THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL FOR
ST. AUGUSTINE'S, 1552-1553*
D. SHERLOCK
Many manuscripts survive from the life-time of St. Augustine's
Abbey and a number of them have long ago been transcribed. But it
is not generally realised that the abbey is also fortunate in the survival
of its post-Dissolution records. These give an unusually detailed
description of how one of the greater English abbeys was dismantled
by stages, partly converted into a royal residence, sold and later
allowed to go to ruin. The recent publication of Volume IV of the
History of the King's Works (Colvin 1982) and the preparation of a
report on excavations along the south side of St. Augustine's
(Sherlock and Woods forthcoming) prompts the first publication of
one of these post-Dissolution records, namely George Nycholl's
account of demolition work on the abbey church and repairs to the
recently renovated royal apartments in the last year of King Edward
VI's reign and the first year of Queen Mary's.
The original manuscript of this account is now in the library of St.
Augustine's College, Canterbury (MS 11676), to which it was presented
by Sir Bryan Godfrey-Fawcett of Hyde Park, London, in
1925. How it came into the possession of his ancestors is not known,
but in the eighteenth century it was still in its place among the records
of the Court of Augmentations where it was seen by Edward Hasted
(Colvin 1982, 62n). It comprises ten paper folios stitched together,
the first and last sides being blank. It is written in a normal
sixteenth-century clerk's style of English. The last folio appears to be
written by a different hand and sums in arabic numerals have been
added in various places.
The manuscript is of interest for two reasons: firstly, the description
of the sale of second-hand building materials to various buyers,
• Published with the aid of a grant from the Department of the Environment.
25
D. SHERLOCK
26
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
some of whom were of more than local importance; and, secondly,
the descriptions of works carried out on the royal apartments.
St. Augustine's Abbey was suppressed in 1538 and in the following
years Henry VIII gave orders for parts of its buildings to be converted
into a royal residence. This conversion was partly effected by re-using
materials from the former abbey. Roof-tiles from St. Pancras'
Church, furthest from the palace, seem to have been the first to go.
Two years later the King gave orders for the abbey church to be
unroofed and for parts of it to be demolished in order to provide
materials for his military works at Calais and elsewhere. His men
started with the lady chapel and quire and by October of that year
had reached the south-west tower of the nave and the charnel chapel
to its south. Finally, they walled up the great west door of the church
to close in the King's garden.
Concurrently, the abbot's lodging had been selected by the King to
be converted into a royal residence. This lay along the west side of
the cloister quadrangle and to the north of the nave. The principal
buildings included a large guest hall and chapel. To these were added
a suite of new chambers for the Queen's apartments. He also retained
the abbey's great kitchen, a free-standing hexagonal building to the
north.
In 1539, the combined works of demolition and repair cost about
£650 and at the height of activity nearly 350 craftsmen and labourers
were employed. Thereafter work continued but the pace slackened.
James Nedeham, the King's surveyor then in charge of the work, was
succeeded by Lawrence Bradshaw in 1548. In 1551, Robert Sylvester,
master mason to the Court of Augmentations was in charge and
replaced in 1552-53 by a local clerk called George Nycholl who, on
the authority of Sir Thomas Moyle, general surveyor of the Augmentations,
spent £40. After him, repairs were less frequent: £39 in
1573 and some money in 1582. In 1608, Robert Cecil obtained
permission to remove 520 tons of stone for his new house at Hatfield.
Charles II was the last monarch to stay at St. Augustine's and during
the eighteenth century the palace gradually fell into ruins.
The most extensive source for all these works are the seventy pages
of James Nedeham's 'Particular Books' now in the Bodleian Library
(MS. Rawlinson D.779 and 781). George Nycholl's 'Account',
though very much shorter, is as detailed and of particular interest to
Canterbury. The first half (ff.1-4V) is mainly a list of payments
received from people who had bought materials from the demolished
abbey. These, we are told, came from the demolished steeple and the
crypt and from the south side of the church including a window and
pillars. Materials were removed by the cart-load through the great
gates, in total some 340 loads of stone, 100 paving tiles (f.3R) and
27
PLATE II
Remains of St. Augustine's Abbey engraved by Daniel King (d. 1664). Crown copyright reserved.
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
eleven bundles of roofing laths (f.4V). Examples of prices are as
follows:
By the cart load: Flint 4d., 6d. or 12d.
Rubbish stone (sometimes including flint)6d., Sd., !Od. or 12d.
Broken Caen stone 2s.
Small ashlar stone 3s.
Large Caen window stones 314d.
Ashlar Caen 4s.
Individually: Hard stones 2d. or 3d.
Corbel stones 3d.
Round marble pillar stones 6d.
Ashlar stone 2s.
Broken grave stone 6s.
