The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 4
Allen, Thomas
1827
Historical Notices of the Borough of Southwark.
Historical Notices of the Borough of Southwark.
The Borough of forms a considerable portion of the suburbs of London, with which it is connected by the bridge so well known by the name of . It is of the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
434 | wards of the city of London, by the name of Bridge ward without, but--through the carelessness or inattention of the corporation, the magistrates of the county of Surrey have obtained a concurrent jurisdiction therein. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
It formerly consisted of the parishes of St. George, St. Margaret, , St. Thomas, and St. Olave. St. Margaret and have been consolidated, and have had the name of St. Saviour given them on their purchasing the fine conventual church of St. Mary Overy, soon after the dissolution of religious houses. Out of this parish has been taken that of Christchurch, and out of that of St. Olaves, a parish has been created by the name of St. John. It is by far the largest town in the county of Surrey, as appears by the following return of the population, taken in and .
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When a subsidy was granted to the kings of England, the borough was rated at , which is more than any city in England, except London. When per month was to be raised for the militia in the time of Charles II. paid ; the rest of the county The boundary of the borough of is as follows:-- Commencing on the west side of , the boundary runs south to ; from thence along Russel-street to , up which it proceeds in a northerly direction to , along which and , it runs to the north side of . Here it pursues a crooked course till it arrives opposite , on the west side of which it runs behind the houses, thence across While-street, by the end of Wycomb-place and , across and the , and behind the houses on the east side of the , till it arrives at , where it turns to the west to St. Thomas a Watering; from hence it pursues a northerly course by the end of , across and to in the . Across this road and , on the north side of , to , up the middle of which it traverses to , where it turns to the west, down and , to the Fishmonger's alms-houses, through the middle of which it | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
435 | pursues its course to the south end of Elliot's-row, thence across Gibraltar-row and , on the north side of Brook's-street and the south side of Bethlehem hospital, across Durham-place, and northward to the west side of , Baron's-buildings and , on the south side of , and across Blackfriars-road, eastward between and to , along which it traverses in a northerly direction to , and thence by Falcon dock to the river Thames. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The early history of the borough of has been amply detailed in a former volume of this work: and its great antiquity is evident from its peculiar situation, opposite a great city, and the certain knowledge we possess that it very early attracted the attention of the Romans, whose remains are constantly discovered where the ground is sufficiently excavated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the reign of Edward the Confessor, about , appears to have been a corporation governed by a bailiff. In , when William the marched to London, after the decisive battle of Hastings, he was attacked by the citizens of London in , which so irritated him, that he laid the whole of the borough in ashes, and marched to reduce the western counties. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The most authentic account of the state of at the time of the Norman invasion, is to be found in the valuable record called the Doomsday Book. In table V. of that portion relating to Sudrea (Surrey), and among the account of the possessions of the bishop of Bayeaux, we find the following:--
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The bishop of Bayeaux has in monastery, and harbour. King Edward held it on the day he died. Whoever | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
436 | had the church held it of the king. From the profits of the harbour, where ships were moored, the king had parts, earl Godwin the . But the men of the , French and English, testify that the bishop of Bayeaux began a suit with Ranulf the sheriff about these, but he understanding that the suit was not brought by right for the king's profit, deserted the suit. The bishop however gave the church and the water to Adelold, then to Ralph, in exchange for a house. The sheriff also denies that he ever received the king's precept or seal on this business. The men of testify that in the time of king Edward no received toll in the strand, or the bank of the river, except the king; and if any committed a forfeiture, and was then sued, his fine went to the king; but if he went without being sued, to the jurisdiction of who had sac and soc, that person should have the fine. The men of Sudwerche were quit to prove house and its fall to the term of Chingestone. This earl Eustace held. What the king has in Sudwerche is valued at xvj. pounds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the of the reign of John, a fire broke out in , which burnt down a great portion of the houses in it, and communicating with the bridge, destroyed, according to Stowe, persons. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
At an assize in Surrey, in the octaves of St. Michael, of Edward I. , before John de Reygate, and others, justices itinerant, it was presented that a certain part of , about the great gate of the bridge, with the houses and buildings standing thereon, used to belong to the burgh of the king of , where the king used to have rents of assize yearly, and of the customs of things there sold, and halfpenny, till years ago, in the time of king Henry III. when the mayor and city of London appropriated it to the city, the king to be consulted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the reign of Edward the , the corporation of London presented a petition to the king, setting forth, They prayed, therefore, that &c. Edward did accordingly, with consent of parliament, grant them for the sum of to be paid annually. His successor, Richard, however, refused to confirm this grant, on the ground that it interfered with the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
