Green Street House

Last updated

Green Street House, usually known as Boleyn Castle, was a stately home in Upton Park in the modern London Borough of Newham, East London.

Contents

The alternative name derives from the local legend linking the house with Anne Boleyn and from its imposing appearance, notably the castle-like structure called Anne Boleyn’s Tower which lay immediately adjacent to Green Street.

The house lay at the southern end of Green Street, from which it takes its name, a street which forms the boundary between West and East Ham. West Ham United's former Boleyn Ground was built immediately to the east of the House and took its name from the alternative name for the house. In its early years the club referred to their new ground as the Boleyn Castle with Boleyn Ground subsequently becoming the usual term.

The house was demolished in 1955.

Origin, and the Boleyn Legend

The estate was formed in the early 16th century, perhaps by Richard Breame (d. 1546) a servant of Henry VIII. The local legend is that Anne Boleyn lived there and Henry VIII came there to court her. There is no documentary evidence to support this belief. [1]

Description

Green Street House was a red-brick building, mostly of two storeys which originally comprised a great hall at right angles to the street with a long range at its west end and a kitchen block at the east end. South of the kitchen block was a staircase wing with a three-storeyed tower east of that. At the north end of the west range, fronting Green Street, was an arched gateway.

In the late 17th century the upper parts of the hall, the west range, the kitchen, and staircase wing were partly rebuilt. during the ownership of Sir Jacob and Sir Thomas Garrard.

In the 18th century a wing was added east of the tower, and a later addition was made east of the kitchen. Inside the house there was panelling of the late 16th- or early 17th-century, and the main staircase was of the same period.

In the garden, south of the west wing, was a detached tower, Anne Boleyn's Tower, which overlooked the street and was the best-known feature of the house. This was an octagonal building of red brick with crenellated parapet and stair-turret. It was built about the middle of the 16th century, and may originally have been balanced by another tower at the south-east corner of the garden.

The upper part of the tower was rebuilt by William Morley about 1800. Until the 18th century a room in the tower was hung with leather embossed with gold, but Morley's predecessor, Mrs. Whiteside, is said to have burnt these hangings and sold the gold. The sale catalogue of 1863 lists all the rooms in the house and its outbuildings, and describes the gardens, which contained several fine cedars.

When the Roman Catholics bought the house they demolished the gateway and erected a range of buildings, including a church, along Green Street. [2]

Owners and tenants

It has been suggested that Breame was followed in the late 16th and early 17th centuries by the Nevilles, whose monument is in St. Mary's church, East Ham. In the 1630s and 1640s the estate seems to have belonged to Sir Henry Holcroft (died circa 1651) a Parliamentarian prominent in Essex during the Civil War, and later to his widow.

It was acquired about 1653 by Sir Jacob Garrard (Bt.), a London merchant of royalist sympathies who founded an apprenticing charity. Green Street House descended with the baronetcy until the death in 1728 of Sir Nicholas Garrard. Cecilia, widow of Sir Nicholas, retained it until her death in 1753, when it passed to his grandnephew Sir Jacob Downing, Bt. In 1755 Downing conveyed the estate, then comprising about 160 acres (65 ha), to James Barnard or Bernard (d. 1759). Bernard appears to have been succeeded by Mrs. Whiteside, who was probably his daughter and the estate was partly broken up about this time.

In 1788–1789, Maurice Bernard sold Green Street House and grounds, totalling 17 acres (6.9 ha), to William Morley. Morley, a London corn merchant, lived there until his death in 1832. The house was subsequently bought by Mr. Henry Lee, for his daughter Mrs. Sarah Morley, who was related to the former owner by marriage. In 1839 James Morley (not her husband but possibly her uncle), owned and occupied the house. The occupation of the site by the different Morley families led to the junction of Green Street and Barking Road, by the Boleyn Tavern, being known as Morley's Corner.

In 1863, the house and grounds, then comprising 30 acres (12 ha), were advertised for sale. They do not appear to have changed hands then, but in 1869 they were bought from the Morleys by Cardinal Manning, for use as a Roman Catholic reformatory school. [3] After the reformatory was closed the southern part of the site was used for a Roman Catholic church and primary school.

