Part 8

CLERKENWELL _green_, on the south side of St. James’s church, Clerkenwell.

CLERKENWELL _Priory of Nuns_, was founded by Jordan Briset, a wealthy Baron, about the year 1100, in a field adjoining to Clerks, or Clerken Well, and dedicated to the honour of God, and the assumption of the blessed Virgin. This priory continued till it was suppressed by Henry VIII. in the year 1539, when its revenues were found to amount to 262_l._ 19_s._ _per annum_. On the north east side of St. James’s church, which anciently belonged to this priory, is still to be seen the ambulatory, or south side row of this priory, consisting of six arches; and tho’ the eastern part of the cloister be destroyed, yet the nuns hall, which was situated at the north end, is still remaining, tho’ at present it is converted into a work shop, and the garden on the east side was formerly the cemetery belonging to the nunnery. _Maitland._

CLIFFORD’S INN, one of the Inns of Chancery, is situated behind St. Dunstan’s church in Fleet street, and is much improved by new buildings. It has three courts, and a garden adorned with rows of lime trees set round the grass plats, and with gravel walks, which are kept in good order. This Inn took its name from its being anciently the house of the Lord Clifford.

CLIFFORD’S INN _lane_, Fleet street.☐

CLIFFORD’S _street_, New Bond street.†

CLINCARD’S _alley_, Westminster market.

CLINK LIBERTY COURT, a court of record kept on the Bank side in Southwark by the Bishop of Winchester’s steward, before whom are tried pleas of debt, damage and trespass, for any sum. Here also is a court leet in which things peculiar to that court are managed. _Maitland._

CLINK _prison_, in Clink street, belongs to the liberty of the Bishop of Winchester, called the Clink liberty, but is little used. It is a very dismal hole, where debtors are sometimes confined.

CLINK _street_, begins at Deadman’s place, and extends to St. Mary Overy’s dock.

CLINK _yard_, Clink street.

CLOAK _lane_, Dowgate hill.

CLOAK AND WHEATSHEAF _alley_, Houndsditch.*

CLOAK AND WHEATSHEAF _court_, Houndsditch.*

CLOCKMAKERS. Charles I. incorporated this company by letters patent in the year 1632. They have a Master, three Wardens, and twenty-eight Assistants; but neither livery nor hall.

CLOISTERS, 1. In the Middle Temple. 2. St. Bartholomew’s hospital.

CLOISTER _court_, 1. Inner Temple.☐ 2. Black Friars.☐

CLOISTERS _court_, Glasshouse yard, Water lane, near White Friars.☐

CLOTH FAIR, Smithfield. King Henry II. granting to the priory of St. Bartholomew, the privilege of a fair to be kept annually at Bartholomew tide, the clothiers of England and the London drapers repaired thither, and had their booths and stalls within the church yard of that priory; this place being built into a narrow street, still retains the name of Cloth Fair; and in conformity to its name several eminent woollen drapers still live there.

CLOTH _yard_, Dunning’s alley.

CLOTHWORKERS, one of the twelve principal companies, was incorporated by letters patent granted by King Edward IV. in the year 1482, by the name of _The fraternity of the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary, of the Sheermen of London_: but being reincorporated by Queen Elizabeth, she changed their first appellation, to that of _The Master, Wardens, and Commonalty of freemen of the art and mystery of Clothworkers of the city of London_; which title was confirmed by Charles I.

This company is governed by a Master, four Wardens, and thirty-two Assistants, with a livery of 154 members, each of whom, upon his admission, pays a fine of 20_l._ They have a very large estate, out of which they annually pay to the poor about 1400_l._

CLOTHWORKERS HALL is situated near the north east end of Mincing lane, and is a brick building with fluted columns of brick crowned with Corinthian capitals of stone. The hall is a lofty room wainscoted up to the ceiling, which is adorned with fretwork. The screen at the south end is of oak, and ornamented with four pilasters that have their entablature and compass pediment of the Corinthian order. At the west end are the figures of King James and King Charles I. in their robes, carved as big as the life, and on the windows are painted the King’s arms, those of the city, the clothworkers company, and several others, belonging to the masters of that fraternity.

CLUB _row_, Cock lane, Shoreditch.