The purchasers were nearly all local people of some standing from
Canterbury and a radius of about seven miles except for Henry Crisp
of Thanet (f.2R). Five of them were also buying vestments and
furnishings in the general sale of church goods in 1553 (Arch. Cant.,
xiv (1882), 320). The biggest purchaser was Stephen Thornhurst of
Canterbury who paid £15 8s. 10d. for over 228 loads of various stones
(ff.3R, 4R). Others came from the parishes of St. Paul's, St. Martin's
and St. Dunstan's, and from Ash, Chilham, Dane Street, Nackington,
Harbledown, Hernhill, Fordwich, Goodnestone, Kingston,
Preston, Stodmarsh, Sturry, Wickham and Wingham. They were
people of various trades and professions: the archbishop's kinsman, a
member of parliament, three mayors, a Cathedral prebend, the vicars
of St. Paul's and Sturry, a baker, a grocer, a printer, and others. One
man, Sir Thomas Finch, was the son-in-law of Sir Thomas Moyle
himself. Not only are many of them already known today from other
sources, as will be seen from the notes which follow the manuscript;
but in at least two cases the stones that they removed can still be
identified. There are various places in Canterbury where ancien·
walls probably built of the demolished abbey can still be seen. A list
of these will be found in the Appendix to this paper.
The second part of Nycholl's manuscript (ff.SR-10) is made up of
payments for wages and materials for the repair of the King's great
hall, the wardrobe chamber, dresser kitchen, great kitchen, stairs,
privies, the former vestry and almonry and other old walls. Much of
the work was on the roofs, involving carpenters and tilers. Rafters
and tiles were taken down, cleaned and re-used where possible with
new laths. Plumbers were required to make new gutters, in part by
melting down and recasting old lead (f.9R). Ladders and scaffold
poles had to be made and a saw-pit was specially built for the
sawyers. The first task was the 'hewing and squaring of a great oak
tree containing two and a half tons of good and sound timber which
grew in the grounds of the King's palace' (f.5R). Additional wood
29
D. SHERLOCK
and other materials had to be purchased locally: roof-tiles from
Hernhill and Fordwich, lime from Redfield, nails, sand and scaffold
poles from Canterbury and laths from Chartham. Roofing nails had
to be bought from a man from London. A lock and keys were bought
in Canterbury. One carpenter, Richard Holt, was paid for going to
London to collect the money for the work from Sir Thomas Moyle
(f.8V). His name also appears in the first half as a purchaser of
second-hand laths (f.4V). Some ten labourers were paid for clearing
up after the tradesmen had finished their various jobs. The whole
account gives the impression of an efficient clerk of works who has
completed his task in a reasonable time, paid off his men and
balanced his books.
Concerning George Nycholl himself, however, few facts are
known. He was probably a good choice for the work at St. Augustine's
in 1552/3 because he had worked as clerk for James Nedeham
during the repairs of 1542 (Rawlinson D. 779, ff. 170V, 173R, 176R,
177V, 178V). Although he is styled clerk by Nedeham, he was not in
holy orders. He held property on the south side of Ivy Lane (Gravett
1980, 52) near the Two Sawyers (perhaps named after 'Thomas
Walker and his fellow' - f.5V?), from where he was conveniently
placed to supervise the King's work, opening and shutting the great
gates each day (f.9V). He also farmed a piece of land belonging to St.
Andrew's Church, for which he paid rent in 1538/9 and 1545/6 to
1547/8 (Arch. Cant., xxiv (1920), 24 ff.). His year of birth is not
known, but he died in 1557 (Kent Archives Office P.R.C. 17/30/251).
In transcribing the manuscript an attempt has been made to render
exactly each word without concessions to modern spelling. Punctuation
has been inserted only where it seemed necessary to clarify the
sense. The original is inconsistent here and in its use of capitals which
have only been used at the beginnings of sentences and proper
names. AH abbreviations, with a few exceptions, have been extended
according to their supposed meanings in the sixteenth century.
Where doubtful, e.g. in whether p with a stroke in the tail should be
per or par, the abbreviation has been extended to a form that
conforms with modern spelling. Many numerals have superscript
letters, e.g. XX': for viginti, which have not been transcribed. Some
words in the original are underlined, but these have not been noted
except occasionally in the notes which follow the transcription.
In preparing the manuscript for publication I am grateful to Mrs.
Margaret Sparks; also the late Dr William Urry not only for his
enthusiasm which prompted this publication but also for his notes on
some of the characters mentioned. His words will be found largely
unaltered quoted in the notes and in a list of places with St.
Augustine's Abbey stonework in an Appendix at the end. In the
30
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
introduction my debt to the 'Canterbury' section of H.M. Calvin's
History of the King's Works is obvious. Short excerpts from Nycholls'
ff. l-4 were first published by Humphrey Woods (Woods 1980).
The manuscript is transcribed and published with -the kind permission
of the Corporate Body of St. Augustine's College.
F. I" blank
F. I" Anno R. E. VI VI
The kings pales of
Sent Austens without
the walls of Canterbury
The accompte of George Nycholl1 of ye parish of Sent Paull
without ye walls of Canterbury. As well of all manner of sales
of assheler cayn2 stone with other grett broken cayn stons, flynt,
hard broken stonis and chalke stons commyng of the
buyldyngs defaced within ye site or precyncte of ye late monestery
of Sent Austens without ye mured walls of Canterbury
forsayd, as also of payments of ye money comming
thereof, and also certeyn redye money mor receavyd
of my master Sir Thomas MoylP kyght as yt apperyth after
in the accompte of my receyts payd & layd out for the
new repayrying. buyldyng & mendyng of the kings maiest
grett hall, the gret chamber called the wardroobe chamber,
the dresser kychyn with certeyn other nedfull places
as yt followyth after partycularly, mad and done by
the commanndement and appoyntment of ye aforsayd
Syr Thomas Moyll knyght, one of ye general! surveyrs
of the Kyngs maiesties lands. Ffrom the xxix daye of
Apryll in the vi yer of the reine of our soverayng lord
Kyng Edward the syxte unto ye natyvytie and byrthe of
' George Nycholl. See Introduction. Payments for his own work are entered on
ff.SR, 6R, 7R and 9V. On l0R, by a different hand, his name is spelt Nycols.
