Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

i

The ward is divided into the seven precincts of St. Mary Abchurch, St. Lawrence Poultney, St. Martin Orgar, St. Clement, Eastcheap, St. Leonard, Eastcheap, and the east and west precincts of St. Michael, under the direction of an alderman, eight common council men, seven constables, thirteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. The eminent alderman of this ward during the last century, was Sir Charles Asgill, bart. The present alderman is Peter Perchard,

esquire.

WALBROOK WARD takes its name from an antient rivulet which had a passage through the city wall, between Bishopsgate and Moorgate, and emptied itself into the Thames at Dowgate *. The principal streets in this ward are Walbrook, Canon Street on both sides, from Green Lettice Lane to Abchurch Lane; the east end of Bucklersbury; St. Swithin's Lane, almost as far as Bearbinder Lane, a small part of Lombard Street, and nearly all Bearbinder Lane. It is divided into the following seven precincts, the two of St. Swithin, St. Mary Woolchurch, St. Stephen, Walbrook, St. John Baptist, St. Mary Bothaw, and St. Mary Abchurch, The government of the ward is entrusted to the care of an alderman, eight common council men, seven constables, thirteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. Among the aldermen during the last century, were the following eminent persons, Sir John Moore, and Sir Gilbert Heathcote. The present alderman is Thomas Rowcroft, esquire.

1

DOWGATE WARD. According to Stow, this was called Dowgate, from its descent, and was only a principal key for ships and vessels, and for loading and landing goods, &c. other authors, however, with great probability contend, that the trajectus or ferry of the Watling Street, one of the four great military ways, was at Dowgate. This ward extends i from Martin's Lane to Cloak Lane, and thence to the Thames;

The loss of this rivulet was owing to the many bridges covered with houses built over it, which increased to such a degree, as to be formed into streets, so that the channel having been used as a common sewer, was wholly arched over, and totally obscured by those streets.

and

and is divided into eight precincts, under the administration of an alderman, eight common council men, eight constables, fifteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. Among the eminent persons who have borne the office of alderman, are to be recorded Sir Robert Beddingfield, Sir Francis Forbes, Sir John Barnard, Sir Richard Glyn, and Sir Walter Rawlinson. The present alderman is Paul Le Mesurier, esquire.

"The

These wards are on the east side of Walbrook. The wards on the west side are, VINTRY Ward. Vintry was a part of the bank of the river Thames," says Stow, "where merchants of Bourdeaux craned their wines out of lighters and other vessels, and there landed and made sale of them, within forty days after, until the 28th of Edward I. at which time the said merchants complained, that they could not sell their wines, paying poundage, neither hire houses or cellars to lay them in; and it was redressed by virtue of the king's writ, directed to the mayor and sheriffs of London, dated at Caerlaverock, near Carlisle : since which time, many fair and large houses with vaults and cellars for stowage of wines, lodging of wines, and lodgings of the Bourdeaux merchants, have been built, in the place where before were cooks houses: for Fitz-Stephen, in the reign of Henry II. writeth, that upon the river side, between the wine in ships, and the wine to be sold in taverns, was a common cookery, or cooks row, &c. whereby it appears, that in those days, and till of late, every man lived by his own professed trade, not any one interrupting another; the cooks dressed meat, and sold no wine; and the vintner sold wine, and dressed no meat for sale." The principal streets, &c. in this ward, are a part of Thames Street, from Little Elbow Lane to Townsend Lane; a part of Queen Street, Great St. Thomas Apostle, Garlick Hill, with Great and Little Elbow Lanes, &c. which are comprized in nine precincts, under the government of an alderman, nine common council men, nine constables, thirteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. The eminent aldermen of this ward were Sir Thomas Pilkington, Sir Thomas Abney, Sir John Eyles, Edward GibVOL. II. No. 31.

N

bon,

bon, esquire, Sir Crisp Gascoyne, and Barlow Trecothick, esquire. The present alderman is Nathaniel Newnham, esquire.

CORDWAINERS WARD. The name Cordwainer is derived from those who were shoemakers, curriers, or workers of leather *, who dwelt in Soper Lane, Corney Street, and the neighbourhood. The principal streets in this ward are Bow Lane, Queen Street, Budge Row, Little St. Thomas Apostle, Pancras Lane, part of Watling Street, and Basing Lane, comprized within the following eight precincts of St. Mary Aldermary, Upper and Lower; Allhallows, Bread Street, St. Mary-le-Bow, St. Antholin, Upper and Lower; the precinct of St. Pancras, St. Bennet Sherehog and St. John, and that of St. Thomas the Apostle, and Trinity, under the government of an alderman, eight common council men, eight constables, fourteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. Eminent persons who have borne the office of aldermen during the last century, were Sir Robert Geffery, George Hayley, esquire, and Sir Bernard Turner. The present alderman is Sir Brook Watson, bart.

