CHAPTER 20: LONG ACRE The formation of the parish of St. Paul,
Covent Garden, in 1645 left a long strip of ground between the
northern boundary of that parish and Castle Street, Long Acre,
the northern boundary of the parish of St. Martinin-the-Fields;
through this strip runs the street called Long Acre. The street
takes its name from a field known as Long Acre, which consisted
originally of 7 acres and was purchased (ref. 158) by Henry
VIII, together with Covent Garden adjoining it on the south,
from the Abbey of Westminster. It was then held on lease by
William Browne. In July, 1547, Long Acre and Covent Garden were
granted (ref. 26) to Edward, Duke of Somerset, the Protector,
who, four years later, in December, 1551, was sentenced to death
in Westminster Hall. We are told that the people "supposing he
had been clerely quitt, when they see the axe of the Tower put
downe, made such a shryke and castinge up of caps, that it was
heard into the Long Acre beyonde Charinge Crosse." (ref. 187) In
May, 1552, John,