A house, building or chamber in which jewels are kept; a treasury. Now rare. b. spec. The room in the Tower of London in which the crown jewels are kept; the jewel-office.
1530. Palsgr., 235/1. Iowell house.
1546–7. Acts Privy Council Eng., 14 Mar., IIIJxx ounzes of demi souveraine gold deliverde to R. D. and J. A. Yeomen of the Jewelhowse.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par. Luke xxi. 1. Called Gazophylacium, that is to saie, the Iewelhouse or sextrie, or treasourie in the whiche the Iewels of the temple wer kept.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., IV. i. 111. The King ha’s made him Master o’ th’ Iewell House.
a. 1652. Brome, Queenes Exch., V. Wks. 1873, III. 549. I have heard of them that robb’d my brothers Jewel-house.
1706. Phillips, Master of the Jewel-House,… has Charge of all Plate us’d for the King or Queen’s Table, or by any great Officer attending the Court; as also of all Plate in the Tower of London, of Chains, loose Jewels, &c.
1815. T. Thomson (title), Collection of Inventories and other Records of the Royal Wardrobe and Jewelhouse.
c. fig. A repository of ‘treasures.’
1594. Plat (title), Iewell House of Art and Nature.
