Abbey Place

The short stretch between the top of Finewell Street and St. Andrew Street has long been known as Abbey Place and indeed still appears on maps today with that name.

The truth is however that there never has been an Abbey in this area, rather the name came about because of a mistaken notion that the so-called Prysten House at one time had a distinct connection with the Church. It was however built as a private residence for the wealthy merchant, Thomas Yogge, at the end of the fifteenth century.

In 1513 we find it referred to as the “New Place” and for the next two hundred years it was known almost constantly as Yogge’s House. That is the name it had in 1609 by which time it was in the possession of the Waddon family. By 1736 however, when it finally passed out of their hands it was “now and for sundry years passed called the Old Abbey”.