From time immemorial Small Street, in the city and county of Bristol, two-thirds of the west side of which the Post Office occupies, has been an important street. One of the nine old town gates was at the bottom of it, and was known as St. Giles's Gate, having obtained this name from a church dedicated to St. Giles, the patron saint of cripples and beggars, which in the fifteenth century stood at the end of "Seynt-Lauren's-Laane." Here, history says, was the "hygest walle of Bristow," which has "grete vowtes under it, and the old chyrch of Seynt Gylys was byldyd ovyr the vowtes." The cutting of the trench, from the old Stone Bridge to near Prince Street Bridge, for the new channel of the Froom, was completed in 1247. Before this date ships could only lie in the Avon, where the bottom was "very stony and rough"; but the bed of the new course of the Froom having turned out to be soft and muddy, it became the harbour for the great ships, and Small Street from this time became a principal thoroughfare. Then to this quarter of the town came Bristol's greatest merchants. From the centre of the town to the old Custom House, at the lower end of Pylle Street (now St. Stephen Street) there was no nearer way than down Small Street and through St. Giles's Gate. The existence of gardens in the 15th and 16th centuries at the backs of the Houses in Small Street is evidenced by the wills of old Bristolians. In that of William Hoton, merchant, of St. Werburgh's parish, who died in 1475, is mentioned "the garden of Sir Henry Hungerford, Knight," near the cemetery of St. Leonard's Church, and John Easterfield, merchant, of St. Werburgh's parish, who died in 1504, bequeathed to his wife his dwelling-house in Small-Strete, and also "the garden in St. Leonard's Lane, as long as she dwelleth in the said house."
ELTON MANSION, SMALL STREET, BRISTOL.
In this historic Small Street, and just within the old city walls, have for two or three hundred years stood certain premises, in olden times divided into three separate holdings, the freehold of which was purchased in 1903 from the Bristol Water Works Company by the Post Office, for much-needed extensions to its already large building. The facts respecting these three edifices have been culled from ancient parchments which would fill a large wheelbarrow. The premises are not of very ornate exterior now. They are interesting, however, as denoting an old style of architecture; but the exteriors have, no doubt, been so altered and pulled about to meet the requirements of successive occupiers as to be not quite like what they were originally. The structures appear to have been erected in the middle of the 17th century, probably at the end of the reign of King Charles I. (1649). The plan of Brightstowe, published in 1581 by Hofnagle, shows that the Church of St. Werburgh and its churchyard occupied one-third of the frontage of the street, on the west, or Post Office, side, and that there were only five other separate buildings, which were each detached, and covered the remainder of the length of the street. Millerd's "Exact Delineations of the famous Cittie of Bristoll," published in 1673, does not so clearly illustrate the houses standing in Small Street on its west or Post Office side as could be desired. The deeds hereafter alluded to indicate, however, that of the three premises under consideration, the Elton Mansion, at least, was standing before 1680, as Richard Streamer, who died in that year, is named as having formerly dwelt therein. There is no earlier record, and as Streamer only came to fame as councillor in 1661, it may, perhaps, be assumed that the mansion was erected about the year 1650; and as a member of the Cann family is the first known owner of the property, no doubt the house was erected for him. The style of architecture appears to bear out that assumption as to date, and the frontages indicate that the three houses under special review were erected about the same time.
While there may be a little regret when these mediæval buildings disappear, there will be the advantage of the street being considerably widened by their removal. It is now only 20 feet wide from house to house, and gives a very good idea of its appropriate appellation—Small Street. Taking first the property which formed the middle holding, now (1905) known as 7, Small Street, and which was not, therefore, actually contiguous to the existing Post Office, the earliest date alluded to in the parchments is the year 1700. In a deed of the 14th August, 1723, it is stated that Sir Abraham Elton, merchant, under indenture of lease dated 28th February, 1700, had bought from Sir Thomas Cann, of Stoke Bishopp, in the county of Gloucester, Esq., "All that great messuage or dwelling-house situate standing and being in Small Street within the Parishes of St. Walburgh (sic) and St. Leonard." The indenture was between Sir Abraham Elton, Bart., on the one part, and Christopher Shuter, of the same city, on the other part, and was worded thus: "Now this Indenture witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings of lawful money of Great Britain to the said Sir Abraham Elton in hand paid by the said Christopher Shuter the receipt whereof the said Sir Abraham Elton doth hereby confess and acknowledge and for divers good causes and considerations him the said Sir Abraham Elton hereunto moving hath granted bargained sold assigned and set over ... unto the said Christopher Shuter all the said messuage and tenements to have and to hold unto the said Christopher Shuter his executors administrators and assigns from henceforth for and during all the rest and residue of the above recited terms of 70 years which is yet to run and unexpired in trust for said Sir Abraham Elton."