2 Caen, in the Calvados province of Normandy. Over 80 per cent of the stone from
the abbey church was from that region and it seems likely that this was the principle
building material used by Abbots Scotland and Wido in the late eleventh century
(Sherlock and Woods, forthcoming).
; Sir Thomas Moyle (also mentioned on ff.3R, 4V, 8V, 9V and !OR) was a general
surveyor in the Court of Augmentations, a court established in 1536 to survey and
administer the properties surrendered by the dissolved monasteries and an important
part of the machinery of Tudor government. In 1553 he was speaker of the House of
Commons and member for Rochester. Also in that year he helped pay for the repair of
Canterbury city walls, perhaps with stone from St. Augustine's. He was evidently a
pushing man of considerable parts, and benefited largely at the Dissolution of the
monasteries. He was one of the commissioners for their suppression. He was an ardent
supporter of the old religion and in Mary's reign was chairman of the magistrates who
imprisoned John Bland, the parson of Adesham and a protestant martyr, and was one
of the opponents of the Wyatt rebellion. He died in 1560 at Eastwell Court. See DNB.
31
D. SHERLOCK
our Lord Jehus Cryst in the furst yer of our soveraynge
ladye Queyn Mary next ensuyng, as after particularly
ys contayned and declared.
That ys to saye
F.2R Ffurst sold and receyvd of mother Chapman'
of Sent Paulis paryshe for ii court loode of flynt
& rubyshe stone dygyd from ye mas hep and
rubyshe of ye old stepylls & other placs at vid lood - xiid
Ree. of Mr Humfrey Hall for vi hard step stons - iis vid
Ree. of Lenard Strenger of Chyllam for iiii
small rownd pyller marbull6 stons at vid a pece - iis
Ree. of Gregery Roose' of Canterbury for ii court
lod of rubyshe stond dygyd as ys aforsayd - xiid
Ree. of Mr Bull8 of ye sam for ii lod of stone - xiid
Ree. of Jhon Shypton of Nakynton for vii
lod of assheler cayn stone & dygyd as ys aforsayd
& from ye walls of ye under crofte• at iiiis lod - xxviiis
item hym mor for vii lod of rubyshe stone at xiid lod - viis
Ree. of Mr Webe10 of Canterbury for for (sic) ix lood of
rubyshe stone at viiid the lood - vis
Ree. of Jhon Mychell" prynter for certeyn assheler stone - iis
Of Jhon Brooke & Jhon Gryffyn for iiii hard Stoos - viiid
' Mother Chapman may have been kinswoman of James Chapman, who gave surety
of £20 for John Bland (see notes 3 and 40) when he was brought to Canterbury for trial.
Bland was there described by Moyle as 'a stiff-necked fellow' (Fox 1684, 308 ff.). He
was martyred at Dover in 1555.
5 The old steeple, the south-west tower of the abbey church, the twin of Ethelbert's
and sometimes called St. Augustine's Tower. Its demolition was started in 1541, as we
know from James Nedeham's accounts (Colvin 1982, 61). The remainder of it, a huge
muro torto as observed by Stukeley, was finally cleared away in 1793 by 200 men of the
Surrey militia (Gent. Mag., !xiii (1793), ii, 667).
6 Marble. Possibly from Purbeck or Bethersden, but the harder seams of Kentish
rag were also black and capable of a polish. Shafts of this stone were found in
excavations south of the quire in 1974 (Sherlock and Woods forthcoming). Marble is
also mentioned on f.3V.
7 Alderman Gregory Rose lived in a house near the present Marks and Spencer's in
St. George's Street. His wife was the local midwife Goody Rose who is likely as anyone
to have brought Christopher Marlowe into the world (Urry). In the same house later
on dwelt Robert Cushman who hired the Mayflower in 1620 (Urry). In 1591, Rose
proposed a scheme to make the Stour navigable to Canterbury (Hasted 1799--1801, xi,
140 and xii, 640).
8 Probably Thomas Bull who bought a cope and other items in the sale of church
goods in 1553 (Arch. Cant, xiv (1882), 319, 321).
9 The Romanesque undercroft or crypt of the quire.
10 Probably George Webb who was mayor of Canterbury in 1547 and 1552 (Hasted
1801, ii, 606). He bought curtains, etc., in the sale of church goods in 1553 (Arch.
Cant., xiv (1882), 320). Also mentioned on f.3V.
11 John Mychell of St. Paul's parish, an important provincial exponent of his trade,f/.
1549--1560. See DNB.
