Passing into Cloth Fair we find some old houses, probably in existence when the martyrdoms took place; we here present a group of these buildings, seen on the right soon after entering that locality.
Having passed this group, and turning by the blacksmith’s, we obtain a glimpse of the exterior of the church, with some very picturesque, antique houses; forming together a quaint bit of Old London, worth a journey to see.
Going through the narrow passage under the houses we come to a portion of the building now used as the boys’ school.
The neighbourhood of Cloth Fair abounds with old houses; thither the clothiers and drapers of London repaired, and had their booths and standings within the churchyard of this Priory, closed in with walls and gates, locked every night and watched, for safety of men’s “goods and wares;” but Stowe says that in place of booths within the churchyard, only let out in the fair time, and closed all the year after, are many large houses built.