437 | privileges of the certain religious houses within the borough. Nor for several successive reigns were the corporation of London able to establish the right of superiority over it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In , sir Thomas Wyat came into with an armed body of men, amounting in number to near . He entered by and , and after destroying the goods and library of the bishop of Winchester, retired to Kingston, with an intention of crossing the Thames and entering London that way, but finding the citizens not willing to join him, he grew dispirited, was soon after defeated, taken prisoner, and executed. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
On the , the deputy lieutenant ordered the inhabitants of the borough, from to , to be mustered at
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During the reign of that amiable monarch, Edward the , the city of London obtained a valuable addition to her property and privileges, by the confirmation of her ancient title to the borough of . By this charter, after reciting various places in the borough and surrounding parishes, which had been given to the citizens, except the house, gardens, and park of the late duke of Suffolk (now the Mint) and the King's Bench, the instrument proceeds thus: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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By what authority or right this positive and unlimited charter, which was confirmed by Charles II. and received parliamentary sanction, has repeatedly been violated, cannot yet be ascertained; and though legal discussions have been very diffusely circulated in the courts, till it can be proved beyond all doubt that the opinion of a judge is paramount to an ancient authentic charter, the following rights and privileges of the city of London, over and in the borough of , must exist in opposition to any sheriff, minister, or jurisdiction whatever ;-- .-To be invested with all manner of regal rights and prerogatives, in and over the town and borough of , in as full a manner as if the same were in the king's hands. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-In particular, to have all manner of liberties, treasures, waifs, estrays, escheats, fines, and forfeitures, view of frank pledges, &c. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-To have all goods, chattels of traitors, felons, fugitives, together with all manner of suits, personal actions, &c. and the execution of all writs, commands, attachments, warrants, &c. by their sheriffs and other officers. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-The sergeants at mace for the city to arrest for debt in the borough, in the same manner as they do in London. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-The city magistrates to have the assay and assize of wine, bread, beer, victuals, and every thing set to sale, together with the punishment and correction of all persons dealing therein. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-Also to take and arrest all thieves, felons, and other criminals, found in the borough, and to commit them to Newgate, until delivered by due course of law. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-The mayor, recorder, and aldermen who are justices in London, are also constituted justices for the borough, where they are to exercise the same jurisdiction as they do in London. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-And all and singular the inhabitants of the said borough to be under the magistracy and government of the mayors and officers of London, in the same manner as the inhabitants of the said city be. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
.-And lastly, the sheriff of Surrey, and all others the king's officers and ministers, are expressly prohibited from any ways intermeddling with the said borough. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The charter of king Edward VI. anno , granted to the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of London, a market to be holden in the borough of , which was confirmed by this act. This was at established in the street between and St. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Margaret's hill; but that place was at length found so inconvenient, that an act was obtained in , George II. c. , that from Lady-day, , no market should be held in the ; this act seems to have stopped there, for in the same year another act was passed, c. , directing that it should be removed from thence to a place called the Triangle, being on the site of Rochester yard, belonging to the bishop of Rochester, who, and his successors were empowered, on a surrender of the whole estate, to grant it in separate leases: whereupon so much thereof, as was necessary for the purpose, was granted to the churchwardens and overseers, &c. of parish, at a rent of No provisions, except hay or straw, were to be sold within yards of the spot, unless by the consent of the churchwardens and overseers; the ground was to be purchased, and all buildings, stalls, etc and the rents and profits were to be vested in the churchwardens, overseers, and inhabitants of the parish; and the nett profits, after all expences paid, were to be applied in diminution of any of the parochial rates or preferments. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In pursuance of the above charter confirmed to the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of London, a court was held about a month after before sir Rowland Hill, knt. then lord mayor of London, and the aldermen of the same city, in , when it was enacted,
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The same court did also appoint sir John Ayliffe, citizen and barber-surgeon, the alderman of the said ward of Bridgewithout, namely, of the borough of , to be numbered as of the aldermen of the said city; and to have the rule and government of the inhabitants of the said borough, admitted by that court into the freedom of the city of London. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
On the occasion of fortifying the metropolis in , was defended by
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In , the parliament was exceedingly alarmed by the march | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