CLUN’S _yard_, Grub street.†

COACH AND HORSES _yard_, 1. Aldersgate street.* 2. Coleman street.* 3. Fann’s alley.* 4. Oxford street.* 5. St. John’s street.* 6. Wood street, Cheapside.*

COACHMAKERS. This company was incorporated by letters patent of Charles II. in the year 1677, by the title of _The Master, Wardens, Assistants, and Commonalty of the company of Coach and Coach-harness-makers of London_. It is governed by a Master, three Wardens, twenty-three Assistants, and one hundred and four Liverymen, each of whom upon their admission pay a fine of 10_l._ They have a spacious hall in Noble street.

COACHES. See HACKNEY COACHES.

COAL _alley_, Whitechapel.

COAL _Exchange_, Billingsgate.

COAL HARBOUR, Thames street. See the article COLD HARBOUR.

COAL _stairs_, Lower Shadwell.

COAL _wharf_, near the Strand.

COAL _yard_, 1. Goswell street. 2. High Holborn. 3. Willow street, Bank side.

COALMAN’S _alley_, Puddle dock.†

COALMETERS, fifteen officers in the port of London, to whom belong the care and inspection of the just measure and weight of coals; each of whom is allowed four deputies or under-meters, who must be approved by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, as upon them the care of weighing and measuring coals principally depends; their business being to attend each ship, in order to observe the due weight and admeasurement, to top the vats, and to return an account of the coals measured to the coal office, by which return or certificate of the under-meters, the duties on coals are collected. For this trouble they receive the fee of a penny _per_ chaldron for all coals measured, and two pence _per_ ton for all coals weighed: and both the principal and under-meters take an oath at their admission into their office, to give just measure to rich and poor without partiality or favour; to buy no coals except for their own use, nor ever to sell coals while in that office, or to take any more for their trouble than was anciently allowed.

COALMETERS _Office_, in Church alley, St. Dunstan’s hill. In this office, which belongs to the fifteen upper coalmeters, is entered all the ships that arrive in the port of London with coals, and the quantity measured or weighed; in order to ascertain the duties to be paid, as well as to prevent impositions and frauds with respect to the subject.

Mr. Maitland gives the following septenary account, from the Custom House entry book, of the coals imported into the port of London.

┌───────┬────────┬────────┬────────┬────────┬────────┐ │Years. │ 1726. │ 1727. │ 1728. │ 1729. │ │ │Chald. │479,336 │417,974 │536,019 │497,167 │ │ ├───────┼────────┼────────┼────────┼────────┼────────┤ │Years. │ 1730. │ 1731. │ 1732. │ Total. │ Medium │ │Chald. │460,615 │478,411 │453,503 │3,323,025│474,717 │ └───────┴────────┴────────┴────────┴─────────┴────────

But as both London and Westminster have been prodigiously increased since the last of these years, by a vast number of entire streets being built, we may conclude that this account falls extremely short of the quantity now annually imported into the same port.

COAT’S _farm_, Coat’s lane.†

COAT’S _lane_, Bethnal green.†

COBB’S _court_, Black Friars.†

COBB’S _yard_, 1. Blackman’s street.† 2. Petticoat lane.†

COBHAM, a town in Surry, situated on the river Mole, six miles from Epsom, in the road from London to Guilford.

Near Cobham are several fine seats, particularly one belonging to the Lord Ligonier, and another, the seat of Mr. Bridges, which is built in a very singular taste, tho’ very plain on the outside, somewhat after the manner of an Italian villa. The principal rooms are richly ornamented; the ceilings are gilt; and the offices below are not only convenient, but contrived with great judgment, so as to answer the purposes for which they were designed. As the house is situated on an eminence, it commands the prospect of the adjacent fields, which are kept in great order. The river Mole passes along by the side of the gardens, and being made here four or five times, broader than it was naturally, it has a happy effect, especially as the banks are disposed into a slope, with a broad grass walk, planted on each side with sweet shrubs. At one end of this walk is a very elegant room, which is a delightful retreat in hot weather, it being shaded with large elms on the south side, and having the water on the north and east sides, is extremely cool and pleasant. The house is situated about half a mile from the public road to Portsmouth, and is so much hid by the trees near it, as not to be seen till you rise on the heath beyond Cobham, where you have a fine view of it in several parts of the road between that town and Ripley.

