Corporation of London 'St Swithin's Lane' street sign, c.1930, New Court, St. Swithin’s Lane has been the home of the London house of Rothschild for over 200 years. There have been four buildings called New Court on the site.
St Swithin's Lane before the Rothschilds
St Swithin’s Church (destroyed in the London Blitz) was founded in the 13th century, and the 'lane called Swityhinnes' was first recognised in about 1270. In 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed most of the properties in the lane. The first mention of a house called ‘New Court’ appears in John Strype’s Survey of London in 1720.
New Court
In 1809, Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777-1836) acquired the lease of New Court for £750, as a home for his family and to conduct business. The property was a short stroll away from the Bank of England and the Royal Exchange where Nathan would soon make his mark. The family moved out of New Court to a new villa in Stamford Hill in 1816.
New Court was completely rebuilt in 1865 in the style of a grand Italian ‘palazzo’. The second New Court was completely rebuilt between 1962-1965. The third New Court was demolished and replaced with the current building between 2008-2011.
