THE Archbishops of Canterbury, in ancient times, besides their principal palaces at Canterbury and Lambeth, had several country manors, each of which they were accustomed to make their occasional place of residence. Dr. Ducarel, in the Appendix to his History of Croydon, has given a brief account of no less than twenty-six archiepiscopal manor houses; the most remarkable were Charing*, Mayfield (not there noticed), Otford,t and Croydon. In inquiring for the occasion for so great a variety of residences, it must not be supposed to have been the mere love of pleasurable change, nor particularly for the spiritual superintendance of the diocese (which was visited in circuits as at present), but it must have been an almost necessary plan for the adequate support of a vast retinue; which, as was the case with the royal household, it was more easy to remove to successive points of consumption, than, under the existing difficulties of distant carriage, to supply

Some interesting notices and views of Charing Palace were communicated to the Gentleman's Magazine in 1832, by the

Rev. Thomas Rackett, F.S.A.

An account, and view of the remains, of Otford Palace, by A. J. Kempe, Esq. F.S.A. will be found in the Gentleman's Magazine for June, 1820.

GENT. MAG. VOL. II.

with necessary provisions at any fixed spot.

The Palace of Croydon, from its vicinity to the metropolis, became the most convenient of these country mansions; though its confined and damp situation was subsequently found disagreeable, and finally led to its relinquishment.

The manor of Croydon was given to the see of Canterbury by William the The first Archbishop Conqueror. whose presence there has been traced, is Abp. Kilwardby in 1273; but from that date for five hundred years it continued a frequent archiepiscopal residence. In 1382 Archbishop Courteney received his pall in its principal chamber. In the reign of Elizabeth, when it was proposed that Grindall should resign the archbishopric, he petitioned for permission to retain this palace as house," he said, "was no wholesome a pensionary residence. "Croydon house, and that both his predecessor (Parker) and he found by experience; notwithstanding, because of the nearness to London, whither he must often repair, or send to have some help of physic, he knew no house so convenient for him, or that might better be spared of his successor, for the short time of his life." He died at Croydon not long after, July 6, 1583, without having resigned the see.

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His successor, Archbishop Whitgift, was still more cordially attached to Croydon. According to his biographer, Sir George Paul, he "had ever a great affection to be at his mansionhouse at Croydon, for the sweetness of the place, especially in summer-time, whereby also he might sometimes retire himself from the multiplicity of business and suitors, in the vacation;' and that his love for the place was still further increased after he had founded his almshouse and school in the contiguous town. In connection with that establishment, a feature of his habits is extant, which may be quoted in the words of Izaak Walton, as they are very remarkable for showing the vast supremacy which in that age it was customary to ascribe to the sovereign. The Archbishop, we are told,

was so truly humble, that he called the inmates of the Hospital his brothers and sisters; and whenever the Queen descended to that lowliness to dine with him at his Palace at Lambeth, which was very often, he would usually the next day shew the like lowliness to his poor brothers and sisters of Croydon, and dine with them at his Hospital, at which you may believe there was joy at the table."

To return to the Palace. Archbishop Abbot is recorded to have obtained the approbation of Lord Bacon by a judicious removal of some trees by which the house was environed, and concealed from view. He died here in 1633, as did Sheldon in 1677,* and Herring in 1757. It was not, however, inhabited by any Archbishop after Dr. Hutton, who died in 1758; and in 1780 the Act of Parliament was passed which enabled Archbishop Cornwallis to sell the estate, and to purchase another country mansion, which was afterwards found in the neighbouring parish of Addington. The Croydon property was sold to Abraham Pitches, esq. of Streatham (afterwards Sir Abraham), for 2,520. In 1793 it came into the

*There is a fine reclining statue of Archbishop Sheldon in Croydon church, (of which an engraving is given in Lysons's Environs), and others of Grindall and Whitgift. (See a view of the monuments of Whitgift and Sheldon in Neale's Churches.) Archbishops Wake, Potter, and Herring were also there buried, but they have no monuments.

hands of Mr. Samuel Starey, father of the present occupiers, who carry on the bleaching business in the premises, and have converted the principal apartments to the purposes of their trade. -In 1832 the estate was again put up to sale in lots, when these gentlemen disposed of certain portions, but still retain the principal buildings.

This hasty historical review might of course be considerably amplified; but for further satisfaction in that respect, we must refer to Mr. Steinman's History of Croydon,* from which we have been favoured with the accompanying views, forming a pleasing specimen of the embellishments which illustrate that work.

The plan of Croydon Palace was an irregular quadrangle, in this form, adjoining to the east side of the churchyard, and having an attached demesne of little more than fourteen acres.

adjoining offices, which were of stone. We proceed to take a short survey of the several buildings; entering the once sacred territory at the Gatehouse, as shown in the plan.

The Gatehouse was a large and spacious building of three principal floors, besides a basement and attics; it was the residence of an officer called the Housekeeper, and also contained apartments for the Chaplains. Being in a dilapidated state, it was taken down about 1806, with the exception of the stone arch at the inner gateway which is yet remaining.

The stables, extending in a line with the Gatehouse, are still standing, but the eastern part of them is converted into an Infant School. Close to these stables now runs the line of the Croydon and Merstham Railway.

