Part 15

Before the Commissioners of Excise are tried all frauds committed in the several branches of the revenue under their direction; and if any person thinks himself injured by their sentence, he may appeal to the Commissioners of Appeal for a rehearing.

At the desire of the Commissioners of this office, a very laudable practice is lately set on foot, for the support of the valetudenary and aged clerks and officers belonging to the same; for which purpose the several clerks and officers contribute 3_d._ per pound out of their respective salaries, which is said to amount to about 3000_l._ _per annum_. _Chamberlain’s Present State._ _Maitland’s Survey._

EXETER ’CHANGE, an edifice in the Strand, erected for the sake of trade, consisting of a long room with a row of shops on each side, and a large room above, now used for auctions. This edifice received its name from the mansion of the Earls of Exeter, which stood near it. _Maitland._

EXETER ’CHANGE _court_, Exeter street.

EXETER _street_, Catharine street, so called from its being situated near Exeter ’Change.

F.

_Court of_ FACULTIES _and_ DISPENSATIONS, in Doctors Commons, under the Archbishop of Canterbury. When the papal power was abolished in England by King Henry VIII. this court was established by act of parliament, that the Archbishop in the Pope’s stead, might grant dispensations and indulgences for eating flesh upon prohibited days; for marrying without banns or on holydays; for a son to succeed his father in his benefice; for a plurality of livings, non-residence, and other cases of the like nature. To this court belongs an officer called _Magister ad Facultates_, and a register.

FAGER’S _alley_, Turnmill street†

FAIR _street_, Horselydown.

_St._ FAITH’S, a parish church once under the east end or choir of St. Paul’s cathedral. It owes its name to its being dedicated to St. Faith, or _Sancta Fides_, a French virgin of the city of Agen, in the province of Aquitain, who is said to have suffered martyrdom in the reign of the Emperor Dioclesian, for refusing to sacrifice to idols. No records however remain of the antiquity of this church, in which several persons of note were formerly interred, nor is it known at what time divine service was performed in it, other than by chauntry priests for the souls of their departed benefactors. This church however having suffered with St. Paul’s cathedral, it was thought proper entirely to demolish it, and to unite the parish to that of St. Austin’s.

FALCON _alley_, 1. Barnaby street.* 2. King street, Westminster.* 3. Redcross street.*

FALCON _court_, 1. In the Borough.* 2. Fleet street.* 3. Lothbury.* 4. Near Rag street, Clerkenwell.* 5. Shoe lane.* 6. Shoemaker row, Aldgate.*

FALCON _Inn yard_, St. Margaret’s hill.*

FALCON _lane_, 1. Falcon stairs.* 2. Maiden lane, Southwark.*

FALCON _row_, 1. Codpiece row.* 2. Fleet street.* 3. Long lane, Southwark.* 4. Lothbury.* 5. St. Margaret’s hill.* 6. Shoe lane.* 7. White street.*

FALCON _stairs_, Gravel lane.*

FALCON _yard_, 1. Kent street.* 2. Shoemaker row, Aldgate.* 3. Tooley street.*

FALCONBRIDGE _court_, Hog lane, St. Giles’s.†

FALCONER’S _alley_, 1. Cow Cross, West Smithfield.† 2. Cross street, by Lukener’s lane.† 3. Turnmill street.†

FAN _court_, St. Michael’s lane.

FANMAKERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Queen Anne, in the year 1709. This fraternity is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and twenty Assistants; but they have neither hall nor livery. _Maitland._

FANN’S _alley_, 1. Goswell street.† 2. Webb’s square.†

FARINGDON WARD _Within_, received its name from William Farendon and Nicolas his son, who had the government of all this ward for the space of eighty-two years; and it received the addition of _within_, on account of this part of Faringdon ward lying within the walls. It is bounded on the north by Aldersgate ward, Cripplegate ward, and the liberty of St. Martin’s le Grand; on the west by Faringdon without, on the south by Castle Baynard ward, and the river Thames; and on the east by Castle Baynard ward, and Cheap ward.

The principal streets and lanes in this ward are, Newgate street, the west side of Warwick lane, Ave Mary lane, Paternoster row, Ivy lane, St. Paul’s church yard, Ludgate street, and Black Friars.

The most remarkable buildings are, St. Paul’s cathedral, St. Vedast in Foster lane, Christ Church in Newgate street, St. Martin’s Ludgate, and St. Matthew’s Friday street; the college of Physicians, Stationers hall, Apothecaries hall, Sadlers hall, Embroiderers hall, and Scots hall; St. Paul’s school, Christ Church hospital, and Ludgate.

