Worcester House, Stepney Green

Description

King John's Palace (Worcester House) had a imposing gateway of the early 16th century and this, or another house to the north-west, may have been Fenne's great place, let to Lord Darcy in the 1520s. (VCH)

Trial trenches were opened in a limited excavation of the former Worcester House (the London home of the Marquis of Worcester) which was built in the late 16th c. The distinctive semi-octagonal W tower of the gatehouse, depicted In an illustration of 1790, was uncovered, as well as a range of other buildings constructed from soft red bricks set in yellow mortar. The buildings appear to have remained unchanged, or slightly modified, between the late 16th c and 1858 when they were demolished to make way for housing. (Richardson 1985)

Worcester-house.
Nearly opposite the rectory was a large mansion belonging, to Henry, the first Marquis of Worcester, as appears from a deed, bearing date 1663. It was then divided into four messuages. The gateway, which is esteemed a very fine piece of brick-work, still remains. In 1663, it was in the tenure of the Rev. Matthew Mead, an eminent dissenting divine. Here his son Richard, the celebrated physician, was born; and here, as is recorded in his life, he first commenced the practice of his profession. (Lyson 1795)

Comments

Grand noble house built in a the fashionable style of the early C16 with some fortified features, such as a crenellated gatehouse. One of numerous such noble palatial houses giving access to the elite London markets and entertainments and to the Royal Court at Westminster.
Another 'King John's Palace' once stood at Oldford in Stratford-le-Bow (TQ371837) this was, it seems, a fairly modest building. Another 'King John's Palace' was a modest house in Hackney. It appears Cockneys were remarkably unimaginative when attributing builders to an old building.