32
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
Ree. of Beke of Wyngam for x lod of rubyshe stons - xs
Ree. of ye vycar11 of Sent Paulis for ii lood of broken
cayn stone at iis the lood - iiiis
Ree. of Mr Harry Crysp of Taynett13 for vii cart
lode of gret broken cayn stone of churche
wyndows sowtheward at iiis iiiid the lood - xxiiis iiiid
Ree. of Jhon Durrayt of Fordych for i lood of
assheler cayn stone & dygyd as ys aforsayd - iiiis
Summa iiii Ii xiis viiid
F.2v Ree. of Mr Meres of Cant. for xx lood of assheler
cayn stone & dygyd as ys aforsayd at iiiis the lod - iiii Ii
Ree. of hym mor for xiiii lod of rubyshe stone - xiiiis
Ree. of Thomas Byng of Cant. for ii lood of cayn ston - viiis
Ree. of Jhon Hull of Harm Hyll for i lod of cayn ston - iiiis
Itm of hym mor for vii lod of rubyshe ston - viis
Ree. of George Caldam of Fordych for for (sic) ii lod lyk ston - iis
Ree. of Mr Fuller" of Cant. for for (sic) certeyn assheler
cayn stone som broken & som holl by grett"' - xxs
Ree. of Nycholas Franklyn'1 of Storey for i lod of lyk ston - iiiis
Ree. of Wylliam Mathe of Canterbury for iii court lood
of rubyshe stone at vid the court lod - xviiid
Ree. of Wylliam Y ong1• of Sent Paull for v lood of lyk ston - vs
Ree. a (sic) man" of Wyngam for ii lyk lood of sron - iis
Ree. of Peter London of Cant. for ii court lode of lyk ston - xiid
Ree. of Mr Vycar" of Story for ii lod of assheler ston - viiis
Itm of hym mor for ii lod of rubysh stone - iis
Ree. of a man of Ashe for i lolde (sic) of assheler ston - iiiis
Ree. of Wylliam Scotte of Canterbury for ii court lode of flynt - xiid
Ree. of Jhon Stnard for i lyk lod of rubyshe stone - vid
Ree. of Mr Copyn1• for v lod of rubysh stone - vs
12 John Clarke was vicar of St. Paul's, 1512-58.
13 The Isle ofThanet is more than twice as far as any of the other places buyers came
from, unless Thanet Wood in Great Chart parish is intended (see introduction).
1' Possibly John Fuller who was mayor of Canterbury in 1556 and 1559.
14' Grett: contract. A 'bargeyn by grett' occurs near the end of F.7R.
15 N icholas Francklin died in 1577. His will of nine pages in Maidstone Record Office
shows he owned about £400 and lands in four parishes. He also owned a library which,
coupled with his concern for the education of his nephews, suggests he was a man of a
scholarly disposition. See Church 1972.
16 Perhaps related to Robert Young who was churchwarden of St. Paul's in 1552
(Arch. Cant., viii (1872), 123).
17 Presumably not the Mr Warham of f.3V.
18 Thomas Cockes LL.B was vicar of Sturry, 1535-54. It appears that he either
married or else acknowledged his hitherto secret marriage following the Act abolishing
celebacy of the clergy, and he was deprived of his living along with all other married
clergy on the accession of Mary. He was the last incumbent to be presented by St.
Augustine ·s Abbey, the patronage passing to the archbishop following the Dissolution.
I am grateful to the Rev. P.J. Gausden, the present rector for this information.
19 William Copyn was mayor of Canterbury of 1541 and 1551, and member of
parliament in 1553 (Hasted 1801, ii, 606; 1797-1801, xii, 218). Also on f.3V. 'Mr
33
D. SHERLOCK
Ree. of Mr Commyssary•sw servaunt for 1 brokyn grane21 stone - vis
Ree. of Georg Caldam forsayd for 1 lod of cayn ston - iiiis
Ree. of Gyylman of Canterbury for i lyk lod of ston - iiiis
Ree. of Mr Master22 of Wyngam for one \ood of
rubyshe stone and dygyd out of the forsayd
heap & rubyshe and other places at - xiid
Summa ix Ii iiiis
F.3" Ree. of Mr Quylter of Sent Dunstons for i C of small
pavyng tyll - xiid
Ree. of Mr Thornherst' of Canterbury for xxvi
small corbell stons at iiid a pece - vis vid
Itm of hym mar for xiiii lod of rubyshe
stone at viiid the load - ixs iiiid
Ree. of hym mar for certeyn assheler and
other cayn stone by grett - xis
Ree. of Jhon Quessonbery of Canterbury for i
court lad of rubyshe stone - at - vid
Ree. of Jhon Nores of the same for v lode of
lyke rubyshe stone at vid the lood - iis vid
Ree. of Jhon Elvey of the sam for ii lad of lyk ston - xiid
Ree. of Maystres Thomson wedow of the sam for
i lad of lyk stone - vid
Ree. of pety Jhon of Canterbury for 1 court
lod of lyk rubyshe stone - vid
Somma xxxiis ixd
Ree. of my master mor Syr Thomas Moyll Knyght
to pay for parte of the kyngs maiests buldyngs
15. 7. 6 (deleted)
15. 9. 6
Copyn of St Martin's had a maidservant who had a charming adventure in Longport
when a boy slipped a present frtim London into her handbag (Ecclesiastical Court
Records)' (Urry). Some of the stone he had still survives (see Appendix).
