarians in London, was built upon part of the site of the house; Smith says it was part of the original building. The Cottonian Library was kept here from 1712 to 1730. A lecture-hall now stands on the site of the chapel. The Ethical Society give lectures here on Sunday evenings.

Next: The Strand: Temple Bar