COCK _alley_, 1. Deadman’s place.* 2. East Smithfield.* 3. Fleet lane.* 4. Green bank, Tooley street.* 5. Holiwell street, Shoreditch.* 6. Ludgate street.* 7. Montague close.* 8. Moorgate.* 9. Near Pepper alley, Southwark.* 10. Norton Falgate.* 11. Portpool lane.* 12. Shoreditch.* 13. Turnmill street.* 14. Wapping.* 15. Whitechapel.* 16. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.*

COCK ALLEY _stairs_, near Pepper alley stairs, Southwark.*

COCK _court_, 1. Angel alley, Houndsditch.* 2. Black Boy alley, Chick lane.* 3. Grub street, near Moorfields.* 4. Ludgate hill.* 5. St. Martin’s le Grand.* 6. New street, Broad street.* 7. Philip lane, London Wall.* 8. Poor Jewry lane.* 9. Snow hill.*

COCK AND BOTTLE _court_, near Nightingale lane.*

COCK AND HOOP _court_, Addle hill.*

COCK AND MAGPYE _court_, Hog lane, Norton Falgate.*

COCK AND WHEATSHEAF _court_, Houndsditch.*

COCK _hill_, 1. Anchor street. 2. Ratcliff.

COCK _lane_, 1. By Cock hill. 2. Near Falcon lane.* 3. Snow hill.* 4. Swan fields, Shoreditch.*

COCK _yard_, 1. Bennet street, Westminster.* 2. East Smithfield.* 3. Falconer’s alley, Cow Cross.* 4. In the Haymarket.* 5. Jacob’s street.* 6. Parish street.* 7. Thacket’s court, Bishopsgate street.* 8. Tothill street.*

COCK AND HEART _yard_, in the Borough.*

COCK AND HOOP _yard_, 1. In the Borough.* 2. Castle street, Long Acre.* 3. Houndsditch.*

COCKET _alley_, Fore street, Lambeth.

_The_ COCKPIT, opposite to the Privy Garden, is esteemed a part of the ancient palace of Whitehall, and retains its ancient name, though converted to very different uses from that of a Cockpit. This edifice, which is built with stone, is very old, and on the outside next the street has nothing to recommend it; but within it has several noble rooms and apartments, as the council chamber, &c.

COCKPIT _alley_, 1. Drury lane. 2. Gravel lane.

COCKPIT _buildings_, Upper Chelsea road.

COCKPIT _court_, 1. Dean street, Soho. 2. Gravel lane. 3. Jewin street. 4. King’s Way, near Bedford row. 5. Poppin’s alley, Shoe lane.

COCKPIT _street_, Whitehall.☐

COCKPIT _yard_, James street.☐

COCK’S HEAD _court_, Golden lane.*

COCK’S _rents_, St Catharine’s.†

COCKSPUR _street_, Pall Mall.

CODLIN _yard_, Virginia street.‡

CODPIECE _court_, petty France, Westminster.║

CODPIECE _row_, Cold Bath fields.║

COFFEE HOUSE _alley_, Thames street.☐

COFFEE HOUSE _court_, Moorfields.☐

COFFIN _alley_, Cow Cross.*

COFFIN _court_, St. Dunstan’s hill.*

COGDELL _court_, near Pultney street.†

COGGAN’S _rents_, Bett’s street.†

COLCHESTER _street_, 1. Red Lion street, Whitechapel. 2. Woodroffe lane.

COLD BATH _fields_, Hockley in the hole, took their name from the cold bath near them. See COLD BATH _square_.

COLD BATH _row_, Cold Bath street.☐

COLD BATH _street_, Cold Bath fields.☐

COLD BATH _square_, Cold Bath fields. On the north side of this small square, is pleasantly situated fronting the fields, the house in which is the cold bath. This is a handsome though old building, and is surrounded by a small, but neat garden, inclosed by a wall.

COLD HARBOUR, Thames street. It took its name from a magnificent building called _Cold Herbergh_, that is, _Cold Inn_, probably so denominated from its vicinity to the river. This building, which extended into the place now called Cold Harbour lane, was given by King Henry IV. to his son the Prince of Wales. _Rymer’s Fœdera._

COLD HARBOUR _lane_, Thames street. This lane, and the stairs, are now generally called, and even spelt Coal Harbour.

COLD HARBOUR _row_, Hackney road.

COLD HARBOUR _stairs_, Thames street.

