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LONDON

AND ITS

ENVIRONS

DESCRIBED.

VOL. II.

LONDON

AND ITS

ENVIRONS

DESCRIBED.

CONTAINING

An Account of whatever is most remarkable for GRANDEUR, ELEGANCE, CURIOSITY or USE,

In the CITY and in the COUNTRY Twenty Miles round it.

COMPREHENDING ALSO Whatever is most material in the History and Antiquities of this great Metropolis.

Decorated and illustrated with a great Number of Views in Perspective, engraved from original Drawings, taken on purpose for this Work.

Together with a PLAN of LONDON, A Map of the ENVIRONS, and several other useful CUTS.

VOL. II.

LONDON: Printed for R. and J. DODSLEY in Pall Mall.

M DCC LXI.

LONDON

AND ITS

ENVIRONS

DESCRIBED, &c.

B R E

BREAD street ward, so called from Bread street in Cheapside, which was formerly a bread market, is encompassed on the north and north west by Faringdon ward; on the west by Castle Baynard ward; on the south by Queenhithe ward; and on the east by Cordwainers ward.

The principal streets 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 church to Old Fish street, and the north side of Old Fish street, and Trinity lane, with that part of the south side of Cheapside, between Friday street and Bow church.

The most remarkable places are, the parish churches of Allhallows Bread street, and St. Mildred’s; with Cordwainers hall.

This ward is governed by an Alderman, his Deputy, and twelve other Common Council men, thirteen wardmote inquest men, eight scavengers, sixteen constables, and a beadle. The jury returned by the inquest for the ward, are to serve in the several courts at Guildhall in the month of April.

BREAKNECK _alley_, in the Minories.║

BREAKNECK _court_, Blackhorse alley, Fleet street.║

BREECHES _yard_, Townsend lane.

BREEZE’S _hill_, Ratcliff highway.

BREME’S _buildings_, Chancery lane.†

BRENTFORD, a town in Middlesex, situated ten miles from London, received its name from a brook called Brent, which runs through the west part of the town, called Old Brentford, into the Thames. As it is a great thoroughfare to the west, it has a considerable trade, particularly in corn, both by land and the Thames. The church and market-house stand in that part of the town called New Brentford. It has also two charity schools; tho’ the church is only a chapel to Great Eling.

That part of it called Old Brentford is situated upon a fine rising bank close to the Thames, and is naturally capable of being made as beautiful a spot as any thing of the kind. The opposite side of the river is Kew Green, which appears from hence to advantage.

BRENTWOOD, or BURNTWOOD, in Essex, is a pretty large town seventeen miles from London, and being a very great thoroughfare, is chiefly maintained by the multitude of carriers and passengers constantly passing through it to London, with provisions, manufactures, and droves of cattle; tho’ it is one of the four hamlets belonging to the parish of Southwold cum Brent.

BREWERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Henry VI. in the year 1438, which were confirmed by Edward IV. in 1480, with the privilege of making by-laws. They are governed by a Master, three Wardens, and twenty-eight Assistants, with 108 Liverymen, who upon their admission pay each the sum of 6_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._

BREWER’S _alley_, Shoe lane.

BREWER’S _court_, 1. Basinghall street. 2. Bedfordbury. 3. Oxford street. 4. St. Thomas’s street.

BREWERS HALL, a handsome and commodious building, almost adjoining to Plaisterers Hall in Addle street. It has a genteel entrance into a large court, paved with free stone, and is supported by handsome pillars.

BREWER’S _green_, Tothill side.†

BREWER’S _key_, Thames street, the next key to Tower hill.†

BREWER’S _lane_, 1. Dowgate Hill. 2. Shadwell market. 3. Wapping.

BREWER’S _rents_, Whitechapel.

BREWER’S _street_, 1. Bow street, St. Giles’s. 2. Old Soho.

BREWER’S _yard_, 1. Barnaby street. 2. Cow Cross. 3. Giltspur street. 4. Holiwell lane. 5. By Hungerford market. 6. King street, Westminster. 7. Saffron hill. 8. Shoe lane. 9. Windmill court, Pye corner.