The narrow line of building on the

west side of the quadrangle was removed in 1808, when about a rood of land was added to the churchyard, and consecrated by Archbishop Sutton. They consisted of a series of square chambers, each having a chimney, and asmall window looking into the churchyard, and were approached by one staircase, and a large gallery, as in old inns.

The opposite range of building on the east side, differed from the western only in respect to the stairs, of which it had several flights, and some of the rooms were provided with a closet, but without any chimney. These apartments were occupied by the household retainers of the Archbishop, and the others appropriated to visitors.This range has also recently been removed, and two small but genteel houses built on their site.

We now arrive at the main building. The view here given represents the front next the quadrangle, and that in the plate the front looking upon the garden. The Great Hall was entered by a porch immediately fronting the centre of the quadrangle; it is still standing, with a groined roof, but the doorway into the hall has been closed.

This Hall was built by Archbishop Stafford, who presided over the see from 1443 to 1452. Its length is 56 feet; its width 37 ft. 9 in.; and the height 37 ft. 6 in. The porch led into its eastern end, and opposite the door was another which conducted into the garden. Here also was a screen and gallery; above them, in the east

wall, a long narrow window extending from the string-course to the roof; and below, the three customary doors leading to the buttery, kitchen, and cellar. The gallery was removed, and the window and doors blocked up, by Archbishop Herring, who at the same time also removed the ancient fireplace in the centre of the hall, and the louvre above. There are four windows on the south side of the hall, and three on the north, the space which might have been occupied by a fourth having been backed by a room built over the porch.* The form of the roof

*Whilst this sheet is passing through the press, a print of the Hall appears in

will be best seen from the view; the block cornice was added in the repair of Archbishop Herring, whose initials are inscribed on the end beam at the west end: "T. 1748. H." The principal rafters rise from small pillars, resting upon brackets, which are carved in the form of angels holding armorial shields. Most of these shields are still perfect, both in their carving and the colouring, and they may be described in the following order.

At the east end of the hall, on the string course, was the coat of the founder, being his family bearing, Or, a chevron Gules, differenced by a mitre on the chevron, and a Sable border engrailed.

In the north-east corner were the arms of Stafford without a difference; and in the south-east, those of the see of Bath and Wells, where the Archbishop had previously presided from 1425 to 1443.

On the second shield on the south side are the arms of Stafford (differenced by the mitre), impaling Bath and Wells (on the sinister side); on the third the same, impaled by the see of Canterbury; on the fourth, in the place of the original coat, is that of Archbishop Herring, commemorating his repair; namely, Gules, semée of crosslets and three herrings hauriant Argent. At the north-east corner also, the arms of the see impale those of Archbishop Laud; in the south-west, the coat of Archbishop Juxon; but the three others are original; the first being France and England, with a label of three points; the second, Quarterly, 1. France and England with a bordure Or; 2 and 3. Bohun. 4. Stafford, being the achievement of Humphrey Duke of Buckingham, K.G. a kinsman of the Archbishop; and the third, Quarterly, 1 and 4, Gules, a chief Or, and over all a bend of the Second; 2 and 3, Chequy Or and Azure, a chief Or; this is an unknown coat.

Besides these armorial shields, there is a larger carving, measuring 5 feet in height, by 2 ft. 7 in. in width, which forms a magnificent representation of

the Saturday Magazine, Aug. 16. It is copied from Allen's History of Surrey, together with the error of making four windows on the north, and representing the Hall longer than it is.

the Royal arms, as occasionally borne by Henry the Sixth. The coat attributed to Edward the Confessor, impales France and England quarterly ; it is surmounted by a large crown, and a square-headed canopy of state, and supported by two angels, kneeling, in robes of crimson trimmed with ermine, and crowns and hair of gold. At the lower part of the carving there is also another demi-angel, in purple, with golden wings, bearing a scroll inscribed

D'ne salvum fac regem.

This carving was originally placed in an oriel, or passage, at the west end of the Hall, and when that was removed by Archbishop Herring, was fixed against the east wall as shown in the cut. On the 8th of June, 1830, the whole of the east wall fell down, and its place has been supplied by a wooden screen which admits the air. The carving was wonderfully preserved in this downfall, and is in good preservation, with its painting and gilding very perfect. Mr. Starey, the owner, has carefully placed it, with the three shields from the east end, against the upper end of the Hall.*

At the northern side of the west end of the Hall is a doorway of stone, of a pointed form, within a square head, with spandrils containing shields. This leads to the staircase and other parts of the Palace; and, on recurring to the plan, a large apartment will be found, which was called the Guard Chamber. It was built of stone, 50 ft. 8 in. long, by 22 ft. 6 in. wide, and was erected about half a century before the present hall

*This curious carving will be found carefully represented in Mr. Joseph Nash's "Views illustrative of Pugin's Examples of Gothic Architecture," 4to, 1830, except that he has overlooked the angels' wings (see Pugin's plate 1). In Mr. Nash's work are also two interior views of the Hall, one as it appeared when perfect, with figures representing the reception of Queen Elizabeth by Archbishop Parker; and the other as it appeared on the fall of the eastern wall in June 1830; besides three external views of parts of the Palace. In Pugin's Gothic Architecture there are two plates of architectural elevations and sections of the Hall, one of the Guard Chamber, and two of the Chapel.