Painter Stainers' Hall

Summary

Painters’ Hall, 78m south-west of Mansion House Station.

Reasons for Designation

A livery hall is a type of guildhall belonging primarily to the London livery companies (chartered companies originating from the craft guilds), but also found elsewhere in the country. It is so called because of the livery worn by members of the guild. Guildhalls were traditionally the hall of a crafts, trade, or merchants’ guild but latterly had many different functions and became recognised in the 19th century as town halls. Some livery or guild halls were built in the medieval period but they became more widespread in the 17th and 18th centuries. The classic form was often a first-floor meeting room, raised on arcades, incorporating an open-sided market hall on the ground floor. They also often included administrative rooms or offices.

During the eighteenth century increasing architectural elaboration was given to halls, reflecting the success of livery companies, the growth of municipal self-awareness and urban identity. Until the Municipal Corporations Reform Act in 1835, boroughs (corporations), which were often based at guildhalls, acted as private bodies that existed for the benefit of their members rather than the community at large. The Act reformed the administration and accountability of incorporated boroughs and they subsequently gained greater municipal power and responsibility. This was reflected in the scale and architectural adornment of later guildhalls, which became high points of Victorian public architecture.

Painters’ Hall contains surviving remains of a late 17th century livery hall as well as archaeological remains of an earlier medieval hall. It provides a significant testament to the development of commercial activity and trade regulation in the city of London.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 9 October 2014. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a late 17th century livery hall, largely rebuilt in the 20th century, on the site of an earlier medieval hall. It is situated between Little Trinity Lane and Huggin Hill in the city of London.

The east front, facing Little Trinity Lane, is constructed partly of brick with stone rusticated bonding to the ground floor. It is three storeys high with five bays of square-headed sash windows. The entrance is at the centre with a square window and pediment above the doorway featuring a coat of arms. The interior includes some early 18th century painted panels in The Painted Chamber.

The Stainers Company, a guild that applied colour to fabrics such as canvas, are first referred to in 1268. The Painters, a guild that applied colour to solid materials such as plaster, wood, metal and stone, are referred to in 1283. In 1502, they merged to form The Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers. The original hall was given to the company in 1532 and they received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1581. The hall was apparently a meeting place of the Relief Commission during the Great Plague in 1665. It was destroyed during the Great Fire of London and rebuilt in about 1670. Alterations were made in the 19th and early 20th century and it was largely rebuilt following bomb damage during the Second World War. During rebuilding work in the 1960s two medieval walls, presumably from the original hall were identified under the buildings. In 1999, an archaeological watching brief recorded further deposits on the site during the digging of an inspection chamber for new drains.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

LO 40

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Websites
The Worshipful Company of Painter-Stainers, Painters’ Hall, accessed 08-SEP-2009 from http://www.painters-hall.co.uk/

Other
NMR TQ38SW833. PastScape 405356

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