Inns of Chancery: Furnival's Inn

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W. J. Loftie, adding to the incomplete work of Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of the Inns of Chancery with this look at Furnival's Inn:

Furnival Street lies within the City. The street takes its name from Furnival's Inn, rebuilt in the early part of the nineteenth century. This stood on the north side of Holborn, and was without the City. There is, perhaps, less to say about it than about any of the other old Inns. It was originally the town-house of the Lords Furnival. It was an Inn of Chancery in Henry IV's reign, and was sold to Lincoln's Inn in the reign of Elizabeth.

Its most interesting associations are that Sir Thomas More was Reader for three years, and that Charles Dickens had chambers here previous to 1837, while "Pickwick" was running in parts.

It was rebuilt in great part in Charles I's reign, and entirely rebuilt about 1818. With the exception of the hall, it was used as a hotel. The Prudential Assurance Company's palatial building now completely covers the site.

Next: Inns of Chancery: Barnard's Inn