BREWHOUSE _lane_, 1. Salisbury court, Fleet street. 2. Wapping.

BREWHOUSE _yard_, 1. Battle bridge. 2. Fox lane. 3. At the Hermitage. 4. Leather lane. 5. Saffron hill. 6. St. Catharine’s. 7. Turnmill street. 8. Wapping. 9. Whitechapel. 10. White’s ground, Crucifix lane.

BRIANT _court_, Briant street.†

BRIANT _street_, Shoreditch.†

BRIANT’S _alley_, Shoreditch.†

BRICKBUILDINGS _court_, Snow hill.

BRICK _court_, 1. Brick lane, Old street. 2. College street, Westminster. 3. Middle Temple. 4. Sheer lane.

BRICKHILL _lane_, Thames street.

BRICK _lane_, 1. Old street. 2. Spitalfields. 3. Whitechapel: this was formerly a deep dirty road, frequented chiefly by carts fetching bricks that way into Whitechapel, from brick kilns in Spitalfields.

BRICK _street_, 1. Hyde Park road. 2. Tyburn lane.

BRICK _yard_, Brick lane, Spitalfields.

BRICKLAYERS _yard_, Millbank.

BRICKLAYERS _court_, Coleman street, Lothbury.

BRIDE’S _alley_. Fleet street, so called from St. Bride’s, or St. Bridget’s church.

BRIDE _court_, by St. Bride’s church, Fleet street.

BRIDE _lane_, 1. By St. Bride’s church, Fleet street. 2. Little Peter street.

_St._ BRIDE’S, or rather St. Bridget’s church, is obscurely situated behind the houses on the south side of Fleet street. It has been always dedicated to St. Bridget, but the curious are unable to discover who this saint was. The old church was destroyed by the fire of London, and the present edifice was erected within fourteen years after. This church, which is superior to most of our parish churches in delicacy and true beauty, is 111 feet long, 87 broad, and the steeple is 234 feet high. It has a plain and regular body, the openings all answering one another; the roof is raised on pillars, and the altar piece, like the outside of the church, is very magnificent. The circular pediment over the lower part, is supported by six Corinthian columns. The steeple is a spire of extremely delicate workmanship, raised upon a solid yet light tower, and the several stages by which the spire gradually decreases, are well designed, and executed with all the advantage of the orders.

This church is a vicarage, the advowson of which is in the Dean and Chapter of Westminster. The living is worth about 240_l._ _per annum_.

Among the several monumental inscriptions in this church, and the church yard, is the following:

Whoe’er thou art that look’st upon And read’st what lies beneath this stone, What beauty, goodness, innocence, In a sad hour was snatch’d from hence; What reason canst thou have to prize The dearest object of thine eyes? Believe this marble, what thou valu’st most, And sett’st thy heart upon, is soonest lost.

BRIDEWELL, so called from its being near a spring called St. Bridget’s, or St. Bride’s well, situated on the west side of Fleet Ditch, near the Thames, was anciently a royal palace, where several of our Kings resided. And here Henry VIII. built a magnificent house for the reception of the Emperor Charles V. who before lodged at Black Friars.

At length at the solicitation of Bishop Ridley, King Edward VI. gave the old palace of Bridewell to the city, for the lodging of poor wayfaring people, the correction of vagabonds, strumpets, and idle persons, and for finding them work; and as the city had appointed the Grey Friars, now called Christ’s Hospital, for the education of poor children; St. Bartholomew’s and also St. Thomas’s in Southwark for the maimed and diseased, his Majesty formed the Governors of these charitable foundations into a corporation; allowed them a proper authority for the exercise of their offices, and constituted himself the founder and patron. For this purpose he gave to the Lord Mayor, Commonalty and Citizens, and their successors for ever, several pieces of land to the yearly value of 450_l._ and at the same time suppressing the hospital of the Savoy, gave for the above charitable uses a great part of the revenue, together with the bedding and furniture.

