St Dunstan's Street, Roper Gate

It's all that remains of a substantial Tudor property belonging to William Roper, who married Sir Thomas More's eldest daughter, Margaret (1505 - 1544). Margaret was one of the best educated laywomen of her time, particularly when most females were not expected to advance their knowledge much beyond household matters and basic religious instruction. In the 1520's she published a book, a translation from the Latin into English, of Erasmus' thoughts on the Lord's Prayer. Despite Cardinal Wolsey's blessing it caused a bit of a kerfuffle at the time and she didn't dare do it again. After her father's execution, she boldly 'rescued' his rotting head from a spike over London Bridge and placed it in a vault in St Dunstan's Church where it remains to this day. Three of the small windows have been blocked in by what appears to be cement. Whether this was done during the time of the of the infamous Window Tax (1696-1851) or as part of the gate's restoration.

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