2° Commissary. A representative of the archbishop's with responsibility for disposing
of church goods.
21 The reading is almost certainly grane, underlined. 'Greenstone', a rag stone from
the Maidstone area, and 'grainstone', i.e. mill-stone, seem unlikely. Gravestone,
perhaps a large coffin stone, may, however, be intended. Hasted, who had seen
Nycholl's MS, records gravestones being sold (1799-1801, xii, 218). This is the most
expensive single item in the accounts. It could have come from within the church or
from the cemetery between the church and Longport (see Sherlock and Woods,
forthcoming).
12 The Master of Wingham, presumably the secular college of canons there that was
dissolved in 1547.
23 Stephen Thornhurst (also on f.4R) 'built a big development block at the top of the
main street in Burgate Lane. He was ancestor to Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough'
(Urry). His wife and son, Sir Thomas (d. 1627) have monuments in St. Michael's
Chapel in the Cathedral. He bought more stone than anyone else in these accounts
(see introduction).
34
F.3v
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
and reparyng hys place of Sent Austens forsayd
in redy money the som of ten pound.
Summa x Ii
Anno R. Marie I
Ree. of Mr Warram" of Wyngam for iii lood of
rubyshe ston dygyd as ys aforsayd at xiid lod - iiis
Ree. of Clement Roos of Wykam for i lyk lod of ston - xiid
ltm of hym mor for i lod of assheler stone - iiiis
Ree. of Andrew Hoines of the sam for ii lod of rubysh ston - iis
Ree. of Mr Copyn1' of Cant. for v lod of lyk stone - vs
Ree. of Austen Eston of Preston for v ·1od of rubyshe
stone at xd the lood - iiiis iid
ltm of hym mor for 1 lod of small assler - iiis iiiid
Ree. of Goldfynch of Harbadon for iii cort lod of flynt - xiid
Ree. of Jhon Clerk of Densted for iii lod of rubyshe
stone at xd the lod - iiis iiiid
Ree. of Mr Webe10 for for (deleted) viii court lod of lyk stone - iis viiid
ltm of hym mor for i lod of small assheler stone - iiis
Ree. of Thomas Wylliams of Fordych for ii lod
of assheler cayn stone at iiiis the lod - viiiis
ltm of hym mor for i lod of rubyshe stone - xiid
Ree. of Wylliam Den of Kyngston for i !od of cayn ston - iiiis
Ree. of Fowll of Harbardon for vi lod of lyk ston - xxiiiis
Ree. of Mrs Brent of ye sam for ii lod of lyk cayn ston - viiis
Ree. of her mor for i lod of rubyshe stone - xiid
Ree of ye forsayd Wylliams for ii rownd marbull pyllers stons - xiid
Ree of Shypton forsayd for v lod of rubyshe stone - vs
Ree of Wyntryngam of Cant. for iii lod of
assheler cayn stone at iiiis lood - xiis
Summa iiii Ii xvis vid
Anno R. Marie I
Ree. of Lynell Chyltont' of the sam for ii lod of lyk
stone at iiiis the lood - viiis
llm of hym mor for i lod of rubyshe stone - xd
Ree. of Mr Engeam of Gooddenson for i lod of cayn ston - iiiis
Ree. of Jhon Redwood of Stadmarshe for ii lod of rubyshe ston - xvid
Ree. of Mr Spylman26 of Canterbury for ii lod of cayn ston - viiis
24 John Warham was a cathedral prebend in 1554 (Hasted 1799-1801, xii, 87) and a
kinsman of Archbishop Warham (1502-1532), the patron and friend of Erasmus. The
arms of the Warham family are in the south window of Wingham parish church.
t< Lionel Chilton appears in St. Paul's Church records with parishioners deciding on
mending the highways. 'He is (I think) father to James Chilton, the tailor who lived
somewhere round the corner of Church Street, St. Paul's. James Chilton set sail on the
Mayflower and was one of those who signed the famous "compact" on the waters off
Cape Cod at the end of 1620 (a founder-father of U.S.A.)' (Urry). Also on 8V.
