Christ's Hospital

   On the north side of Newgate Street on the site occupied by the Grey Friars Monastery (O.S. 1894).

   First mention: The site of the monastery was granted to the mayor and citizens of London, 38 H. VIII. 1547 (L. and P. H. VIII. XXI. (2), p. 414), and in the reign of Edward VI., owing to the King's efforts to cope with the increase of beggary in the City, the buildings were repaired and furnished for the maintenance of poor fatherless children, and were to be called Christ's Hospital (Tanner, s.v.).

   Strype describes it as the house "that was the late Grey Friars for the Innocent and Fatherless, to be called Christ's Hospital, where poor children are to be trained up to the overthrow of Beggary" (Strype, ed. 1720, I. III. 131).

   Town Ditch covered over as hurtful to the Hospital (ib. 132).

   The Hospital is also known as the "Blue Coat School" from the long blue gowns worn by the boys, ever since the foundation of the school in the 16th century.

   Much damaged in the Fire. The hall rebuilt 1680 by Sir John Frederick, and a large portion of the remaining buildings by Sir Robert Clayton.

   Again rebuilt 1825-9 : Architect, John Shaw. The site of the old Giltspur Street Compter was acquired for a playground, 1858.

   The cloisters of the convent were in existence 1820.

   School was removed to Horsham 1897, the Newgate Street gateway being re-erected there.

   The site is now occupied by the new buildings of the General Post Office, opened 1910.

   For some account of the Hospital buildings, etc., See Trans. L. and M. Arch. Soc. N.S. II. (4), p. 495.

   The discoveries of the Roman Wall and angle bastion on this site, made in the course of the excavations for the new General Post Office buildings, are indicated on the Plan, Plate I., and are fully treated of in Arch. LXIII. and L. and M. Arch. Soc. N.S. II. (3), 271.