The Literary History of the Adelphi and Its NeighbourhoodBrereton, Austin
History
The Literary History of the Adelphi and Its Neighbourhood
Brereton, Austin
Adelphi (London, England) -- History; Literary landmarks -- England -- London; London (England) -- History
Another name of note associated with Durham House is that of Thomas
Hatfield, already alluded to by Stow as having built that structure.
He probably added to it, or he may have rebuilt it. He was a great
prelate, and, in addition to the bishopric of Durham, which he held
from 1345 until his death in 1381, he was made keeper of the Privy Seal
in 1343, and, in 1346 and 1355, he accompanied Edward III. to France.
In Durham, he built part of the south side of the cathedral choir and
the hall of the castle, hence, possibly, the credit given to him by
Stow of building the Thames-side Durham House. His learned _Survey of
Durham_ was edited by the Rev. William Greenwell in 1856.
It is a far cry from the joyous days of Prince Henry to the turbulent
times of Henry VIII., but the old chronicles do not contain any
mention of Durham House during that lengthy period. In the reign of
the latter king, the then Bishop of Durham "conveyed the house to
the King in fee"; in other words, the noble Henry appropriated the
property to his own uses. He had the saving grace, however, to give
to the see of Durham, in exchange, some houses in Cold Harbour (now
marked by Upper Thames Street), and elsewhere. The exact date of the
transfer is unknown. The history of this bishop, who was made to
surrender Durham House to King Henry, is curious. Cuthbert Tunstall,
or Tonstall, was Master of the Rolls, and bishop successively of
London and Durham. Extolled by Erasmus, and the friend of Sir Thomas
More, he was learned in Greek, Hebrew, mathematics, and civil law.
Harrow-on-the-Hill had him for rector in 1511, he was prebendary
of Lincoln in 1514, archdeacon of Chester in the year following,
ambassador to the Prince of Castile at Brussels, 1515-1516, Master
of the Rolls in 1516, prebendary of York in 1519, and ambassador to
Charles V. in 1519, and again in 1525. He was Bishop of London from
1522-1530, keeper of the privy seal in 1523, and Bishop of Durham in
1530. It must have been after the latter year that he transferred
Durham House to Henry VIII. Accused of inciting to rebellion, 1550, he
was deprived of his bishopric of Durham by Edward VI., in 1552. Queen
Mary, however, restored him immediately on her accession, and he
remained in possession of Durham House--which Mary had also restored to
the see--until, in the year of his death, 1559, he was again deprived
by Queen Elizabeth, to whom he had refused the oath of supremacy.
A very interesting chapter in the history of Durham House came into
existence, thanks to its acquisition by Henry VIII., who granted it
to the Earl of Wiltshire (1477-1539), Thomas Boleyn, father of Queen
Anne Boleyn. It is not impossible that the Earl of Wiltshire was in
occupation of Durham House during the childhood of his daughter: at
any rate, it is certain that Anne's daughter, the Princess Elizabeth,
afterwards Queen, resided here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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