COLEBROOK, or COLNBROOK, a town in Buckinghamshire, situated 18 miles from London, on four channels of the river Coln, over each of which it has a bridge. One part of the town is in Middlesex, and the other in Buckinghamshire. Here is a charity school, and an ancient chapel, said to have been founded by Edward III. The principal support of the place are the inns, on account of its being in the Bath road.

COLEMAN _alley_, 1. Brown street.† 2. Bunhill row.†

COLEMAN’S _court_, Castle lane.†

COLEMAN _street_, 1. Farthing fields.† 2. Lothbury.† 3. New Gravel lane.†

COLEMAN STREET _Ward_, is bounded on the north by Cripplegate ward, upper Moorfields, and Bishopsgate ward; on the east by Bishopsgate ward, Broad street ward, and Cheap ward; on the south by Cheap ward; and on the west by Basinghall street ward. It extends from east to west, from the grate by Lothbury church, to the south side of Ironmonger lane; but no farther than the south-west corner of Basinghall street on the north side; and, in the other direction, it extends south from Moorgate to the garden belonging to Grocers hall in the Poultry.

The principal streets in this ward are, Coleman street, the north part of the Old Jewry; Lothbury, from Coleman street to St. Margaret’s church, on the north side, and on the south, to about twenty-seven feet beyond Prince’s street; the north side of Cateaton street, from Basinghall street to Coleman street, and the south side from Ironmonger lane. The most remarkable buildings are, the parish churches of St. Stephen Coleman street, St. Margaret’s Lothbury, and St. Olave’s Jewry; Founders hall, the Armourers and Brasiers hall, and the Excise office.

This ward is governed by an Alderman and his Deputy, six Common Council men, thirteen wardmote inquest men, four scavengers, four constables, and a beadle. The jurymen returned by the wardmote inquest serve in the several courts in Guildhall in the month of August.

COLEMAN’S _yard_, 1. Barnaby street.† 2. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.†

COLE’S _alley_, Whitechapel.†

COLE’S _rents_, Moorfields.†

COLE _yard_, between Holborn and Drury lane.

COLLEGE _court_, 1. Cow Cross. 2. Dean’s yard, Westminster. 3. Nightingale lane. 4. Stable yard. 5. Warwick lane.☐

COLLEGE _hill_, Thames street.

COLLEGE _of Heralds_. See HERALDS _Office_.

COLLEGE _of Physicians_. See PHYSICIANS.

COLLEGE _street_, 1. Dirty lane, Westminster. 2. Narrow Wall, Lambeth.

COLLEGE _yard_, 1. Compter lane. 2. Deadman’s place. 3. Near the Hermitage.

COLLIER’S _court_, Hart street, Cripplegate.†

COLLIER’S _rents_, White street.†

COLLINGBURN’S _rents_, Dick’s shore, Limehouse.†

COLLINGWOOD _street_, Maze Pond, near Snow fields, Southwark.†

COLLIN’S _court_, 1. Bloomsbury market.† 2. Brick street.† 3. Farmer’s street.†

COLLIN’S _rents_, 1. High Holborn.† 2. Upper Shadwell.† 3. White street.†

COLNBROOK. See COLEBROOK.

COLNEY, a village in Hertfordshire, three miles from St. Alban’s in the road to London, is called London Colney, to distinguish it from Colney street, which lies a little to the west, and Colney green. These villages receive their names from the river Coln, near which they are situated.

COLOUR _yard_, Worcester street.

COLSON’S _court_, Drury lane.†

COMB NEVIL, in Surry, is situated in the parish of Kingston upon Thames, and was formerly the seat of the Earl of Warwick, called the setter up and puller down of Kings; but was lately in the possession of William Harvey, Esq; It is situated in the midst of a park; and near the house are certain springs whose water is conveyed in leaden pipes for three miles, under the road and lands, and across the bottom of the Thames to Hampton Court.

CUMBER’S _court_, Blackman street.†

COMBMAKERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Charles I. in the year 1636. They consist of a Master, two Wardens, and thirteen Assistants; but have neither hall nor livery.

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

COMMISTRY’S _alley_, Cock hill, Ratcliff cross.