This ward is governed by an Alderman, his Deputy, twelve Common Council men, eighteen wardmote inquest men, eighteen scavengers, seventeen constables and a beadle; and the jury returned by the inquest for this ward serve in the courts of Guildhall in the month of September.

FARINGDON WARD _Without_, is the farthest ward to the west of the city, and is bounded on the north by the Charterhouse, the parish of St. James Clerkenwell, and part of St. Andrew’s parish without the freedom; on the west, by High Holborn and St. Clement’s parish in the Strand; on the south, by the Thames; and on the east, by the ward of Faringdon within, the precinct of St. Bartholomew near Smithfield, and the ward of Aldersgate.

The principal places in this ward are, Smithfield, Cloth Fair, Bartholomew Close, Snow hill, and all Holborn up to the Bars, Hatton Garden, Leather lane, and Brook street; the Old Bailey, Ludgate hill, Fleet ditch and market, Shoe lane, Fetter lane, Fleet street, White Friars, and Salisbury court.

The most remarkable buildings are, the Temple, Serjeants Inn, Clifford’s, Barnard’s and Thavie’s Inns, Temple Bar, Bridewell hospital, St. Bartholomew’s hospital, Fleet prison, Surgeon’s hall; and the parish churches of St. Bartholomew the Great, St. Bartholomew the Less, St. Sepulchre’s, St. Andrew’s Holborn, St. Dunstan’s in the west, and St. Bride’s.

This ward being so very extensive is parted into three divisions, and is governed by an Alderman, and three Deputies, sixteen Common Council men, forty-four inquest men, fifteen scavengers, and fifteen constables. The jury returned by the inquest in this ward serve in the several courts of Guildhall in the month of June.

FARMER’S _alley_, 1. Gardiner’s lane.† 2. Hog lane, St. Giles’s.†

FARMER’S _court_, Ivy street.†

FARMER’S _street_, Shadwell.†

FARR’S _alley_, St. Giles’s.†

FARR’S _rents_, Rotherhith wall.†

FARR’S _yard_, Whitecross street.†

FARRANT’S _yard_, Rotherhith wall.†

FARRIERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles II. in the year 1673, and governed by a Master, three Wardens, twenty-four Assistants, and seventy-six Liverymen, each of whom, upon their admission, pay a fine of 5_l._ but they have no hall. _Maitland._

FARRIER’S _yard_, 1. In the Minories. 2. Stoney lane.

FARTHING _alley_, 1. East Smithfield. 2. Jacob street, Rotherhith. 3. In the Maze.

FARTHING _fields_, 1. New Gravel lane.║ 2. Old Gravel lane.║

FARTHING _street_, Phenix street, Spitalfields.║

FASHION _street_, Artillery lane, Spitalfields.

FAUSTIN’S _court_, Bowl alley, St. Giles’s.† 2. Vinegar lane, Drury lane.†

FEATHERS _alley_, 1. Bedfordbury.* 2. Holborn.* 3. Long Acre.* 4. St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.* 5. In the Strand.*

FEATHERS _court_, 1. Bury court, Piccadilly.* 2. Drury lane.* 3. Fox court, Gray’s Inn lane.* 4. High Holborn.* 5. Milk street, Cheapside.*

FEATHERSTONE’S _buildings_, High Holborn.†

FEATHERSTONE’S _court_, Featherstone street.†

FEATHERSTONE _street_, Bunhill row.†

FELL _court_, Fell street.†

FELL _street_, Little Wood street.†

FELL’S _Almshouse_, at Blackwall, was erected by Capt. Fell for the accommodation of four poor families, but without any allowance for their support.

FELLOWSHIP _Porters_. See PORTERS.

FELTMAKERS. The Felt hat-makers being anciently a branch of the company of Haberdashers of hats, they applied in the year 1576 for an exclusive charter; but being opposed by the Haberdashers, their endeavours proved abortive; but at last all disputes being adjusted, they were separately incorporated by letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1604. They are governed by a Master, four Wardens, and twenty-five Assistants, with a livery of sixty members, who at their admission pay a fine of 5_l._ each, but they have no hall. _Maitland._

FEN _court_, 1. Fenchurch street. 2. St Michael’s lane.†

FENCHURCH _buildings_, Fenchurch street.

