Lady Dacre's pensions.

Caxton Street was originally called Chapel Street, but was renamed in
honour of the great printer, who lived for some years at a house in the
Almonry, now replaced by the Westminster Palace Hotel (see p. 34).

On the south side of the street is a curious little square brick
building with the figure of a Bluecoat boy over the porch, and the
inscription on a slab, "The Blue Coat School, built in the year 1709."
On the back is a large painting of a similar boy and the date of
foundation: "This School founded 1688." A small garden stretches out
behind. The building itself contains simply one hall or classroom, which
is decorated by an ornamental dental cornice, and has a curious inner
portico with fluted columns over the doorway. It is supposed to have
been built by the great Sir Christopher. The Master's house, covered
with Virginia creeper, stands on one side of the main building.

The school was first established in Duck Lane, and was instituted by
Thomas Jekyll, D.D., one of the chaplains of the Broadway Chapel. It is
said to have been the first school in the Metropolis supported by
voluntary contributions. It was at first for boys only, but in 1713
twenty girls were included in the scheme, but these were afterwards
dispersed and only the boys retained. Westminster was exceptionally rich
in these foundations of the charitable, both for the young and for the
old.

Further eastward, on the north side of Caxton Street, is the Medical
School in connection with Westminster Hospital. The Town Hall stands
close by. The foundation-stone was laid by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts.
In the muniment-room there are preserved 3,400 records, etc., of
exceptional interest. Here, also, are the St. Ermin's Mansions and
Hotel, which derive their name from St. Ermin's Hill, evidently a
corruption of Hermit's Hill, under which name the place is marked in
some old maps.

Christ Church is of considerable size. It is of the last century (1843),
and its stumpy tower, which is incomplete, gives it an odd appearance.
The church is on the site of the Broadway Chapel, founded by Darrell, a
Prebendary of the Abbey, who in 1631 left L400 for its erection. Various
subscriptions were added to this sum, including one of L100 from
Archbishop Laud. The churchyard had been consecrated in 1626. The chapel
was opened 1642, and saw many vicissitudes of fortune. During the Civil
War it was used as a stable for the soldiers' horses, an