26 Thomas Spylman was the local receiver of the Court of Augmentations. He
35
D. SHERLOCK
Ree. of Myhell Smyth of Sent Dunstons for i lod of flynt - xiid
Ree. of Mr Thornhest23 forsayd for xxxix lood of
assheler cayn stone dygyd som out of ye undercroft
& from the walls of ye olde church & stepull walls and
from ye walls of the south yeld of ye church at iiiis lod - vii Ii xvis
Item of hym mor for syx score & x court lood of rubyshe
stone & dygyd as ys aforsayd at vid the lod - iii Ii vs
Ree. of hym mor for xx court lod of (deleted) of broken coyn
& rubyshe stone at xiid the loode - xxs
Itm of hym mor for xxxii hard corbell stons
at iiid a pece - viiis
Itm of hym mor for xi lod of rubyshe stone
at vid the lood - vs vid
Ree. of hym mor for ix lod of gret cayn &
small assheler stone som broken and som hole
left of parte of i of ye pyllers of the churche
sowthward at iiiis the lood - xxxvis
Itm of hym mor for v lod of rubyshe ston
at vid the lood - iis vid
Summa xv Ii xvis iid
F.4v Ree of Rychard Holte2' for viii bundells of
sap late28 lefte for ye lood bought of ye goodman
Rene forsayd29 at xd the bundell - vis viiid
Ree. mor of hym for iii bundells of harte
late left also as ys aforsayd at xiiiid ye bundell - iiis vid
Delyveryd by my master's commanndment Sir Thomas
Moyll Knyght, sent to me by the goodman
Vans hys servaunt to Barnard30 the baker
xi lood of assheler cayn stone at iiiis lood - xliiiis
Itm delyveryd in lyk m;inner to Sir Thomas Fynch31
46. 12. 4
bought the site of the Canterbury Greyfriars in 1539 (Hasted 1799-1801, xi, 171). He
was responsible with others for making the inventory of church goods sold in 1533
(Arch. Cant., xiv (1882), 318).
27 Richard Holt was also paid for 38 days' work as a carpenter (ff. SR and 6R) and for
collecting money from London (f.8V).
28 Roofing laths of sapwood, not as strong as laths made of heartwood mentioned
three lines below.
29 Forsayd is a mistake since Rene has not previously been mentioned. He might be
the same as John Ryne in f.8R.
30 Barnard Bennard was a churchwarden of St. Mildred's, Canterbury in 1552 and
also bought various church items off the Commissioners in 1553 (Arch. Cant., vii
(1872), 124-5; xiv (1882), 320). Also mentioned in f. lOR.
31 Sir Thomas Finch, military commander, was then engaged in suppressing Wyatt's
rebellion in Kent. He was knighted only three months before these accounts were
made. He married Catherine, daughter and co-heir of Sir Thomas Moyle. He himself
died three years later. 'The Moat', where he was living in 1552/3, lay in the eastern
extremity of St. Martin's parish (Hasted 1799-1801, xi, 160-1). There are memorials to
36
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
knyght of ye moot vii lood of cayn stons - xxviiis
Itm certeyn parcell remanyng in my hand
as yt aperyth in my furst accompt - xxxs viiid
32
summa pagina vii xiis xd
xvis vd of the avverage iiili xis vd
summa totl of receyte ivli
}
of hys last accompt
Anno R. E. Vl VI
Ffrom Sondaye the xxxi day of July unto Sonday the
xxx day of August by the space xxiiii laboryng days
Workyng not only in hewyng & squaryng of a grett
okyn tree contaynyng ii tun & dimidia of good & sownd
tymber which grew in ye ground of ye kyngs pales ther
eastward, with settyng oute of the sam tymber for the
sawyers to brek & saw for the repayryng and
Carpenters mendyng of the kyngs maiesties grett hall,3' but
also hewyng & squaryng of new tymber to make
At xd
At ixd
At viiid
new long ladders redy for the works, with cuttyng and
squaryng of long scaffold poolls to shoer ye rooffe
of ye sayd hall and takyng out of old rotten &
broken pees of rafters & sprocketts, rouen wall p!atts,
rotten planks & bords from the sydd of ye sayd hall
north east & suthe, cuttyng and hewyng of olde
sownd tymber from (deleted) for sprocketts long & shorte to
pece ye rafters beyng brokyn with contynuall workyng
upon the sayd hall.
Rychard Holte27
Thomas Holte
Wylliam Waterman
Austen Pysyng
George Nycholl1
Summa i.iii Ii vs vid
xxiiii days - xxs
xxiiii days - xviiis
xxiiii days - xviiis
xviii days - xiii vid
xxiiii days - xvis
his grandson James in St. Martin's church and to his descendant Sir William Rooke in
St.3 2 Paul's church. See DNB. Also mentioned in f.lOR. These dots at the foot of the page are clearly part of some calculation, though their
relevance to the stated totals is not apparent.
3' The great hall had been the abbot's hall, built in the late thirteenth century.
37
F.5"
Sawyers
D. SHERLOCK
Anno R. E. VI VI
Sawyng & brekyng of tymber as quarters planks
bords eves bords jiests wall platts sydds for ladders
& other tymber met for the sayd works. To ye som
of xiii C dimidia & xii fott of new tymber at xvid the
hundreth fott.
Thomas Walker
and hys fellow - xviiis
To them mor for sawyng & slyttyng a sonder
Sawyng of olde tymber for wall platts & other nedfulls
by ye daye by the space of iiii days apece of them at viiid day
- VS iiiid
Laborr
at vid
Laboryng as well in making of a saw pyte for the
sawyers, helpyng them & the carpenters to ber tymber
to and from to (sic) ye saw pytts & to ye workyng places redy
to the carpenters hand to work, as also to help the carpenters
to mak ther scaffolds & raysyng up of scaffolde
poolls. helping to tak downe rotten brokyn
tymber, with beryng yt from them, dygyng ye stone
walls & rubyshe under ye wall platts & gutters of lead
of ye sayd hall to ye furtheryng of ye carpenters worke.
