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Devereux Court
Street sign of Devereux Court
Devereux Court is located in Greater London
Devereux Court
Devereux Court
Location within Greater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Postcode districtWC2R
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
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UK Parliament
London Assembly
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UK
England
London
51°30′46.764″N 0°6′45.396″W / 51.51299000°N 0.11261000°W / 51.51299000; -0.11261000

Devereux Court, a street in the City of Westminster located just south of the Strand and east of Essex Street, is completely pedestrianised. This narrow lane is lined with well-preserved seventeenth-century buildings. The court's distinctive dog-leg layout has remained unchanged since its establishment in the 1670s on the grounds of Essex House, a stately home renowned for its expansive gardens.[1]

History

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Devereux Court, situated on the former grounds of the grand Essex House,[2] was previously the site of the Outer Temple, originally owned by the Knights Templar. It was named after Robert Devereux,[3] the 2nd Earl of Essex. Devereux was a beloved favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, although he later led an unsuccessful uprising against her, resulting in his besiegement within Essex House. Following changes in ownership, the developer Nicholas Barbon established Essex Street and Devereux Court on the land in 1675 and 1680.[4]

The plan of Arundel and Essex Houses depicts the approximate footprint of present-day Devereux Court behind Essex House. Four ornate gardens are visible between the lane and the river, showcasing an impressive approach from the river in the 1677 map.

During the 18th century and up until 1843, this establishment was renowned as one of London's premier coffee houses known as The Grecian,[5] frequented by notable figures such as Oliver Goldsmith and Sir Richard Steele, the founder of The Tatler. A pub now occupies the site where Devereux's London residence once stood, with a stone bust prominently displayed on its façade in his honour.[6][7][8]

As described by Robert Seymour in 1735, "It is a large Place with good Houses, and by Reason of its Vicinity to the Temple london, has a good Resort, consisting of Public Houses, and noted Coffee Houses; from this Court is a Passage into Essex-street".[9]

Although the Twining family owned residences in other locations, several family members, including Richard Twining, were born in Devereux Court. Richard Twining, born in 1749 at Devereux Court, was one of Daniel Twining's three sons. His mother, Mary Twining (formerly Little), was Daniel Twining's second wife. Richard received his education at Eton College.[10]

Buildings

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Devereux Court houses Devereux Chambers and three esteemed public houses: The George, The Devereux, and The Edgar Wallace (formerly The Essex Head).

Last Temple House, the sole surviving private residence in London's Temple district, now occupies the historic site once held by Essex House. Distinguished as the only remaining private dwelling in London's Temple district, Last Temple House is currently undergoing thorough renovations to restore its original splendour.

In the 17th century, Temple was meticulously developed by Nicholas Barbon,[11][12] the visionary responsible for the district's initial residential structures. Over time, nearly all of Barbon's original residential buildings, estimated at 98%, have been converted into commercial spaces and multi-family accommodations. Today, Last Temple House stands as the solitary private residence in London's Temple precinct.[13]

Civic Society

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The Temple Society is a non-profit organisation dealing with restoration of the western boundary of Temple. Since 2023, they have been working on improving the public realm of what was once Devereux Court.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Old and New London: a Narrative of its History, its People, and its Places". Notes and Queries. s5-VI (153): 460. 2 December 1876. doi:10.1093/nq/s5-vi.153.460b. ISSN 1471-6941.
  2. ^ Hibbert, Christopher; Weinreb, Ben (2008). The London Encyclopaedia. Macmillan. p. 276. ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5.
  3. ^ Hibbert, Christopher; Weinreb, Ben (2008). The London Encyclopaedia. Macmillan. p. 870. ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5.
  4. ^ "Essex Street" in Christopher Hibbert; Ben Weinreb; John Keay; Julia Keay (2010). The London Encyclopaedia. London: Pan Macmillan. p. 277. ISBN 978-0-230-73878-2.
  5. ^ Hibbert, Christopher; Weinreb, Ben (2008). The London Encyclopaedia. Macmillan. p. 350. ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5.
  6. ^ Hibbert, Christopher; Weinreb, Ben (2008). The London Encyclopaedia. Macmillan (published 235). ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5.
  7. ^ "The Strand (southern tributaries) | British History Online". British-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Devereux Court" in Christopher Hibbert; Ben Weinreb; John Keay; Julia Keay (2008). The London Encyclopaedia (3rd ed.). London: Pan Macmillan. p. 235. ISBN 978-0-230-73878-2.
  9. ^ "The Strand (southern tributaries) | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  10. ^ "House of Twining Plaque in Devereux Court". www.blueplaques.net. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Essex Street" in Christopher Hibbert; Ben Weinreb; John Keay; Julia Keay (2010). The London Encyclopaedia. London: Pan Macmillan. p. 277. ISBN 978-0-230-73878-2.
  12. ^ Hibbert, Christopher; Weinreb, Ben (2008). The London Encyclopaedia. Macmillan. p. 276. ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5.
  13. ^ "Dr Nicholas Barbon – Red Lion Square". squaremilehealthwalks. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  14. ^ "About". The Temple Society. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
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51°30′47″N 0°06′45″W / 51.512989°N 0.112610°W / 51.512989; -0.112610

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