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Index of London wards in 1756 by William Maitland
CHAP. XI.
BREAD STREET WARD.
With a Plan, neatly engraved from a New Survey.
Bread street and Cordwainers ward in 1756
THIS Ward takes its Name from the principal Street therein, called Bread Street,
which, in old Time, was the Bread market.
It appeareth by Records, that in the Year 1302, which was the thirtieth of
Edward I. the Bakers of London were bounden to sell no Bread in their Shops or
houses, but in the Market : And that they should have four Hallmotes in the
Year, at four several Terms, to determine Enormities belonging to the said
Company.
Bread street Ward begins in Cheapside on the North, and runs on the South Side
from where the Standard to where the great Cross formerly stood. On the South it
extends in Watling street up almost to the house next to St. Augustin's Church
on the North Side ; and on the South Side, up to the Old Change; and down the
same, at the East Side, by the West End of Maiden lane, or Distaff lane, to
Knightriders street, or, as they call that Part thereof, Old Fish street and all
the North Side of the said Old Fish street, till over against the Trinity
church, and Trinity lane.
It is encompassed on the North and North West by the Ward of Farringdon within,
on the East by Cordwainers Ward, on the South by Queenhithe Ward, and on the
West by Castle Baynard Ward.
Within this Compass is Bread street, which, as said above, begins in Cheapside
or West Cheap, and gives Name to the whole Ward. This Street runs from almost
where the Standard stood in Cheapside, or facing Wood street, down Southward
Cross Watling street to Knightriders street, where it endeth. This Bread street
is wholly on both Sides of this Ward, as is also a Part of Basing lane, on the
East Side thereof.
From the North West Extremity of this Ward there is another Street, called
Friday street. It begins in West Cheap, and runneth down South thro' Watling
street to Knightriders street, or Old Fish street. This Friday street is of
Bread street Ward, on the East Side, from over against the North East Corner of
St. Matthew's Church; and on the West Side, from the South Corner of the said
Church, down, as aforesaid, to Old Fish street.
In this Friday street, on the West Side thereof, is a Lane, commonly called
Maiden lane, or Distaff lane, corruptly from Distar lane, which runneth West
into the "Old Change: And in this Lane is also another Lane, on the South Side
thereof, likewife called Distar lane, which runneth down to Knightriders street,
or Old Fish street. These are the Bounds of the whole Ward.
Now for the present State of this Ward.
The principal Streets and Places in this Ward are, Watling street, Bread street,
Friday street, Distaff lane, Basing lane, with the East Side of the Old Change,
from the Corner of St. Austin's Gate to Old Fish street ; and the North Side of
Old Fish street and Trinity lane, with Part of the South Side of Cheapside,
betwixt Friday street and St. Mary le Bow Church.
Watling street is a great Thorough fare, and has good Buildings in it, which are
very well inhabited by great Dealers, chiefly by Wholesale. This Street begins
two or three houses beyond St. Austin's Church on the West, and runs Eastward
through the Heart of this and Cordwainer Ward, almost to St. Anthony, alias St.
Antholine's Church, Wherefore Budge row begins, and runs into Canon street, in
Wallbrook Ward. In the Part of this Street belonging to this Ward are these
Places, beginning by St. Austin's Church, viz. St. John Evangelist Church yard,
seated in the East Side Corner of Friday street, the Church not being rebuilt,
but the Parish united to that of Allhallows Bread street ; and the Ground on
which this Church flood, being inclosed, serves as a Burying Place for the
Inhabitants, and has a handsome Pair of Iron Gates before it.
Bread street is a good open Street, well built, and inhabited by great Dealers,
both by wholesale and retail, Hop Merchants, Grocers, and others. It begins at
Cheapside on the North, and runs Southwards to Old Fish street, next to Trinity
lane, crossing Watling street. The Courts in this Street, beginning next
Cheapside, are Black Spread eagle court, but small, with a Free stone Pavement;
has a very good house at the upper End. Planners court, indifferent large, but
ordinary. Star court, very large, with an open Passage for a Cart, is well built
and inhabited. Three Cups Inn, large, well built, and of a great Trade for
Country Waggons and Carriers. White cock court, a handsome square Place, well
built, and inhabited by Wholesale Dealers.
Basing lane, or Bakeing lane, from having the King's Bakehouse, or some other
great Bakehouse, there formerly, in 20 Richard II. a handsome open Street, with
good Buildings : Of this Lane about half is in this Ward. In this Lane is
Gerard's Hall, now made use of for an Inn.
Red lion court has a Passage into Watling street, already taken Notice of; and
near the aforesaid Inn is Horn alley, which is but small and ordinary.
Friday street comes out of Cheapside, and runs South into Old Fish street, and
in its Passage crosses Watling street : This Street is well built, and inhabited
chiefly by Haberdashers, and other Wholesale Dealers. In this Street are these
Places ; White horse Inn, large, and of a good Resort. Bell Inn, of good Resort
and Trade. Blue boar court, an open Place, also inhabited by Wholesale Dealers.
Angel court, but ordinary, with an open Passage for Carts.
Saracen's head Inn,
large, and of a great Resort and Trade.
St. Margaret Moses Church was seated on the East Side of this Street, towards
Old Fish street, burnt in the Fire of London, not rebuilt, but the Parish is
united to St. Mildred's Bread street; and the Place where this Church flood is
inclosed for a Burial Place for the Inhabitants.
Great Distaff or Distar lane comes out of the Old Change, and runs up to Bread
street, against Bafing lane, crofiing Friday street on the South Side.