FENCHURCH _street_, Gracechurch street. It took its name from the Lang-bourn, a rivulet or bourn, that arose near the place which is now Magpye alley, and spreading near the spring head, rendered the contiguous street so moorish or fenny, especially about the church, which stood in the broad way between Mincing lane and Rood lane, that it from thence obtained the name of Fenchurch street. _Maitland._

FENWICK’S _court_, High Holborn.

FETCHAM, a village near Leatherhead, where is the seat of Thomas Revel, Esq; on which no cost has been spared to render a most beautiful situation by nature, more delightful by art.

FETTER _lane_, Fleet street, in old writings called Feuter lane; it was then what Drury lane is now.

FETTER LANE _court_, Bernard’s Inn.

FIELD _court_, Gray’s Inn.

FIELD _lane_, Holborn hill.

FIGTREE _court_, 1. Barbican.‡ 2. Inner Temple.‡

FIGTREE _yard_, Maudlin’s rents.‡

FINCH _lane_, Cornhill.†

FINCHLEY, a village in Middlesex between Hendon and Coneyhatch, is seven miles north of London.

FINSBURY, Moorfields, formerly called Fensbury, from a neighbouring fen or moor. _Maitland._

FINSBURY COURTS, in this place the steward of the manor holds a court leet and court baron, in which are transacted the business peculiar to each court.

FINSBURY _yard_, Chiswell street.

FIRE OFFICE. See the particular names by which they are distinguished, as HAND IN HAND, SUN FIRE OFFICE, UNION, &c.

FIREBALL _alley_, Houndsditch.

FIREBALL _court_, 1. Houndsditch. 2. First Postern, London Wall.

FIRST FRUITS OFFICE, in the Middle Temple, is under the Remembrancer of the first fruits, under whom is a Deputy and senior clerk, a Receiver, and a Deputy Receiver of the first fruits; a Receiver of the tenths, and his clerk, and a Comptroller of the first fruits and tenths.

FISH MARKET _court_, Bloomsbury.

FISH STREET _hill_, Gracechurch street.

FISH _yard_, 1. St. Margaret’s lane. 2. Pudding lane.

FISHERMEN, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King James II. in the year 1687, by the name of _The_ _free Fishermen of London_; but it does not appear that they have either livery or arms: They have however a hall in Thames street.

FISHER’S _alley_, 1. Hide street, Bloomsbury.† 2. Rosemary lane.† 3. Water lane, Fleet street.†

FISHER’S _Almshouse_, in the Dog row, near Mile end, was erected by Capt. Fisher, in the year 1711, for the widows of six masters of ships, for whose support he settled upon it an estate of 40_l._ a year; and committed the trust of it to the fraternity of the Trinity House.

To this edifice are since added two additional rooms, the ground for which was purchased by Sir Charles Wager, and these rooms built by Sir William Ogborne in the year 1728. The two widows who live in these, have each an allowance of 16_s._ a month, and 20_s._ _per annum_ for coals.

FISHER’S _court_, Eagle street, Holborn.†

FISHER’S _rents_, Broad street, Old Gravel lane.†

FISHER’S _street_, Red Lion square.†

FISHMONGERS. These as well as the other persons concerned in furnishing the city with provisions, were anciently under the immediate direction of the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and these magistrates had this power confirmed by an act of parliament in the seventh of Richard II. in the year 1384. At that time the dealers in fish consisted of two communities, viz. the salt-fish, and stock-fishmongers, though they were not incorporated till afterwards, the former in 1433, and the latter in 1509. But this division proving prejudicial to the profession in general, they united, and were incorporated by letters patent, granted by Henry VIII. in the year 1536.

This is one of the twelve principal companies, and is governed by a Prime and five other Wardens, twenty-eight Assistants, and 140 Liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 13_l._ 6_s._ 8_d_. This corporation pays to charitable uses about 800_l._ _per annum_.

FISHMONGERS HALL, situated in Thames street, a little above the Bridge, and has a view of the river. The entrance from Thames street is by a handsome passage which leads into a large square court, paved with flat stones, and encompassed by the great hall, the court room for the Assistants, and other grand apartments, with galleries; these are of an handsome construction, and are supported by Ionic columns, with an arcade. The front next the Thames has been lately repaired and ornamented at a very great expence. The ascent to the first apartments is by a double flight of steps from the wharf; the door is adorned with Ionic columns, and these support an open pediment, in which is a shield with the arms of the company; the windows are ornamented with stone cases, and the quoins of the building are wrought with a handsome rustic, and in the whole of this front there is a great deal of solid beauty.