In the following reigns granaries and storehouses for coals were erected at the expence of the city within this hospital, and the poor were employed in grinding corn with hand-mills; which were greatly improved in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when a citizen invented a mill, by which two men might grind as much corn in a day as could be ground by ten men with the other mills, and being to be worked either by the hands or feet, if the poor were lame in the arms, they earned their living with their feet, and if they were lame in their legs, they earned their living with their arms.

In the year 1666, this edifice was entirely consumed by fire, and likewise all the dwelling houses in the precinct of Bridewell, from whence had arisen two thirds of its revenue; the hospital however was rebuilt in 1668, in the manner in which it at present appears.

It consists of two courts, in which the buildings are convenient, and not very irregular. The chapel has a square roof, and galleries on the north and west side, supported by columns of the Tuscan order, and the floor is paved with black and white marble. At the west end are places for the hospital boys, and others for the prisoners. The wainscoting and finishing are very neat. The altar piece is adorned with two pilasters, with their entablature and a circular pediment of the Corinthian order, between which the commandments are done in gold upon a black ground, and the Lord’s prayer and the creed wrote on a blue ground; these pieces are enriched with gilt cherubims, leaves and fruit, and placed in gilt frames. The court room is adorned with columns of the Composite order, a gallery, and the names of all the benefactors to the hospital wrote in gold. There is here a chair for the President, and convenient seats for the Governors.

In this hospital are generally about a hundred youths, that are apprentices to glovers, flaxdressers, weavers, &c. who reside there. These youths are under particular regulations, and distinguish themselves at all dangerous fires, by the dexterity with which they work an excellent fire engine belonging to the hospital, and the expedition and regularity with which they supply it with water. They are cloathed in blue doublets and white hats; and having faithfully served their apprenticeship, are not only free of the city, but have 10_l._ towards enabling them to carry on their respective trades.

This hospital is likewise used as a house of correction for all strumpets, nightwalkers, pickpockets, vagrants, and incorrigible and disobedient servants, who are committed by the Lord Mayor, and Aldermen; as are also apprentices by the Chamberlain of the city, who are obliged to beat hemp, and if the nature of their offence requires it, to undergo the correction of whipping.

All the affairs of this hospital are managed by the Governors, who are above three hundred, besides the Lord Mayor and court of Aldermen, all of whom are likewise Governors of Bethlem hospital; for these hospitals being one corporation, they have the same President, Governors, Clerk, Physician, Surgeon, and Apothecary. This hospital has however its own steward, a porter, a matron, and four beadles, the youngest of whom has the task of correcting the criminals.

There are several other places also called by the name of Bridewell, as in Clerkenwell, St. Margaret’s hill, and Tothill fields; but as these are merely houses of correction, they do not deserve a particular description.

BRIDEWELL _alley_, by the side of Bridewell on St. Margaret’s hill.

BRIDEWELL _precinct_, Fleet ditch.

BRIDEWELL _rents_, Vine street.

BRIDEWELL _walk_, Clerkenwell.

BRIDGE. See BLACK FRIARS _Bridge_, LONDON _Bridge_, and WESTMINSTER _Bridge_.

BRIDGE HOUSE, several large buildings, erected as storehouses for timber, stone, or whatever is proper for building or repairing London bridge. It seems to have had its foundation with the bridge itself, and is situated on a considerable spot of ground on the south bank of the Thames, near St. Olave’s church. It had formerly several granaries, for the service of the city in a time of scarcity; and also ten ovens for baking bread, for the relief of the poor citizens: but these granaries are now applied to the use of the cornfactors, who here lay in considerable quantities of corn. The Bridge house is under the management of the Bridge-master, whose office is to look after the reparation of the bridge, and is allowed a considerable salary.

BRIDGE _street_, Westminster, so called from its situation with respect to Westminster bridge.

