Birchin Lane (corrupted from Birchover Lane, the name of its first builder), was formerly inhabited by wealthy drapers, who continued the range of shops to the Stocks at the west end of the Corn-Hill. It is now occupied by bankers and respectable merchants. The corporation of the London Assueance, in this lane, founded by royal charter of George I., and their powers extended to foreign parts by act of parliament in the reign of George 111. assures houses, and merchandise, whether the property of the assured be on commission or in trust. They are also answerable for damage by lightning, and in extraordinary cases even pay losses by invasion, civil commotion, and other circumstances of that nature.

This Ward is in the heart of the city, and is pre-eminent in wealth, consequence, business, and respectability.

A List of the Aldermen of Cornhill Ward, from the Year 1689, to the present Year.

Sir R. Jefferey, knight, elected in 1689, served the office of sheriff in 1674, and that of lord-mayor in 1686.

Sir T. Scarven, knight, elected in 1712, and paid the usual fine of exemption.

Sir J. Slater, knight, elected in 1730, served the office of sheriff in 1735, and that of lord-mayor in 1739.

Francis Cockayne, esq. elected in 1730, served the office of sheriff in 1735, and that of lord-mayor in 1750.

B. Kennett, esq. elected in 1767, served the office of Sheriff in 1766, and that of lord-mayor in 1779.

William Picket, esq. elected in 1782, served the office of sheriff in 1784, and that of lord-mayor in 1789.

R. Williams, esq. junr. elected in 1796, served the office of sheriff the following year, and resigned.

Sir Charles Flower, bart. elected in 1801, served the office of sheriff in 1799, that of lord-mayor in 1808, and is the present alderman of this Ward.

END OF CORNHILL WARD.

VOL II.

Cripplegate Ward

TAKES its name from one of the City gates so called, which is of very great antiquity. The name is said to have been bestowed on it, in consequence of several cripples being restored to the use of their limbs, when the body of king Edmund the Martyr was brought through it to London; but this is more than doubtful, and in this enlightened age such a tale will be totally disbelieved. It is more probable, that as places, situations, and streets, in early days took their names from local circumstances or peculiarities, this gate might be a resting or lounging place for the beggars and cripples, who might be on their way to obtain alms of the crowds who assembled in the Moor-fields to practise archery, and other manly sports; or, there might have been some famous mineral springs, which the cripples frequented in the hope of being cured. Be this as it may, we can but speculate on the origin; that this name was bestowed at an early period, and has continued to the present time, is alone certain. The church of St. Giles was not founded till about A. D. 1090; and John Lydgate did not live till many years after Alfune, the founder and first builder of this church: he might therefore, with propriety, have called the gate Cripplegate in his time. St. Giles the abbot, amongst his other excellencies, was a physician, and wrote a Treatise on the Palsy, and it is not wonderful if he were implored by cripples to aid and cure them; and this also explains the common vulgar application of 'Hopping Giles.' Several religious foundations for lepers, cripples, &c. were dedicated to this saint; and hence, no doubt, the original name, as a reasonable cause can be assigned with which miracle does not interfere.

This Ward is divided into two parts,Within and Without. Cripplegate Within consists of nine precincts,-St. Lawrence; St. Mary Magdalen Milk-street; St. Peter; St. Michael's Wood Street; St. John Zachary; St. Alban's Wood-street; St. Olave, Silverstreet; St. Alphage; and Aldermanbury. Cripplegate Without is comprised in four precincts,-Red Cross-street; White Crossstreet; Fore-street; and Grub-street. It is governed by an alderman and twelve common council-men, who have under them thirteen constables, thirty-four inquest-men, and two beadles. Sir William Staines was an alderman of this ward.

It is bounded on the north by Cripplegate parish without the Freedom; on the west by Aldersgate Ward; on the south by the Ward of Cheap; and on the East by part of Cheap, and Colemanstreet and Bassishaw Wards.

The extreme north western point of the Ward is Bridgewater street; running south-easterly, it intersecte Barbican, Jewin-street, and about half-way down each (the remainder being in Aldersgate Ward); thence onwards to the corner of Maiden-lane, and continues to the southern extremity of Wood-street, its boundary in that direction; half-way between Milk-street and Honey-lane Market, in a right line drawn directly north, passing Cateatonstreet on the west side of St. Lawrence Jewry (King-street) church, to the end of Aldermanbury; it then diverges to the east, down London Wall, including the whole of Fore-street to the corner of Back-street, Little Moorfields, the west side of which is in this Ward: it then includes the south side of Rope-maker's-street, and continuing, with a slight deviation from a right line, to the corner of Back-lane, it proceeds in a due north-easterly direction to Angel alley, and our boundary line then terminates at Bridgewater-street. The principal streets are, Wood-street, Aldermanbury, LondonWall, Fore-street, Grub-street, Golden-lane, Barbican, Redcrossstreet, Whitecross-street, Addle-street, &c.

There are five parish churches in this Ward,--St. Michael Wood-street; St. Alban Wood-street; St. Giles without Crip plegate; St. Alphage; and St. Mary Aldermanbury.

Stow gives us the following account of the Postern of

or Creplegate, which stood at the north-western extremity of London Wall Street. "It was so called long before the Conquest (as far back certainly as 1010). For I read in the History of Edmond, king of the East Angles, written by Abba Floriacensis, and by Burchard, some time secretary to Offa, king of Mercia; but since then, by John Lidgate, monke of Bury, that in the yeere 1010, the Danes spoiling the kingdome of the East Angles, Alwyne, bishop