FISHMONGERS _alley_, 1. St. Margaret’s hill. 2. Fenchurch street.

FISHMONGERS _Almshouses_, handsome buildings at Newington Butts, founded and erected at different times. The most ancient is St. Peter’s hospital, a Gothic structure, built with brick and stone, with a brick wall before it, within which are two rows of tall trees, and behind the buildings a garden.

The entrance is by a pair of iron gates opening to the center of the building, which is lofty but very irregular. On the inside are two courts behind each other, in which is a hall with painted windows and a chapel. Inscriptions on the sides of these courts shew that they were built at different times.

To the south of this hospital is another founded by Mr. James Hulbert, a liveryman of the Fishmonger’s company, in the year 1719, whose statue is erected upon a pedestal; and in the wall which extends before both, are iron rails, to afford a view of this statue, the more modern hospital, erected by that gentleman, and the pleasant walks before it.

The Fishmongers company erected St. Peter’s hospital by virtue of letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1618, for the reception of several of their poor members who had pensions bequeathed them by the wills of several members of the company: thirteen of whom were beadsmen and women of the company’s great benefactor Sir Thomas Knesworth, who in 1513 left them 8_d_. _per_ week each. Sir Thomas Hunt also in 1615 left 20_l._ 10_s._ _per annum_ towards the support of six ancient poor men and women. Richard Edmunds in 1620 bequeathed an annual sum of 6_l._ towards the maintenance of two poor persons; which number of twenty-one pensioners, with one added by the company, were put into this hospital; and soon after Sir John Leman, Sir John Gayer, Mr. Harper, Arthur Mouse and Mrs. Anne Bromsgrove, by their respective wills demised several sums to the amount of 28_l._ _per annum_.

Each of the twenty-two almspeople have two rooms, and an allowance of 3_s._ per week, 15_s._ at Christmas, a chaldron of coals and a gown yearly. And one of the pensioners, who reads prayers twice a day in the chapel has an additional allowance of 2_l._ _per annum_.

The more modern structure was, as we have already said, founded by Mr. James Hulbert, citizen and fishmonger, for the accommodation of twenty poor men and women; who besides two neat rooms to live in, have each an allowance of 3_s._ a week, one chaldron of coals, a gown every year, and 10_s._ at Christmas.

FITCHE’S _court_, Noble street, Foster lane.†

FITZER’S _wharf_, Shadwell.†

FIVE BELL _alley_, Little Moorfields.*

FIVE BELL _court_, Leadenhall street.*

FIVE FEET _lane_, 1. Barnaby street. 2. Broad street. 3. Thames street; so called because the west end was but five feet broad. _Stow._

FIVE FIELDS, Chelsea.

FIVE FIELDS _row_, Chelsea.

FIVE FOOT _alley_, 1. Old Gravel lane. 2. Petty France, Westminster.

FIVE FOOT _court_, Old Fish street hill.

FIVE INKHORN _alley_, Whitechapel.*

FIVE INKHORN _court_, 1. Petticoat lane.* 2. Whitechapel.*

FIVE PIPE _alley_, Pickleherring street.*

FLAMPTON _court_, Fore street.†

FLEECE _court_, Rose and Crown court, Moorfields.*

FLEECE _yard_, 1. Cornhill.* 2. Tothill street.*

FLEET BRIDGE, at the end of Fleet Ditch next the market. Since the filling up of Fleet Ditch, this can scarcely be termed a bridge; but as one of the walls of the bridge is still left, for the security of passengers, by preventing their falling into the ditch on that side, it still retains its ancient name.

FLEET DITCH, a part of the town ditch by which Turnmill brook, and the little river Fleet, fell into the Thames. In this ditch flood gates were erected in the year 1606; and after the fire of London, it was by order of the Mayor and court of Aldermen, cleansed, enlarged, and made navigable, for barges to come up by the benefit of the tides, as far as Holborn Bridge, where Turnmill brook fell into this channel. The sides were built of stone and brick, with warehouses on each side, which ran under the street, and were designed to be used for laying in of coals, and other commodities. It had five feet water at the lowest tide at Holborn Bridge: the wharfs on each side of the channel were thirty-five feet broad; and were rendered secure from danger in the night by rails of oak being placed along the sides of the ditch. Over this canal were four bridges of Portland stone, viz. at Bridewell, Fleet street, Fleet lane, and Holborn. The whole expence of sinking, clearing, wharfing, planking and piling, with that of paving, posting and railing, amounted in the whole to 27,777_l._ besides what was paid to the several proprietors, whose grounds were taken for the enlargement of the wharfs and keys, on either side of the channel. _Camden._ _Stow._