CHEAP WARD, takes its name from the Saxon word chepe, a market; this market, from its situation, was denominated West Chepe, to distinguish it from the other market between Candlewick Street and Tower Street, denominated East Chepe. This ward occupies the center of the city, and contains the following principal streets, Bucklersbury, north side of Pancras Lane, part of Queen Street, the Poultry, south end of the Old Jewry, Ironmonger Lane, King Street, Lawrence Lane, east end of Cheapside, as far as the midway between the paved passage into Honey Lane Market and Milk Street, and part of Cateaton Street, comprized in

Cordwane is more properly derived from the Spanish Cordouan, as Morocco from the Moors. The Saracens were also denominated Cordouans, in the middle ages, because the city of Cordona was the metropolis of their kingdom. It is supposed that the art of shoe-making was introduced from that people, and therefore the origin Cordouaner or Cordwainer.

the

the nine following precincts, St. Mary-le-Bow, Allhallows Honey Lane, St. Lawrence Cateaton Street, St. Martin Ironmonger Lane, St. Mary Colechurch, St. Mildred Poultry, St. Stephen and St. Bennet, and St. Pancras Soper Lane. It is governed by an alderman, twelve common council men, eleven constables, thirteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. Several eminent characters have been aldermen of this ward during the preceding century, Sir Robert Clayton, Sir William Humphreys, John Kirkman, esquire, William Crichton, esquire, and John Boydell, esquire. The present alderman is Josiah Boydell, esquire.

COLEMAN STREET WARD extends from the grating by St. Margaret Lothbury, to the south side of Ironmonger Lane; but no farther than the south-west corner of Basinghall Street, its extension north and south is from Moorgate to the garden of Grocer's Hall, Poultry. It is divided into six precincts, the four of St. Stephen, St. Olave Jewry, and St. Margaret Lothbury, under the government of an alderman, six common council men, six constables, thirteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. The distinguished aldermen during the last century, were Sir James Bateman, Robert Alsop, esquire, and Robert Peckham, esquire. The present alderman is Richard Lea, esquire.

BASSISHAW WARD corruptly so called, from Basing'shaugh or Hall, which will be duly described, is the smallest ward in the city, being wholly comprized in the two precincts, of Basinghall Street, and is governed by an alderman, four common council men, three constables, seventeen inquest men, and a ward beadle. Among its eminent magistrates were Sir John Parsons, Sir Thomas Lombe, and William Baker, esquire. The present alderman is Claudian Stephen Hunter, esquire.

CRIPPLEGATE WARD. The gate whence this ward takes it name, is of very great antiquity; but that it was so called from the circumstance of several cripples being restored to the use of their limbs, when the martyred body of king Edmund was brought through it to London, is doubtful. The church of St. Giles was not founded till about the year 1090,

[blocks in formation]

and John Lydgate did not live till many centuries after Alfune, the first builder of the church; he might therefore with propriety have called the gate Cripplegate in his time. St. Giles the abbot, among his other excellencies, was a physician, and wrote a Treatise on the Palsy, no wonder then that he was implored by cripples; nor at the vulgar term, “ Hopping Giles." Several religious foundations for lepers, &c. were dedicated to this saint; and hence certainly the true origin of Cripplegate.

This ward is divided into two parts, within and without the wall. Cripplegate Within, consists of nine precincts, St. Lawrence, St. Mary Magdalen Milk Street, St. Peter, St. Michael Wood Street, St. John Zachary, St. Alban, Wood Street, St. Olave Silver Street, St. Alphage, and Aldermanbury. Cripplegate Without, is comprized in four precincts, Red Cross Street, White Cross Street, Fore Street, and Grub Street, under the government of an alderman, twelve common council men, thirteen constables, thirty-four inquest men, and two beadles. Eminent characters who have been aldermen were, Sir Thomas Stampe, Sir William Stewart, Sir John Williams, John Blachford, esquire, Sir John Cartwright, and Sir James Esdaile. The present alderman is Sir William Staines.

ALDERSGATE WARD. The gate, which formerly stood at the south end of the Castle and Falcon Inn, was of great antiquity, as being one of the first four gates of the city; this was Stow's opinion, and though it is disputed by Maitland, we join Stow in saying, that as this was the principal northern entrance into the city, it merited the antiquity it claimed. This ward is also divided into two districts; ALdersgate ward Within, consists of the four following precincts, St. Leonard Foster Lane, St. John Zachary, St. Mary Staining, and St. Anne. Aldersgate ward Without, consists of four precincts, all in the parish of St. Botolph. It is governed by an alderman, eight common council men eight constables, fourteen inquest men, and two ward beadles. Eminent aldermen in the last century were Sir James Houblon, Sir Samuel Garrard, William Benn, esquire, George

5

men,

Nelson,

« НазадПродовжити »