BRIDGE WARD _within_, is thus named from London bridge, and is bounded on the south by Southwark, and the river Thames; on the east, by Billingsgate ward; on the north, by Langborne ward; and on the west, by Candlewick and Dowgate wards. It begins at the south end of London bridge, from which it extends northward up Gracechurch street, to the corner of Lombard street, including all the bridge, the greatest part of the alleys and courts on the east side, and on the west, all the alleys, courts and lanes in Thames street, on both sides to New key, part of Michael’s lane, and part of Crooked lane. The principal streets are New Fish street and Gracechurch street; and the principal buildings, London bridge, the parish churches of St. Magnus, and St. Bennet’s Gracechurch street; Fishmongers hall, and the Monument.

This ward is governed by an Alderman, and his Deputy, fourteen other Common Council men, sixteen wardmote inquest men, six scavengers, fifteen constables, and a beadle; and the jurymen returned by the wardmote inquest serve in the several courts of Guildhall in the month of July.

BRIDGE WARD _without_, contains the whole borough of Southwark, extending southward from the bridge to Newington; to the south west almost to Lambeth; and to the east to Rotherhith. The principal streets are, the Borough, Blackman street, Long lane, Kent street, Tooley street, St. Olave’s street, and Bermondsey street; and the most remarkable buildings are the parish churches of St. Olave, St. Mary Magdalen Bermondsey, St. Saviour, St. George, and St. Thomas; the prisons of the King’s bench, the Marshalsea, the New prison, and the Clink; St. Thomas’s hospital, Guy’s hospital and the Lock.

This ward is only nominally governed by an Alderman and three Deputies, but has no Common Council men; it has, however, twenty wardmote inquest men, sixteen constables and a bailiff. _Stow’s Survey._

BRIDGE _yard_, Tooley street.

BRIDGE _yard passage_, Tooley street.

BRIDGE’S _rents_, in Fair street, Horselydown.†

BRIDGE’S _street_, Russel street, Covent Garden.†

BRIDGEMAN’S _yard_, Water lane, Black Friars.†

BRIDGEWATER _gardens_, Bridgewater square, a street so called from its being built on the spot where was the Earl of Bridgewater’s gardens.

BRIDGEWATER _passage_, Bridgewater square.

BRIDGEWATER _square_, Barbican, a small neat square, surrounded with plain, but not unhandsome houses. In the area is a grass plat encompassed with iron rails, within which the trees are set thick in the manner of a grove. This square, and several of the adjoining streets, were built on the ground where the Earl of Bridgewater had a large house and garden fronting Barbican.

BRIDGEWATER _street_, Bridgewater square.

BRIDLE _lane_, Brewer’s street.

BRIGG’S _alley_, Thrall street, Spitalfields.†

BRIGHAM’S _yard_, Chandois street.†

BRIMSTONE _court_, Rosemary lane.

BRIMSTONE _yard_, Rosemary lane.

BRISTOL _street_, Puddle dock.

BRITAIN _court_, Water lane, Fleet street.

BRITE’S _alley_, St. Swithin’s lane.†

BRITISH _court_, Tottenham Court road.

BRITISH MUSEUM. Sir Hans Sloane, Bart. (who died 11th Jan. 1753) may not improperly be accounted the founder of the British Museum: for its being established by Parliament was only in consequence of his leaving by will his noble collection of natural history, his large library, and his numerous curiosities, which cost him 50000_l._ to the use of the Public, on condition that the Parliament would pay 20000_l._ to his Executors. And indeed this disposition of Sir Hans was extremely well calculated to answer his generous design; for had he given the whole to the Public, without any payment at all, it could have been of little use, without the assistance of Parliament, to settle a fund for the support of officers, &c.

Sir Hans appointed a number of Trustees, on whose application to Parliament an act was passed for the raising 300000_l._ by way of lottery; 200000_l._ thereof to be divided amongst the adventurers, 20000_l._ to be paid to Sir Hans Sloane’s executors, 10000_l._ to purchase Lord Oxford’s manuscripts, 30000_l._ to be vested in the funds for supplying salaries for officers, and other necessary expences, and the residue for providing a general repository, &c. In this act it is also ordered, that Sir Hans Sloane’s collection, the Cottonian library, the Harleian manuscripts, and a collection of books given by the late Major Edwards, should be placed together in the general repository, which was to be called the British Museum: 7000_l._ left by the said Major Edwards, after the decease of Elizabeth Mills, are also given to the British Museum, for the purchasing of manuscripts, books, medals, and other curiosities.