In digging this canal between Fleet prison and Holborn Bridge, several Roman utensils were discovered at the depth of fifteen feet; and, a little deeper, a great quantity of Roman coins in silver, copper, brass, and all other metals except gold. Those of silver were ring-money of several sizes, the largest about the bigness of a crown, but gradually decreasing; the smallest were about the size of a silver two-pence, each having a snip in the edge: and at Holborn Bridge were dug up two brazen Lares, or Houshold gods, about four inches in length, which were almost incrusted with a petrific matter: one of these was Bacchus, and the other Ceres: but the coins lying at the bottom of the current, their lustre was in a great measure preserved by the water incessantly washing off the corroding salt.

Probably the great quantity of coin found in this ditch, was thrown in by the Roman inhabitants of this city, for its preservation, at the approach of Boadicea, at the head of her army; but all the Roman citizens, without distinction of age or sex, being barbarously massacred by the justly enraged Britons, it was not discovered till this time. Besides the above mentioned antiquities, several things of a more modern date were discovered, as arrow heads, scales, seals, with the proprietors names upon them in Saxon characters; spur-rowels of an hand’s breadth, keys and daggers coated over with a livid petrific rust; together with a considerable number of medals, with crosses, crucifixes, and Ave Maries engraven thereupon. _Conyer’s MSS. in Sir Hans Sloane’s library in the Museum._

Fleet Ditch now extends no higher than Fleet Bridge, all above being arched, covered over, and converted into a market; and the building the fine bridge at Black Friars, will soon occasion all that is left of this ditch to be filled up.

FLEET _lane_, Old Bailey, extends to Fleet market.

FLEET MARKET, situated upon the canal called Fleet Ditch, was opened on the 30th of September 1737. Instead of stalls there are two rows of shops of a great length from north to south, with a handsome walk between, into which light is thrown by windows placed along the top; and in the center is a neat lanthorn with a clock; the whole of this part is paved with rag stones. On the south end, the fruiterers stands are made in the form of piazzas erected on each side, and these have proper conveniences to deposit their remaining stock.

FLEET PRISON, is situated on the east side of Fleet market, and a little to the south of Fleet lane, and was originally so called from the river Fleet running by it. It is very large, and reckoned the best prison in the city for good rooms, and other conveniences. It has the benefit of an open yard, which is enclosed with a very high wall.

The keeper is called the Warden of the Fleet; and besides his fees from the prisoners for turning the key, for chamber rent, &c. which amount to a considerable sum, he has the rents of the shops in Westminster Hall.

This prison belongs to the court of Common Pleas, and hither persons are committed for contempt of orders, &c. in the high court of Chancery; or upon debt, when by a writ of Habeas Corpus they remove themselves thither from any other prison.

The _rules_ or _liberties_ of the _Fleet_, are all the north side of Ludgate hill, and the Old Bailey up to Fleet lane; down that lane into the market, and then turning the corner on the left, all the east side along by the Fleet prison to the bottom of Ludgate hill.

FLEET _street_, 1. From Fleet ditch to Temple Bar.☐ 2. Little George street, Spitalfields.

FLEET STREET _court_, 1. Fleet street.☐ 2. Little George street, Spitalfields.

FLEMISH _court yard_, Tower ditch.

FLEMISH _grounds_, Tooley street.

FLEMISH _hop gardens_, Bedfordbury.

FLETCHERS, or Arrowmakers, from the French word _flèche_, an arrow; though arrows have been near three centuries out of use in England, and though this is a company only by prescription and not by charter, they have nevertheless obtained a coat of arms and a livery; are become the thirty-ninth company in the city, and seem in all respects as firmly established, as those incorporated by letters patent.

This fraternity, which entirely consists of people of other trades, consists of two Wardens, ten Assistants, and twenty-five Liverymen, who, upon their admission, pay a fine of 10_l._ each. They have a small but convenient hall in St. Mary Ax.

FLETCHER’S _court_, Bembridge street.†

FLOWER AND DEAN _street_, Spitalfields.††

FLOWER DE LUCE _alley_, 1. Black Friars.* 2. Wheeler street.*