DRAPER’S _alley_, Woodroffe street, Tower hill.
DRAPER’S _court_, Prince’s street, Lothbury.†
DRAPERS HALL, situated on the south side of Throgmorton street, is built upon the ruins of a noble palace erected on that spot, in the reign of King Henry VIII. by Thomas Lord Cromwell, Earl of Essex, which upon his attainder and execution for high treason devolving to the Crown, was purchased by the Company of Drapers, for the use to which it is now applied: but was burnt in the fire of London in 1666, and has been since rebuilt in a very handsome manner.
This is a spacious and noble edifice, which composes the four sides of a quadrangle, each of which is elevated on columns and adorned with arches, forming a piazza round a square court, and between each arch is a shield, mantling, and other fretwork. The room called the hall is adorned with a stately screen, and fine wainscot; the pictures of King William III. King George I. King George II. at full length; and an ancient picture, a three quarter length of Henry Fitz-Alwine, a draper, and the first Lord Mayor of London.
There are also several other large rooms wainscoted with oak; as the court room, at the end of which hangs a valuable picture of Mary Queen of Scots at full length, with King James her infant son in her hand. This leads into a long gallery, at the south end of which is a door into the apartments for the clerk and offices: at the north end a folding sash door opens into a grand square room called the Ladies chamber, where the company have been used at certain seasons to entertain their wives and friends with a ball. In the center of this room hangs a large and beautiful cut chandelier, which was a present from the late Sir Joseph Eyles, when he served the office of Sheriff: and over the chimney piece is a fine picture of Sir Robert Clayton, Lord Mayor of London. Out of the west side of this room is a passage that leads to a place called the Record room; the door to which is of iron; it is strongly built over the passage that leads into the garden, and covered with a cistern that contains such a body of water as may at any time be sufficient to defend this apartment from fire that might spread from the adjacent buildings.