Rychard Fox xxiiii days - xiis
at viiid
Working not only in takyng downe of old tyll from ye
roofe of ye sayd hall to serche the rafters of ye sam & to begyn
to late ye same wher yt nedyth, but also to reppoynt
& tyll part of ye east syd roofe with old & new
tyll wher yt nedyth, with contynuall workying upon the same.
Hew Hamon xiiii days - ixs iiiid
Labour
at vid
Summa xliiiis viiid
Anno R. E. VI Vito
Laboryng not only in helpyng ye tyler to tak down tyll
with saving them from brekyng, makying cleyn of old tyll,
helping to rayse ladders with removing of the sam, but also
makying of tyll pynns, pynnyng of tyll, slakying of lym,
makying of morter with servyng ye tyler with pryg" lat morter
& ston & greving attendaunce to ye sayd tyler yt nothyng be
taking
Jhon Charelle xiiii days - viis
Ffrom Sonday ye xxx day of August unto ye xvii of September
"Pryg were thin, flat roofing nails. Also mentioned on f.7V.
38
F.6'
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
by the space of xxiiii laboryng days.
Workyng aswell in fynysshyng of all reparacons of the east
syd of ye gret hall in new laying of jiests, planks & bordes
redy for ye plommer to lay new gotters of led wth doyng all
Carpenters other nedfulls belonging to ye same syd of ye hall, as also
takying up planks, jiests & bords of ye north & south syd of the
same hall & layng in of other new jiests, planks & hordes
redy for ye plommer to lay new gutters of led. Repairing
at xd
ye gret chamber called ye wardroob chamber over ye staier
commying up in to ye gret hall in every place wher yt nedyth
of both sydds of ye sayd gret chamber, as pecyng of rafters
with new tymber, making of new sproketts rownd about
ye same, mendyng ye Hower with new jiests & bards wher
yt nedyth with ye fynysshyng of ye sam, reparying twoo
coves next ye entrey goyng in to ye grett seller and
wardroob chamber, mendyng ye roofe of ye northwest and
south syd of ye dresser kychyn with fynysshyng of ye same.
Rychard Holte27
Thomas Holte
William Waterman
Austen Pysyng
xviii days - xvs
xxii days - xvis vid
xviii days - xiiis
xxiii days - xvs iiiid
at viiid
George Nycholl' xxiii days - xvs iiiid
Tyller
Summa iiii Ii iiiis viid
Anno R. E. VI YI
Workyng not only in fynysshyng of ye said hall, as
ryppyng, poyntyng & new lattyng' & layng ye sam with
old & new tyll. reparyng ye stone walls under
ye gutters redy for ye carpenters & plommers to
fynyshe ye worke, but also tak (sic) up tyll & serche ye
roofe of ye wardrobe chamber redy for ye carpenters to
worke & mend ye sayd roofe wher yt nedyth, with savyng ye
olde tyll beyng takyn downe for ye sam, begynyng
to late ye sam after ye carpenters on both sydds for the
spedy workyng & dyspatchyng of ye sam rooffe.
at viiid
Hew Hamon xxiii days - xvs iiiid
Laboryng in makyng of morter & other neccessarii nedfulls,
servyng ye tyler & gevyng attendaunce to ye same.
at vid
Jhon Charells xxiii days - xis vid
Ffrom Sonday ye xiii day of November unto Sonday ye xi day
of December by the space of xxiiii laboryng days.
l$ Lattyng: fixing laths.
39
Carpenters
Tyler
a! viiid
laborers
at vid
D. SHERLOCK
Workyng as well in mendyng & reparyng ye grate·"'
of wood standyng in ye kychyn dresser next ye grett
hall, mendyng ye flower of ye same & ye flower over
ye stayers goyng downe in to ye grett kychyn/'
as also with lyk repayryng ye roofe of ye sam joynyng
to ye kyngs gret kychyn, as pecyng ye rafters, makyng
new sprokets for ye fall of ye rayo water to have hys
corse north from ye grett kychyn, with fynysshyng of ye same
Austen Pysyng
Jhon Thomson
Harry Turner
Summa xxxiis iid
Anno R. E. VI VI
iiii
ii
ii
days - iis viiid
days - xvid
days - xvid
Working aswell in tylyng of ye sayd wardrobe chamber on both
sydds, with lew layng of roof tyll wher yt nedyth, wth fyoisshyng
of ye sam chamber, as also to mak a scaffolde to tyll the
lyntyll roofe over ye jayks38 of ye sayd wardrobe chamber and
fynysshyng of all other nedfulls.
Hew Hamon xxiiii days - xvis
George Nycholl' xxiiii days - xvis
Jhon Charells X days - vs
Jhon Eton xiiii days - viis
To the same Hew Hamon for serchyng, ryppyng, pontyng and
lattyng31 tyllyng of ye roofe over the kychyn dresser, with the
fynysshyng of the same by the space of x days at viiid day - vis viiid
To hys laborer for lyk workyng to serve hyme & gevyng
attendaunce by the space of x days at vid the daye - vs
Payd the sayd Hamon and hys ii laborers for new lattyng
& ryllyng of ii coves, i over ye seller entrey, the other
adjoynyng to ye stone wall next the ward rob chamber, wyth
under pynyng the sells of ye sam coves & mendyng all the
stone work dekayd in the grett hall, ye dresser kychyne and
the wyndow & stone wall next ye grett hall to ye courtward (sic),
with makyng cleyn ye grett hall & caryng away all the
rubyshe commyng of ye sayd works in a bargeyn by gret - xviiis iiiid
Summa iii Ii ixs ixd
"' Grate: a lattice or open framework of laths.
