Mercers' School

A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.

On the south side of Holborn in Barnard's Inn. Erected here in 1894.


The Hall of the inn retained as the dining-hall.

Formerly on the east side of College Hill, adjoining the church of St. Michael Paternoster Royal on the north (O.S. 1880).

The School originally adjoined the Mercers' Chapel in Cheapside (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 32), but was removed to Budge Row in 1785, thence to Watling Street, and later to College Hill in 1808. In 1832 it occupied the site of the Whittington Almshouses after their removal to Highgate. Archt., Mr. George Smith.

It was re-founded in Cheapside c. 1447 (Watney, p. 14) in response to a petition presented in that year to the king by the rectors of All Hallows the Great, St. Andrew Holborn, St. Peter Cornhill, and St. Mary Colechurch for the establishment of grammar schools in their parishes (Trans. L. and M. Arch. Soc. N.S. I. (2), p. 117).

This school was maintained by the Hospital of St. Thomas of Acon until its dissolution, temp. H. VIII., when it was purchased with the site of the Hospital, etc,, by the Mercers' Company, 1541.

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