The house, after being used c. 1907–12 as a maternity home, was leased, with some adjoining land, to the West Ham United football club, which sub-let the house to the Boleyn Castle social club. The social club occupied the house until the Second World War. [4]

After moving into the adjacent Boleyn Ground, West Ham United trained on the grounds of Green Street House, before moving to Chadwell Heath. [5]

Demolition

Like many stately homes at that time, the house became dilapidated, with bomb damage possibly a factor, [6] and as a result was demolished in 1955.

Legacy

Until 2016, West Ham United played at the adjacent Boleyn Ground named after the House and the club's badge featured a stylised representation of the House. The ground's West Stand, redeveloped in 2001 included tower features as a stylised tribute to the club's badge and Green Street House itself. The Boleyn Ground was demolished after the 2015–16 season but the Boleyn Tavern, on the Morley's Corner junction with Barking Road remains.

Several nearby street names reflect the presence of the House. Castle Street immediately to the south and the cluster of streets with Tudor themed names a little to the north. Other roads in the immediate north of the site are named after the other wives of King Henry VIII - Parr Road, Cleves Road, Arragon Road, Seymour Road, etc.

After West Ham United left the Boleyn Ground in 2016, archaeologists uncovered foundations of some of the buildings beneath the club's former carpark. [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Boleyn</span> Queen of England from 1533 to 1536

Anne Boleyn was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution by beheading for treason, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that marked the start of the English Reformation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hever Castle</span> Historic building in Kent, England

Hever Castle is located in the village of Hever, Kent, near Edenbridge, 30 miles (48 km) south-east of London, England. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of the Boleyn family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire</span> Castle in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England

Tattershall Castle is a castle in Tattershall, Lincolnshire, England. Since 1925 it has been in the care of the National Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace of Placentia</span> Former English royal residence at Greenwich, Greater London

The Palace of Placentia, also known as Greenwich Palace, was an English royal residence that was initially built by prince Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, in 1443. Over the centuries it took several different forms, until turned into a hospital in the 1690s. The palace was a place designed for pleasure, entertainment and an escape from the city. It was located at Greenwich on the south bank of the River Thames, downstream from London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Ham</span> Suburban district of London, England

East Ham is a district of the London Borough of Newham, England, 8 miles (12.8 km) east of Charing Cross. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Essex, East Ham is identified in the London Plan as a Major Centre. The population is 76,186.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hadlow</span> Village in Kent, England

Hadlow is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tonbridge and Malling in Kent, England. It is situated in the Medway valley, north-east of Tonbridge and south-west of Maidstone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upton Park, London</span> Human settlement in England

Upton Park is an area of the East London borough of Newham, centred on Green Street which is the boundary between West Ham and East Ham. West Ham United Football Club formerly played at the Boleyn Ground, commonly known as Upton Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower Hill</span> Area of London, England

Tower Hill is the area surrounding the Tower of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is infamous for the public execution of high status prisoners from the late 14th to the mid 18th century. The execution site on the higher ground north-west of the Tower of London moat is now occupied by Trinity Square Gardens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boleyn Ground</span> Former football stadium of West Ham United FC

The Boleyn Ground, often referred to as Upton Park, was a football stadium located in Upton Park, East London. It was the home of West Ham United from 1904 to 2016, and was briefly used by Charlton Athletic in the early 1990s during their years of financial difficulty. The seating capacity of the ground at closure was 35,016.