37 Formerly the abbey's great kitchen, a detached hexagonal building just north of
the refectory, built 1287-91 and depicted by Braun and Hogen berg and earlier artists
(Sherlock and Woods forthcoming).
311 Jayks: privies.
40
Playn
tyll
Roofe tyll
gutter till
Playn
tyll
gutter tyll
Corner
tyll
Lym
Sand
Scaffoll
pools
Carr of
poolls
pryge
THE ACCOUNT OF GEORGE NYCHOLL
Anno R. E. VI VI
Empcons
Payd to Robert Colwell of Hamhyll for ii mille playn
tyll imployd in tylyng & reparyng of ye forsayd hall
rooffe at viiis the mille - xvis
Payd hym mor for vi mille playn tyll imployd uppon
lyk use at ixs mille - liiiis
Pd. hym mor for xxiiii roofe tyll for lyk use at id a pece - iis
Pd. hym for i quarter of gutter tyll for ye dresser kychyn - xd
Pd Jhon Hull of ye sam for i mille of playn tyll for lyk use - viiis
Pd Georg Caldam of Fordyche for v mille playn
tyll at viiis viiid the mille & imployd upon lyk use - xliiis iiiid
Pd hym mor for i quarter of gutter tyll - xd
Pd. Hew Hamon for xxx corner tyll for ye sayd kychyn - xiid
Pd. hym mor for xvi corner tyll for lyk use - iiiid
Payd Wylliam Crepyn of Redfyld3' for i loode
of lym imployd upon ye sayd works to mak morter - vis
Pd. Jhon Keys of Cant. for iiii court lood of sand
irnployd in makyng of morter at vid ye loode - iis
Pd. Jhon Clerke of ye sam for iiii lod of sande for lyke use - iis
Pd. Mr Mylls'" of Chrystys Churche for i lode of
scaffolde poolls imployyd (sic) in shoryng ye hall roof - xd
Pd. Jhon Farbrace of Chartam for i lyk loode of
scaffolde poolls for to mak sydds for ladders - xd
Pd. ye Foster for cutting of ye sayd poolls - iiiid
Pd. Jhon Rygdon of Chartam for carr of ye
Sayd ii loodes from Chartam to Sent Austens - iis viiid
Payd Mr Cornwell" of London for i some of
pryge imployd upon ye sayd workes - vis
Payd Jhon Browne of Canterbury for vi dimidia C
of xd nayll42 for ye sayd works at xd C - vs vd
Summa vii Ii xiis vd
Anno R. E. VI VI
Empcon
Payd Jerom Oxenbryge'3 of Cant. for iiii C vd nayll - xxd
39 Redfyld: unidentified.
•
0 John Mylls, alias Warham, one of the monks of the recently dissolved priory, now
a cathedral prebend, afterwards rector of Chartham and Ringwould. Died 1565
(Hasted 1799-1801, xii, 97). He was Master of the Works at the Cathedral so would
have been in a position to sell scaffolding to Nycholl. Along with Finch and Moyle he
was also involved in the arrest of John Bland (Fox, 1684, ill, 301). See note 4 above.
'1 Christopher Cornwall of London, ironmonger, bought vestments for the huge
value of £30 in the sale of church goods in 1553 (Arch. Cant., xiv (1882), 321).
"These were therefore 'tenpenny nails' - 10d. per 100.
0 Jerome Oxenbridge, grocer, was the grandfather of Stephen Gosson who wrote
The School of Abuse (1579) which prompted Sir Philip Sidney to write An Apologie for
Poetrie (Urry).
41
F.8"
Naylls
off
dyverse
sortes
Shovull
& spade
a
lok
keys
dygyng
of ston
& wayng
of ye sam
D. SHERLOCK
Pd. Mr Lewys of ye sam for xii xvd nayll to nayll sproketts - vid
Pd. hym mor for iii C vid nayll to nayll bordes - xviiid
Payd Rychard Panton" of Sent Dunstons for i C
of xvid nayll imployd by the carpenters upon ye sayd works - xvid
Pd. hym mor for v Cvid nayll for lyk use - iis id
Pd. hym mor for vi C iiiid nayll to nayll bords - iis
Pd. Jhon Lyght of Sent Paulis for i mille iiid nayll
imployd by the tyler to nail (sic) late upon ye rafters - iis vid
Pd. hym mor for v C vd nayll for ye sayd works - iis id
Pd. hym mor for yron worke for ye stone wayths,.' - vs xid
Pd. Rycharde Panton forsayd for i shoyd«> shovull
& i spade imployd by (deleted) the (deleted) by the laborers in dygyng,
castyng & shovelyng rubysh from ye stone
walls under ye gutters & other placs there at viid pee - xiiiid
To Wylliam Hart of Cant. for i looke & a keye
for ye pantry
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