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CHAP. VI.
[1756 - Aldersgate Ward. The Antiquity of Wards. 'The Bounds, of Aldersgate Ward
within and without. Number of Parishes, and Parish Churches. The ancient and
modern State of this Ward. Halls and other publick Buildings. The State of the
Lying in Hospital for married Women. The Liberty of St. Martin le Grand. Its
Privileges, and some Observations thereon.
Tho' I cannot ascertain the Time when this City was at first divided into Wards
; yet I am of Opinion, that the first Division thereof was not on the Account of
Government, but, rather, that London, like the other Cities and Towns of the
Kingdom, was anciently held of the Saxon Kings and Nobility in Demesne, and
whose several Properties therein, being so many Sokes or Liberties, were under
the immediate Dominion of their respective Lords, who were the Governors or
Wardens thereof; whence, I imagine, arose the Saxon Appellation, Ward, which
signifies a Quarter or Diftrict : This Opinion is not only corroborated
by the Wards of Baynard's Castle, Farringdon, Coleman Street, and Basinghall or
Bassishaw's, still retaining the Names of their ancient Proprietors, but also by
the other Wards of the City being alienable, which, upon Alienation, the
Purchaser or Purchasers became the Proprietor or Proprietors thereof, with the
additional Epithets of Alderman or Aldermen.
What the Number of Wards in this City at first was does not appear upon Record,
however, by the first Account we have thereof in the Year 1284, they appear to
have been twenty four ; and in the Year 1393, the great Ward of Faringdon being
very much increased both in Number of houses and Inhabitants, it was by
Parliament divided into the inward and outward Wards, whereby the Number was
increased to twenty five ; and in the Year 1550, the Citizens having purchased
of King Edward the sixth the Borough of Southwark, with divers Privileges
thereunto belonging, they erected the same into a twenty sixth Ward ; but it
seems, the Power granted them by Charter not proving sufficient to support their
Title thereunto, by excluding the Justices of Peace for the County of Surrey
from interfering in the Government there of, it is therefore only a nominal
Ward: How ever, it serves to dignify the Senior Alderman, called The Father of
the City, who generally by his great Age is rendered unable to undergo the
Fatigue of Business ; therefore, as there is nothing to be done* 'tis a Poft fit
for one worn out with Age. However, I shall insert it among the Names of the
rest, which at present are Aldersgate, Aldgate, Bassishaw, Billingsgate,
Bishopsgate, Bread Street , Bridge ward within, Bridge ward without, Broad
Street, Candlewick, Castle Baynard, Cheap, Cordwainer, Coleman Street, Cornhill,
Cripplegate, Dowgate, Faringdon within; Faringdon without, Langbourne, Lime
Street, Queenhithe, Portsoken, Tower Street, Wallbrook, and Vintry , tho'
originally they were known by other Names as before in Book I. Ch. xii.
These Wards containing the whole City and Liberty of London, I shall begin with
Aldersgate Ward, and proceed alphabetically, describing the Bounds, Contents,
and the several Antiquities and Curiosities contained in each of them.
#1756 ]
Aldersgate ward
Aldgate ward
Bassinghall ward
Billingsgate ward
Bishopsgate ward
Bread street ward
Broad street ward
Candlewick Ward
Castle Baynard Ward
Cheap Ward
Coleman street Ward
Cordwainers street Ward
Faringdon Ward Within
Faringdon Ward without Langbourn Ward