The next record is that bearing date of the next day, thus:—"Mr. Cann's lease for a year of a Messuage in Small Street to Sir Abraham Elton. Date 15th August, 1723." Robert Cann "doth demise grant bargain and sell unto the said Sir Abraham Elton all that great messuage or dwelling house situate standing and being in Small Street within the parishes of St. Walburgh and St. Leonards or one of them within the said city of Bristol wherein Richard Streamer Esq. (who died in 1680) formerly dwelt and wherein Sir William Poole, Knt. (no trace of him can be found in local records) afterwards dwelt and now (1723) the dwelling of and in the possession of the said Sir Abraham Elton (First Baronet) (where also Sir Abraham Elton, the grandson, successively dwelt, and, after that, William Thornhill, surgeon) and fronting forwards to the street called Small Street and extending backwards to a lane called St. Leonard's Lane and bounded on the outside thereof with a messuage in the holding of William Donne, Ironmonger, and afterwards (1746) John Perks, Tobacconist (now 1905, known as No. 6 in Small Street and actually adjoining the Post Office) and on the other side thereof with a messuage in the tenure of William Knight, Cooper (and afterwards of Richard Lucas, Cooper) (now 1905, known as No. 8 Small Street and last occupied by Messrs. Bartlett and Hobbs, Wine Merchants), together with all and singular Cellars, Sellars Vaults, Rooms, Halls, Parlors, Chambers, Kitchens, Lofts, Lights, Basements, Backsides, pavements, court yards and appurtenances whatsoever"—for one whole year, yielding and paying therefor the rent of a peppercorn on the feast of St. Michael the Archangel (if the same shall be demanded). Signed and sealed, Robert Cann. In the Abstract of Title it is noted that William Knight, who occupied the house on the "other side," was succeeded in the tenure by Richard Lucas, cooper. On the 14th August, 1746, Sir Abraham Elton (3rd Bart.) and assignees leased the premises as before described to Dr. Logan, of the city of Bristol, doctor in physick, for 5s., as in the case of Christopher Shuter. The house of William Donne, ironmonger, adjoining, was in this deed mentioned as occupied by John Perks, tobacconist. The property appears to have been sold by William Logan, of Pennsylvania, Esq., and nephew and heir of the above-mentioned Dr. Logan, doctor of physick, of the city of Bristol, to the "Small Street Company (Richard Reynolds, Edward Garlick, Richard Summers, James Harford, William Cowles, James Getly)" on the 27th May, 1772. In the year 1847 the property was leased to the Bristol Water Works Company, and purchased by the company in 1865.
The several owners and occupiers of this "great house" were persons of no mean degree, as the following statement of their local positions indicates. According to Playfair's "British Family Antiquity," Vol. VII., Mr. Robert Cann was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Cann, who was the eldest son of Sir Robert Cann, the first baronet. Sir Robert Cann was the eldest son of William Cann, Esqr., Alderman of Bristol. He married the sister of Sir Robert Yeomans, who was beheaded at Bristol for supporting the cause of Charles I. Sir Robert was Councillor, 1649-1663; Sheriff, 1651-1652; Treasurer, Merchant Venturers, 1653-1654; Master, Merchant Venturers, 1658-1659; Mayor, 1662-1663; Knighted, 1662; created Baronet, 1662; Alderman 1663-1685; Mayor, 1675-1676. Under the south window of St. Werburgh's Church was a handsome monument, with a half-arch, for the family of Sir Robert Cann, of Compton-Greenfield, Bart. Richard Streamer was Councillor, 1661-1672; Sheriff, 1663-1664; Alderman, 1672-1680; Mayor 1673-1674; Master, Merchant Venturers, 1672-1673; died 1680. Sir William Pool cannot be traced in the local histories which have been consulted. Sir Abraham Elton (first baronet), baptized 3 July, 1654, at St. Philip and St. Jacob Church, was the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Elton, of that parish. From entries in the registers, it may be seen that the family was settled there as early as 1608, about which time the members of it migrated from near Ledbury to the neighbourhood, attracted doubtless by the splendid field for enterprise offered by the second City of the Kingdom, as Bristol undoubtedly was at that period, and for some time afterwards. They were Puritans, and held some land in Barton Regis on the Gloucestershire side of the city. Richard Elton, bap. at St. Philip and St. Jacob, 29 April, 1610, was a Colonel in Fairfax's Army, and he published one of the earliest text books in the English language on military tactics; hence the family motto, "Artibus et Armis." A copy of this book is now in Clevedon Court Library, with its quaint frontispiece, portrait and inscription: "Richard Elton, of Bristol, 1649, aetas suae 39." Sir Abraham was apprenticed in 1670 to his eldest brother, Jacob Elton, but in 1672 went to sea. He married in 1676 Mary, daughter of Robert Jefferies, a member of a well-known mercantile family of that day. He served in many public offices, thus:—President, Gloucestershire Society, 1689; Councillor, 1699-1712; Sheriff, 1702-1703; Master, Merchant Venturers, 1708-1709; Mayor, 1710-1711; Alderman, 1712-1728; Governor, Incorporation of Poor, 1713-1715; High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, 1716; created baronet, 1717; Mayor, September, 1720; M.P., 1722-1727.
[From an original painting at Clevedon Court.
A.E.
THE FIRST SIR ABRAHAM ELTON, BART.