Places of Name in this Lane : Buck's head court, a small Place, with a Free
stone Pavement. Cordwainers or Shoemakers Hall, a handsome Building, seated
opposite to Little Distaff lane, which is of no great Account, and runs into Old
Fish street. And in this Lane is Dolphin court, as also Sugar loaf court, both
small and ordinary.
Old Fish street has the North Side in this Ward, the other Side in Queenhithe
Ward.
Trinity lane has also the North Part in this Ward, the other in Queenhithe Ward.
The Old Change has but a small Part in this Ward, viz. the East Side, from
Watling street Corner to Old Fish street, the other Part in the Ward of
Faringdon within and Castle Baynard.
There are to watch at the several Stands in this Ward, every Night, a Constable,
a Beadle, and thirty Watchmen.
The Jury returned by the Inquest for the Ward are to serve in the several Courts
at Guildhall in the Month of April.
This Ward hath an Alderman, his Deputy, and twelve more Common Councilmen,
sixteen Constables, eight Scavengers, thirteen Ward mote Inquest Men, and a
Beadle. It is taxed to the Fifteenth in London at thirty seven Pounds, and in
the Exchequer at thirty eight Pounds eighteen Shillings and two Pence.
The Alderman is the Right Honourable Stephen Theodore Janssen, Esq; Lord Mayor.
The Common Councilmen are, Mr. Robert Cadge, Deputy, Mr. John Sedgwick, Mr.
Anthony Plank, Mr. William Woolley, Mr. John Moorey, Mr. Thomas Skynner, Mr.
William Robinson, Mr. Edward Say, Mr. Thomas Smith, Mr. Jonathan Barnard, Mr.
John Twyne, and Mr. Edward Berwick.
The remarkable Things in this Ward are,
First, Four Parishes ; 1. Allhallows Bread street, 2. St. Mildred's Bread
street, 3. St. John the Evangelist, and, 4. St. Margaret Moses ; but only two
Parish Churches, dedicated, 1. to Allhallows or All Saints, and, 2. the other to
St. Mildred:
Of which herafter in the Parochial History.
Secondly, Cordwainers Hall or Shoemakers Hall, situate on the North Side of
Great Distaff lane, is a handsome Brick Building, and convenient within. The
large Hall is adorned with the Pictures of King William III. and Queen Mary his
Consort.
Of these Cordwainers Stow has read, that, since the fifth of Richard II. (when
he took to Wife Anne, Daughter to Wenceslaus, King of Bohemia) by her Example
the English People had used piked Shoes, tied to their Knees with silken Laces,
or Chains of Silver and gilt.
Wherefore in the fourth of Edward IV. it was ordained and proclaimed, That Beaks
of Shoes and Boots should not pass the Length of two Inches, upon Pain of
Cursing by the Clergy, and by Parliament to pay twenty Shillings for every Pair.
And every Cordwainer that shod any Man or Woman on the Sunday, to pay thirty
Shillings.
Thirdly, On the South Side of Basing lane is a great house, built of old Time
upon arched Vaults, and with arched Gates of Stone, brought from Caen in
Normandy. It is now an Inn of good Repute, and the arched Vaults, supported by
sixteen Pillars, are a great Curiosity. Stow says, in his time this was a common
Hostery, corruptly then and now called Gerard's Hall, from a Giant said to have
dwelled there.
In the high roofed Hall of this house some Time flood a large Fir Pole, which
reached to the Roof thereof, and was said to be one of the Staves that Gerard
the Giant used in the Wars to run withal. There flood also a Ladder of the same
Length, which, as they said, served to ascend to the Top of the Staff. But Stow
takes all this to be a Fable, as undoubtedly it was ; nor does he believe that
any one of the Name of Gerard lived there. " I read, says he,
On the West Side of Bread street, amongst divers fair and large houses for
Merchants, and Inns for Passengers, was a Prison house pertaining to the
Sheriffs of London, called the Compter in Bread street. But, in the Year 1555,
the Prisoners were removed from thence to another new Compter in Wood street,
provided by the City's Purchase, and built for that Purpose.
Fourthly, Among the Monuments of Antiquity to be mentioned in this Ward, we must
not omit the most beautiful Frame and Front of fair houses and Shops that were
within the Walls of London, or elsewhere in England, commonly called Goldsmith's
Row, betwixt Bread street End and the Cross in Cheap, but within this Bread
street Ward.
The same was built by Thomas Wood, Goldsmith, one of the Sheriffs of London in
the Year 1491. It contained in Number ten Dwelling houses and fourteen Shops,
all in one Frame, uniformly built four Stories high, beautified towards the
Street with the Goldsmiths Arms, and the Likeness of Woodmen, in Memory of his
Name, riding on monstrous Beasts ; all which were cast in Lead, richly painted
over and gilt. These he gave to the Goldsmiths, with Stocks of Money to be lent
to young Men having those Shops, &c. This said Front was again new painted and
gilt over in the Year 1594, Sir Richard Martin being then Mayor, and keeping his
Mayoralty in one of them, and serving out the Time of Cutbert Buckle, in that
Office, from the fecond of July till the twenty eighth of October.
The Goldsmiths kept their Shops and Trade in West Cheap from ancient Times, even
before the Days of King Edward III. unto the Times of King Charles I. And the
Exchange for the King's Coin was not far off the Place yet called the Old
Change, as appears by this Record, shewing not only the Place of the Goldsmiths
Habitation, but their Occupation and Business about the Coin and Plate.
And Last updated on: Wednesday, 02-Oct-2024 12:13:00 BST
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