HISTORY

Historically known as Spur Alley, this ancient street originally ran from the Strand down to the Thames, just south of Hungerford Market. The Craven family acquired the land in 1620, but it was confiscated during the Protectorate due to Lord Craven's strong Royalist ties. After the Restoration, Charles II returned the estate to the family. By 1720, the historian Strype described Spur Alley as having a narrow and poorly maintained passage from the Strand, though it widened and improved closer to the Thames. By this time, the houses were in poor condition, prompting redevelopment by the Hon. William Craven, later the 5th Baron, around 1730. The Craven family's 18th-century rebuilding of their Brewhouse estate included the construction of townhouses on what became known as Craven Street. Designed by architect Henry Flitcroft in collaboration with builder Thomas Phillips, Craven Street first appeared on Rocque’s 1746 map of London, extending from the Strand towards the riverside. The southern end was leased to William Speidell for use as a wharf.

The street was redeveloped in two phases: the first in the 1730s and a later phase around 1791. Craven Street became a respectable address, attracting prosperous residents like Benjamin Franklin, who noted in the 1760s that his lodging there was "pretty genteel." Several townhouses from the original 1730s development remain near the north end of the street and the Strand. The first leases for these properties expired around 1789, leading to the rebuilding or expansion of several houses. The six houses in the listed terrace at Nos. 25-30 Craven Street were not part of the initial development but were constructed during the later phase in the early 1790s to complete the street's extension towards the riverside.

CHRONOLOGY

1496 – Hungerford Lane, previously known as Brewer's Lane, was situated on the west side of Charing Cross Station, extending to the river. It was named after an ancient brewery or "Beirhouse," which, at the end of the fifteenth century, was held by John Evingar under lease from the Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Evingar, a "Citizen and Brewer of London," likely originated from the Low Countries. In his 1496 will, he left his Westminster property and lands in Antwerp to his wife Jacomyn and son Andrew.

1540 – The "Beirhouse" and eight cottages were occupied by Elena "Evynger" and Robert Lord. By then, the freehold, along with three other cottages that had belonged to the Prior of St. John, had passed to the Crown.

1544–1545 – Henry VIII granted a lease of the premises to Robert Lord. Later, Lord’s son-in-law, Henry Polsted, obtained a further lease, describing the property as "messuages, houses, cottages, wharves and stables," under various tenants.

1569 – Alice (or Avice) Stockwood, who held the brewhouse, did some rebuilding. However, leases granted by Elizabeth in 1569 and 1589 show no further development.

1601 – Hugh Nelson was granted a 61-year lease on condition he spent £700 rebuilding the premises. A month later, he transferred part of the property to Jerome Bonham, who then sub-leased it to Walter Faxon.

1606 – A 1606 document records £1,422 spent on new construction and repairs since Nelson's lease. Faxon built five new tenements, while others made repairs to their respective properties. This document also includes an early reference to Spur Alley.

1613-1614 – James I began selling Crown properties in bulk to raise money. In February 1613-14, George Low and Edmund Sawyer acquired the Brewhouse and its appurtenances, which they quickly resold to lawyers William Towse and Barnaby Gowdge. Eventually, the property ended up with City merchants William and George Whitmore, who were also involved in land speculation.

1617 – A 1617 survey refers to "Spurre Alley under the Salutation tavern" and "Arnold lane" (Brewer's Lane). Spur Alley, like many other streets off the Strand, was originally accessed through an archway.

1620 – Dame Elizabeth Craven, daughter of Sir William Whitmore, purchased most of the Brewhouse property as an investment for her younger son, Thomas.

1637 – Thomas died intestate at the age of eighteen, and his property passed to his elder brother, William. At this time, William, Baron Craven, was actively supporting Elizabeth of Bohemia and spent substantial sums aiding the royalist cause.

1650-1651 – On 16th March 1650-1, Parliament declared Craven an offender against the Commonwealth, leading to the confiscation of his estates.

1652 – An Act for the sale of Craven's estates was passed, despite his appeals from abroad. The Brewhouse property was divided and sold in eight lots, with most houses described as "ruinous" or "ancient." Various buyers, including John Breedon, Isaac Morgan, Edward Weedon, and Walter Johnson, acquired different portions of the property.

1664 – After the Restoration, Craven regained his estates and received numerous honours, including the title of Earl of Craven in 1664.

1678 – Earl Craven bought additional properties that had been excluded from his mother’s 1620 purchase. This included several messuages in Brewer’s Yard and a brewhouse.

1682 – The name Spur Alley described its shape, as depicted on Morden and Lea's map of 1682.

1697 – After the death of the Earl of Craven, his property passed through a collateral line to his son, William, later 5th Baron Craven.

1720 – Strype described Spur Alley as having a narrow, poor entrance from the Strand but improving further in. The ratebooks indicated that by the end of its existence, the houses were in poor condition.

1727 – William Craven decided to redevelop his Strand property. After securing capital by mortgaging the land, he demolished the old houses in Spur Alley and Brewer's Lane. The area was then divided into plots, with building leases granted between 1730 and 1735.

1729-1730 – Nos. 41 and 42 Craven Street were built by Charles Griffith and leased to him in January 1729-30.