A Francisation of traditional English "Bullen" coming from the French name Boulogne, Boleyn is the surname of a noble English family particularly prominent in the Tudor period. People with this surname include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craigmillar Castle</span> Castle in City of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Craigmillar Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is three miles (4.8 km) south-east of the city centre, on a low hill to the south of the modern suburb of Craigmillar. The Preston family of Craigmillar, the local feudal barons, began building the castle in the late 14th century and building works continued through the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1660, the castle was sold to Sir John Gilmour, Lord President of the Court of Session, who breathed new life into the ageing castle. The Gilmours left Craigmillar in the 18th century for a more modern residence, nearby Inch House, and the castle fell into ruin. It is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument, and is open to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iron Acton</span> Village in South Gloucestershire, England

Iron Acton is a village, civil parish and former manor in South Gloucestershire, England. The village is about 2 miles (3 km) west of Yate and about 9 miles (14 km) northeast of the centre of Bristol. The B4058 road used to pass through the village but now by-passes it just to the north.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hylton Castle</span> Castle in Sunderland, UK

Hylton Castle is a stone castle in the North Hylton area of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. Originally built from wood by the Hilton family shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066, it was later rebuilt in stone in the late 14th to early 15th century. The castle underwent major changes to its interior and exterior in the 18th century and it remained the principal seat of the Hylton family until the death of the last Baron in 1746. It was then Gothicised but neglected until 1812, when it was revitalised by a new owner. Standing empty again until the 1840s, it was briefly used as a school until it was purchased again in 1862. The site passed to a local coal company in the early 20th century and was taken over by the state in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green Street, Newham</span> Road in Newham, East London

Green Street is a road in the London Borough of Newham, East London, which forms much of the boundary between East and West Ham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitreavie Castle</span>

Pitreavie Castle is a country house, located between Rosyth and Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland. It was built in the early 17th century, and was extensively remodelled in 1885. The house remained in private hands until 1938, when it was acquired by the Air Ministry, and became RAF Pitreavie Castle. The RAF station closed in 1996, and the building was converted into residential apartments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clonony</span> Village in County Offaly, Ireland

Clonony is a small village in County Offaly, Ireland. It is noted for Clonony Castle, a late medieval tower house built in 1500. The village is between the River Brosna and the Grand Canal, in the parish of Gallen and Reynegh. The nearest town is Cloghan, 2.8 km (1.7 mi) to the south-east along the R357 road. Athlone is 22 km (14 mi) to the north.

Events from the 1530s in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tower Green</span> Courtyard within the Tower of London

Tower Green is a space within the Tower of London, a royal castle in London, where two English Queens consort and several other British nobles were executed by beheading. It was considered more dignified for nobility to be executed away from spectators, and Queens Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and Lady Jane Grey were among the nobility beheaded here. Queen Victoria asked for information on the exact location where the executions took place and had some granite paving laid to mark the spot. However, it is unclear whether the location is indeed correct because other sources place it on the current parade ground between the White Tower and the entrance to the current Waterloo Barracks.

Anne, Lady Shelton née Boleyn was a sister of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and one of the aunts of his daughter, Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary Magdalene's Church, East Ham</span> Church in United Kingdom

St Mary Magdalene's Church, East Ham is a parish church in East Ham, east London, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. Its nave, chancel and apse date to the first half of the 12th century and the tower probably to the early 13th century but partly rebuilt in the 16th century - it is claimed to be the oldest parish church still in weekly use in Greater London and is listed at Grade I.

References

  1. Warnicke, Retha M. (1989). The rise and fall of Anne Boleyn : family politics at the court of Henry VIII. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 247. ISBN   0521370000.
  2. Information in this section from BHO, except where stated http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol6/pp8-14
  3. Children's Homes website includes OS map of 1896 and a drawing of Anne Boleyn's Tower http://www.childrenshomes.org.uk/PlaistowRfy/
  4. Information in this section from BHO, except where stated http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/essex/vol6/pp8-14
  5. "Myths and Legends ..." They Fly So High. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  6. Link to National Archive War Damage reports http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C3727978
  7. "Update on Archaeological Works" (PDF). Pre-Construct Archaeology Limited. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2018.
  8. Long, Rhiannon (12 January 2019). "Objects excavated from below old Boleyn Ground to go on display". Newham Recorder. Retrieved 23 November 2021.

51°31′53.21″N0°2′15.96″E / 51.5314472°N 0.0377667°E / 51.5314472; 0.0377667