Half Moon, Bishopsgate Without

A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.

Described in a Release of 1543 as "le Signe de le hulfe Mone" belonging to St. Michael's Church, Cornhill, in which Robert Wood dwelt, the "regiam viam ducen" de Bisshoppesgate versus Shordiche" lying on the east (Lond. Deeds, Harben Bequest to L.C.C. 1500-1600, No. 1).


Bequeathed in 1593 by John wood, s. and h. of Robert Wood, with eight messuages adjoining to his mother Joane Wood (ib. No. 16). She left yearly rents from the Half Moon and Half Moon Alley in 1600 to the church of St. Botolph without Bishopsgate for church uses (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 91).

It further appeared from Joan Wood's Will, 1600, that she sold the messuage or brewhouse called the "Half Moon" with the yards, gardens, etc., in 1597 to Ralph Pindar on condition that he should pay a yearly sum of £20 to the parson and church-wardens of St. Botolph, and that in default the premises were to go to them.

Sir Paul Pindar's house was erected on this site, and was known as No. 169 Bishopsgate Without, on the south side of Half Moon Street.

The site is now the property of the Great Eastern Railway Co. and is occupied by Liverpool Street Station, a rent charge being paid to St. Botolph's parish (End. Charities, St. Botolph Bishopsgate, 1901, pp. 23, 47, 59, 70, and 73).

Related Words