440 | of general Fairfax with his army, towards London, and they and many of the citizens were much disposed to resist him, if they had had the means; divers officers and other inhabitants of , however, on , petitioned the common council who had been summoned, that they might not be compelled to assume arms, nor march forth under the command of any but such as should be approved of by the generality of the borough, and that they might be left to their own defence. These inhabitants not having for some time approved of the proceedings of the citizens against the army, sent privately to the general, that they were willing to surrender the borough to him. Fairfax immediately sent a brigade, under the command of colonel Rainsborough, to take possession thereof; he was admitted into the works about o'clock in the morning, when finding the gates shut, and the portcullis set down at , he planted pieces of ordnance against the gate, and in a short time the great fort was surrendered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
A vote of parliament was soon after passed for demolishing the ramparts, bastions, and other works of fortification, which encircled the cities of London, and , and the borough of . | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
On the restoration, the king was met, on the , by the lord mayor and aldermen of London, in St. George's-fields, where a magnificent tent was erected, and in it the king was provided with a sumptuous collation. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
A fire which broke out the , burnt the town hall and a great part of the borough, in consequence of which an act of parliament was passed, erecting a judicature to determine differences touching houses so burnt and demolished, in the same manner as had been done in London after the great fire of . The justices of the courts of King's-bench and Common Pleas, the barons of the Exchequer, the lord mayor and recorder of London, and every alderman who had borne the office of mayor; the steward of , with the viscount Langford, sir Francis Vincent, and other gentlemen of the county there named, or any or more of them ( of the justices or barons being ), were thereby constituted a court of record, summarily, and without the formalities used in the courts of law and equity, by verdict, testimony of witnesses on oath, examination of parties, or otherwise, to hear and determine all differences and demands arising between landlords, tenants, lessees, under tenants or occupiers of houses, or buildings, and premises destroyed or injured by the fire, and to make such orders as they should see fit. If the persons interested in the building so burnt, should not, within years from the then next, lay the foundation of the houses to be rebuilt, and should not re-build within the time limited by the court, the court might dispose of the premises to such persons as would rebuild, there being no assigns, and might award what sum should | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
441 | be paid to the proprietor; and if he would not accept the same, or through non-age, or any disability, he could not accept it, the court was empowered by warrant directed to the chief bailiff of the said borough, to summon a jury to assess such recompense as they should think fit. If any order should be made by less than , the party dissatisfied might tender exceptions to of the justices or barons, and if he found probable cause of complaint, it might be reviewed by , such appeal to be determined within months after the exceptions. All judgments, orders, &c. were to be entered on parchment in books, to be delivered to the town clerk of London, and kept amongst the records of the city. The powers given, are by the act to continue for years, from the said (.) If the party ordered to rebuild, do not do it, the person grieved might sue at law or in equity. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
All encroachments and purprestures on the , and most especially between the foot of London-bridge and the Compter-lane, whereby the market was, or should be straightened, or the passage of people obstructed, should be regulated by the court; but the inhabitants of might permit their stall-boards, when the shops, or shop-windows were set open, to turn over and extend into the street foot, and no more, for the convenience of their shops. The market to continue to be kept in the same place, and at the same times, where it had been anciently, and was then kept, and not to be removed or kept at any other times. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The court began their sittings , when there were present, the lord mayor (Davies), the chief justice (Raynsford), the chief justice (North), baron Littleton, justice Jones, sir Thomas Aleyn, sir John Frederick, sir Joseph Sheldon, Edward Smyth, James Reading, Peter Rich, Richard How, John Freeman, John Applebe. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
The subsequent meetings were attended chiefly by from to . Few of the country gentlemen attended, except sir Adam Brown and sir William Haward, but the business was conducted with so much expedition, that in more meetings, the last of which was on the , they had gone through the whole business, except an order for removing encroachments and nuisances, which was made at a meeting -, when there were present, sir Robert Clayton (lord mayor), chief baron Montagu, Mr. justice Wyndham, alderman sir Thomas Bludworth, the recorder, Thomas Barker, Peter Rich, sir Richard How, John Freeman, John Applebe. And so satisfactory was their conduct, that there was no appeal from any of their decisions. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
In , the following petition was presented to the common council, praying of them to support their right and title to the | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
442 | borough of , against the intermeddling of the sheriffs and county magistracy;--
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ARMS of the BOROUGH of . an anulet ensigned with a crow patte or, interlaced with a saltier conjoined in base of the . | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Footnotes: [] In Normandy, celebrated for possessing a fine piece of tapestry, exhibiting the Norman invasion. [] The right of holding pleas in his own manor. [] Vide ante, vol. i. p. 68. [] typo in original [] Manning and Bray's Hist. of Surrey, vol. ii. 548. [] Stow, vide ante, vol. i. 245. [] Seymour's London, ii. p. 481. [] In April, 1550, vide ante vol. i. p. 237. [] In the mayoralty of Sir William Turner, 1668, a publican was indicted, for selling without his lordship's licence. [] Hughson's London, i. 130. [] Proceedings Court Common Council, July, 4th Edward VI.--Stowe, 765. [] Brayley's London, i. 353. [] Whitlock, 265. [] From the record of their proceedings in the office of the town clerk of the city of London, most readily and obligingly communicated to Mr. Bray by the town clerk, Mr. Woodthorpe. |