It happened very fortunately soon after, whilst the Trustees were at a loss where to purchase or build a proper repository, an offer was made them of Montague House in Great Russel street, Bloomsbury, a large and magnificent building, finely ornamented with paintings, situated in the most convenient part of the whole town, and having an extensive garden of near eight acres. This they purchased for the sum of 10000_l._ Repairs, alterations, book-cases, cabinets, and all other conveniences for placing the whole collection properly, and the making apartments for the officers, have cost 15000_l._ more. And every part is now so excellently contrived for holding this noble collection, and the disposition of it in the several rooms is so orderly and well designed, that the British Museum may justly be esteemed an honour and ornament to this nation. His Majesty, in consideration of its great usefulness, has also been graciously pleased to add thereto the royal libraries of books and manuscripts collected by the several Kings of England.

The Sloanian collection consists of an amazing number of curiosities, among which are,

The library, including books of 50000 drawings, manuscripts and prints, amounting to about volumes

Medals and coins ancient and modern 23000

Cameo’s and intaglio’s, about 700

Seals 268

Vessels, &c. of agate, jasper, &c. 542

Antiquities 1125

Precious stones, agates, jaspers, &c. 2256

Metals, minerals, ores, &c. 2725

Crystals, spars, &c. 1864

Fossils, flints, stones 1275

Earths, sands, salts 1035

Bitumens, sulphurs, ambers, &c. 399

Talcs, micæ, &c. 388

Corals, spunges, &c. 1421

Testacea, or shells, &c. 5843

Echini, echinitæ, &c. 659

Asteriæ, trochi, entrochi, &c. 241

Crustaceæ, crabs, lobsters, &c. 363

Stellæ marinæ, star fishes, &c. 173

Fishes and their parts, &c. 1555

Birds and their parts, eggs and nests 1172 of different species

Quadrupedes, &c. 1886

Vipers, serpents, &c. 521

Insects, &c. 5439

Vegetables 12506

Hortus siccus, or volumes of dried 334 plants

Humana, as calculi, anatomical 756 preparations, &c.

Miscellaneous things, natural 2098

Mathematical instruments 55

A catalogue of all the above is written in 38 volumes in folio and 8 in quarto.

As this noble collection of curiosities, and these excellent libraries are now chiefly designed for the use of learned and studious men, both natives and foreigners, in their researches into the several parts of knowledge, the Trustees have thought fit to ordain the following statutes, with respect to the use of the Museum.

I. That the Museum be kept open every day in the week except Saturday and Sunday in each week; and likewise except Christmas day and one week after; one week after Easter day and Whitsunday respectively, Good Friday, and all days which shall hereafter be appointed for Thanksgivings and Fasts by publick Authority.

II. That at all other times the Museum be set open in the manner following: that is, from nine o’clock in the morning till three in the afternoon, from Monday to Friday, between the months of September and April inclusive; and also at the same hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, in May, June, July, and August; but on Monday and Friday, only from four o’clock to eight in the afternoon, during those four months.

III. That such studious and curious persons, who are desirous to see the Museum, be admitted by printed tickets, to be delivered by the porter upon their application in writing; which writing shall contain their names, condition, and places of abode; as also the day and hour at which they desire to be admitted: and that the said names be inserted in the tickets, and, together with their respective additions, entered in a register to be kept by the porter. And the porter is to lay such register every night before the principal Librarian; or, in his absence, before the under Librarian, who shall officiate as Secretary for the time being; or, in his absence, before one of the under Librarians; to the end that the principal or under Librarian may be informed, whether the persons so applying be proper to be admitted according to the regulations made, or to be made, by the Trustees for that purpose. And if he shall judge them proper, he shall direct the porter to deliver tickets to them, according to their request, on their applying a second time for the said tickets.