Drapers' Hall, London
| Drapers' Hall | |
|
Middlesex | |
|---|---|
 Drapers' Hall | |
| Type: | Livery hall |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TQ32888130 |
| Location: | 51°30’54"N, 0°5’11"W |
| City: | London |
| History | |
| Address: | Throgmorton Street |
| Built 1772 | |
| Livery hall | |
| Information | |
| Owned by: | The Worshipful Company of Drapers |
Drapers' Hall is the livery hall of the Worshipful Company of Drapers, one of the privileged livery companies of the City of London. It stands in Throgmorton Street, near London Wall. It is today the headquarters of the Drapers' Company, and the location of its dinner, and is a venue for hire.
History
The site was originally that the Austine Friars, but after the dissolution of the monasteries, the friary was acquired by Thomas Cromwell, the chief adviser to King Henry VIII, and here he built his London mansion. In 1540 though, Cromwell fell out of favour and was executed, his property forfeit to the King. In 1543 therefore the Drapers' Company was able to buy the site to build its guildhall. It has owned it ever since.
The building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London and rebuilt to designs by Edward Jarman. After another fire in 1772, it was rebuilt again. This time the architect was John Gorham. Further extensive alterations were made by Herbert Williams in 1866-70. The hall today includes No 29 Austin Friars.
The hall survived the Blitz during the Second World War.[1]
Structure
The hall is largely of the 19th century following the alterations of that period, it is noted to include earlier fabric.. It has three separate frontage buildings: at the eastern end a stone façade of storeys with mansard; a Baroque stone façade of two major storeys; and on Throgmorton Street are the main storeys with shops with offices above. The Archway over Throgmorton Avenue has an ornate four-storey rear elevation with stone friezes. This building incorporates fine seventeenth century style entrance doorway of carved Portland stone with two large male figures carrying full entablature with pulvinated frieze. The return elevation to Throgmorton Avenue includes red brick staircase wing, dated 1898 with stone windows and giant segmental pediment; stuccoed block with blank round-head recesses and modillion cornice with blocking course
Internally the hall has a large, mid-nineteenth century courtyard in distinguished classical style.
The hall includes four finely decorated main rooms used for the company's functions. The largest room is the Livery Hall, which can accommodate up to 276 guests for dinner.[2] These rooms are also available for hire[3]
On film
The interiors and have often been used for film locations, including:
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Drapers' Hall, London) |
References
- ↑ National Heritage List 1358902: Drapers' Hall
- ↑ The Livery Hall: venue hire - Drapers' Company
- ↑ London Venues, Drapers' Hall.
- ↑ On the set of 'The King's Speech', Time Out
- ↑ "Location of the Month", March 2004, Film London
Livery Halls of the City of London  |
|---|
|
Apothecaries • Armourers • Bakers • Barber-Surgeons • Brewers • Butchers • Carpenters • Chartered Accountants • Clothworkers • Coopers • Cutlers • Drapers • Dyers • Farmers & Fletchers • Fishmongers • Founders • Furniture Makers • Girdlers • Glaziers • Goldsmiths • Grocers • Haberdashers • Information Technologists • Innholders • Ironmongers • Leathersellers • Mercers • Merchant Taylors • Painters • Pewterers • Plaisterers • Saddlers • Salters • Skinners • Stationers • Tallow Chandlers • Vintners • Watermen • Wax Chandlers • HQS Wellington • |