Dowgate Ward,

OR, as Stow calls it, Downgate, from its descent towards the river, was only a principal quay for ships and vessels, and for loading and unloading, as well as 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 from Martin's lane to Cloak lane, and thence to the Thames. It is divided into eight precincts, under the administration of an alderman and eight common-councilmen, who appoint eight constables, fifteen inquest men, and a ward beadle. It is bounded on the north by Walbrook, on the south by the river Thames, on the west by Vintry Ward, and on the east by part of Bridge Ward.

There is only one church now standing in this Ward, viz. Allhallows the Great. Of that which once stood in the same street, called Allhallows the Less, we shall give a short account, prefacing our description by repeating Stow's mention of it. He says, "Then is there the parish church of Allhallows, called the Lesse, said to be builded by sir John Poultney, sometimes maior. The steeple and quire of this church stand on an arched gate, being the entry to a great house called Cold Harbrough. The quire of late being falne downe, is now againe at length, in the yeere 1594, by the parishioners new builded." So much for the old chronicler. We shall now speak of this ancient structure as follows.

In Thames street, opposite Suffolk lane, are the churchyard and part of the wall of Allhallows the Less, also called Allhallows on the Cellars, because it stood upon vaults let out for cellaring.

Being a rectory, it was originally in the gift of the bishops of Winchester, and rebuilt by sir John Poultney, who purchased the advowson, and appropriated it to his college of St. Lawrence. The steeple and choir of Allhallows the Less stood on an arched gateway leading to the mansion of Cold Harbour. After the purchase and appropriation, the living became a donative or curacy, and coming to the crown as an appendage to the monastic foundation of Ste Lifebe Poultney College, queen Elizabeth granted it on a lease for twenty-one years to William Veale, at the end of which James I. sold it to William Blake, &c. and their heirs in fee soccage for ever. It was destroyed by the great fire in 1666, and the parish united to that of Allhallows the Great. lows the Great "The church of Allhallows the Great is situated between Hayes Wharf fane and Allhallows lane. The appellation of Great was photo bestowed on it to distinguish on it to distinguish it from its neighbouring ruin; it was also called ad fæmum in the Ropery, from its proximity to a Hay wharf, and its situation among Rope-makers, who formerly had their walks here.

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The church is a rectory, founded by the noble family of the Despensers, the favourites of Edward II., and the family presented to the living in 1361. From them it passed with the heiress to the earl of Warwick and Salisbury, and at last to the crown by settlement, from the widow of Richard Nevil, earl of Warwick, upon king Henry VII. Henry VIII. in the 37th year of his reign, exchanged this church with the archbishop of Canterbury, who for the time being has continued patron of the living, and it is numbered among among the peculiare of that see. The old church was very handsome, with a large cloister on the south side, surrounding the churchyard, and was rich and beautiful within it fell in the general conflagration of 1666. The present edifice was finished in 1683, from a plan of Sir Christopher Wren's, but was not executed with the same accuracy with which it was designed. The church is 87 feet long, 60 broad, and 33 feet high to the roof, built of stone, and of very solid construction. The walls are plain and massy, the ornaments few and simple, and the windows, though large in order to enlighten such a considerable breadth, are not

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