1730 – Craven Street followed the path of Spur Alley, which before its redevelopment around 1730, was just an offshoot of Brewer's Lane with an outlet to the Strand.

1730-1731 – Various houses were erected in Craven Street, including No. 15, which had its lease dated 31st January 1729-30.

1731 – No. 33 Craven Street was leased to Henry Flitcroft, an architect known as "Burlington Harry." Other houses were also built or leased around this time, including No. 34 and No. 35.

1739 – Thomas, 2nd Viscount Weymouth, moved to No. 33 Craven Street, where he stayed until his death in 1751.

1748 – From 1748 until 1772, Margaret Stevenson occupied No. 36 Craven Street, where Benjamin Franklin lived after arriving in London in 1757 as an agent for Pennsylvania. He later moved to No. 1 Craven Street in 1772.

1759-1761 – Mark Akenside, a physician and poet, lived at No. 33 Craven Street.

1762 – A fire in 1762 nearly destroyed No. 31 and 32 Craven Street, leading to significant rebuilding.

1765-1787 – Dr. John Leake, a man-midwife and founder of the Westminster Lying-in Hospital, lived at No. 35 Craven Street.

1772-1774 – Pioneer of haematology, William Hewson, lived at No. 36 Craven Street.

1775-1781 – Admiral Molyneux Shuldham, later Baron Shuldham, occupied No. 33 Craven Street.

1777 – The Society for the Relief of Persons Imprisoned for Small Debts met at No. 7 Craven Street for many years.

ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION

The houses on this street present a uniform appearance, with brick fronts and gauged dressings around the windows. The facades of the lower two stories have been cemented to resemble masonry. These houses typically have three stories above ground level, along with a basement, although some, such as Nos. 13, 37, 38, and 39, have had an additional story added. No. 32 still has its dormers and tiled roof, while No. 41 is unique in having segmental gauged arches over the windows. The iron railings and first-floor balconies are generally original to the buildings.

Many of the earlier houses, built between 1730 and 1735, have panelled interiors. The main rooms, including the halls and staircases, feature "fielded" panels divided by a chair rail and topped with a finely molded cornice, while the upper rooms are more simply paneled. Most chimney pieces have been replaced with 19th-century examples. The staircases have turned balusters, usually three per tread, with carved brackets on the lower flights and close strings on the upper flights. In many cases, the lower stair balustrades have been altered, and the walls have been stripped of their original paneling and covered with canvas. The interiors of the later houses, built at the end of the 18th century, are generally plain and unremarkable, with the exception of No. 25.

Nos. 11 and 12 provide a typical example of the earlier house layout, with a front and back room on the ground floor, an additional small room or "powder closet," and a similar arrangement on the upper floors. The stairs are screened from the hall by an arched opening. These houses are currently vacant and slated for demolition to make way for commercial expansion. The rooms are panelled, and the stair balustrades are notable.

No. 7, now demolished, was the longtime meeting place of the Society for the Relief of Persons Imprisoned for Small Debts, founded by Rev. Dr. William Dodd, who was hanged for forgery in 1777. Ironically, James Hackman, who was executed two years later for murder, attended Dodd’s execution and described it as the first and last of its kind he had ever seen.

Nos. 11–15 were built between 1730 and 1731, with No. 15's lease being the earliest, dated January 31, 1729–30. Notable residents include Rev. Charles Agar, later Earl of Normanton and Archbishop of Cashel, who lived at No. 13, and Dennis O'Bryen, a dramatist and political pamphleteer who resided at No. 14 from 1779 to 1805. No. 14 was later occupied by Henry Bowen, a military officer, and Philip Hemery Le Breton, who lived there from 1836 to 1838.

Nos. 25–30 were constructed in 1791–1792. Sir Edmund Nagle, a naval officer, lived at No. 25 from 1798 to 1808. Other notable residents include William Hawes, a singer and composer, at No. 27, and James Smith, co-author of Rejected Addresses, who lived there until his death in 1839.

No. 31 was built by William Speidell in 1730. The house was nearly destroyed by fire in 1762. It was later occupied by Charles Owen from 1794 to 1797. No. 32 was leased in 1731 and later became a boarding house where Heinrich Heine stayed during his visit to London in 1827.

No. 33 was leased to Henry Flitcroft, a prominent architect, in 1731. It was later occupied by Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth, and his son, the 3rd Viscount Weymouth, who became the 1st Marquess of Bath. The house was also home to Mark Akenside, a poet and physician, and Admiral Shuldham, a naval officer.

Nos. 34 and 35 were built in 1731, with No. 35 being occupied by Dr. John Leake, a man-midwife, from 1765 to 1787. He had a theatre attached to his house where he delivered lectures on midwifery.

No. 36 was leased in 1730 and later occupied by Benjamin Franklin during his time in London from 1757 to 1772. The house was then occupied by William Hewson, a surgeon and anatomist.

Nos. 37–42 were built around 1731. Notable residents include Dr. Samuel Fothergill at No. 37, Caleb Whitefoord, a diplomat and wit, at No. 38, and Dr. Charles West, a physician to the Children’s Hospital, at No. 40.

Nos. 43–46 were originally the site of the Globe Tavern, which later became the Craven Hotel. Richard Wroughton, an actor with the Drury Lane company, lived at No. 45 in the early 1790s.