ABBOT'S INN

   The town house of the Abbots of Waltham. On the west side of St. Mary At Hill (Street), south of the church. In Billingsgate Ward.

   There is a long account of the house in the Archæologia XXXVI. ii. pp. 400-10, from which it appears that the land on which the house was erected was acquired by the Abbey of Waltham during the 12th century from various owners for the purpose of erecting a residence for the Abbots, when occasion required that they should be in London.From the Minister's accounts in the Augmentation Office, temp H. VIII., it seems to have been an extensive and considerable mansion.

   In 1218-21 the Abbots had erected a chapel in their court adjoining the church of St. Mary de la Hille (H. MSS. Com. 9 Rep. p 17, MSS. D. and C. of St. Paul's). In 1500-1 the site of the Kitchen of the house was acquired for the church of St. Mary at Hill from the Abbot of Waltham, and the south east aisle of the church was erected upon it. The quit rent of this aisle after the dissolution of the monasteries was payable to the king. (Records of St Mary at Hill, I. 240, 391, E.E.T.S. ed.) After the dissolution of the monastery, the Inn known as Waltham or Abbot's Inn passed into private hands and was in existence until destroyed in the Great Fire, 1666 (L. and P. H. VIII. D.S. Vol. x. p. 530 and Lond. I. p.m.2 and 3 P. and M. 138).

   A chamber in the Inn was used as a school house in 1523-4 (Rec. of St. Mary at Hill I. 321).

   The Abbots also possessed property on the other side of the street.