The London Wards in 1756, according to William Maitland.

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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

Bridge Ward Within

Broad street ward

Candlewick Ward

Castle Baynard Ward

Cheap Ward

Coleman street Ward