COMMON COUNCIL. These are the representatives of the commons, and compose one of the parts of the city legislature, which nearly resembles that of the kingdom; for as the latter consists of the King, Lords, and Commons, so this is composed of the Lord Mayor, the Aldermen and Common Council; the principal difference is, that the three estates of the kingdom enjoy separately the right of a negative, while in the city this right is confined to the Aldermen and Common Council.

Before the year 1347, there were only two Common Council men returned for each ward, which being thought inefficient to represent the numerous body of the commons, it was at that time agreed, that each of the city wards should chuse a number of Common Council men according to its dimensions; but none to exceed twelve, nor any to have less than six; which has been since increased to the present number.

The city is now divided into twenty-five wards, and they into 236 precincts, each of which lends a representative, who is elected in the same manner as an Alderman; with this only difference, that as the Lord Mayor presides in the wardmote, and is judge of the poll at the election of an Alderman, the case is the same with the respect to the Aldermen in their several wards, at the choice of Common Council men. _Maitland._

_The Court of_ COMMON COUNCIL, consists of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and representatives of the several wards, who assemble in Guildhall, as often as the Lord Mayor, by his summons, thinks proper to convene them, in order to make by-laws for the government of the city. They annually select six Aldermen and twelve Commoners for letting the city lands, and this committee generally meet at Guildhall on Wednesdays. They also appoint another committee of four Aldermen and eight Commoners for transacting the affairs belonging to Gresham College, who generally meet at Mercers hall, according to the appointment of the Lord Mayor, who is always one of the number. Besides the appointing of these, and several other committees, they by virtue of a royal grant, annually chuse a Governor, Deputy, and Assistants, for the management of the city lands in Ireland. They have likewise a right to dispose of the offices of town clerk, common serjeant, judges of the Sheriffs court, common crier, coroner, bailiff of the borough of Southwark, and city garbler. _Maitland’s Survey._

COMMON _Clerk_. See TOWN CLERK.

COMMON CRIER, an office of the city, who with the serjeant at arms, is to summon all executors and administrators of freemen to appear, and bring inventories of their personal estates, within two months after their decease. He is also obliged to attend the Lord Mayor on particular days, and to be present at the courts held weekly by his Lordship and the Aldermen. He is by his place an Esquire.

COMMON HUNT, the chief huntsman of the city, whose principal business is to take care of the city hounds, and to attend the Lord Mayor and citizens in hunting whenever desired. This officer has a house allowed him in Finsbury Fields, where the hounds are kept, and for their support he has a considerable annual allowance, besides his perquisites. He is also to attend the Lord Mayor on set days, and is by his place an Esquire.

COMMON _lane_, in Thames street.

_Court of_ COMMON PLEAS. This is one of the four great courts of the kingdom, and is so called because in that court are debated the usual or common pleas between subject and subject, and all civil causes whatsoever. It was anciently ambulatory, and followed the King wheresoever he went; but at the confirmation of _Magna Charta_, by King John, in 1215, it was fixed at Westminster, where it still continues.

Soon after the fixing of this court at Westminster, such a multitude of causes were brought before it, that the King for the greater dispatch of business, found it necessary instead of three, to constitute six Judges, whom he appointed to sit in two places: but at present the number being only four, they sit together in Westminster hall to hear and decide causes; but no Counsellor can plead before them under the degree of a Serjeant.

The chief Judge in this court is the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, who has a salary of 2500_l._ _per annum_. with his robes and two tons of wine; the other, who are called the three puisne Judges of this court, and also four Serjeants, are each allowed fees, reward and robes, the puisne Judges having 2000_l._ _per annum_ each.

The other officers of this court are, the Custos Brevium; three Prothonotaries and their Secondaries; several clerks, who have their several counties allotted them, and are to engross the fines levied on lands in their respective divisions; the Chirographer; the Register of the fines, and a Clerk of the proclamations. The Prothonotaries and Chirographer sit in the court covered with black round caps, which was the fashion before the invention of hats and wigs. These are all sworn and have their offices for life. See Custos BREVIUM, PROTHONOTARY, &c.

In this court there are three officers unsworn, viz. a clerk of the treasury, a clerk of the enrollments of fines and recoveries, and a clerk of the outlawries: there are besides a clerk of the King’s silver; a clerk of the warrants; a clerk of the juries; a clerk of the essoins; a clerk of the supersedeas; filazers for the several counties of England; an exigenter; four criers and a porter.

COMMON SERJEANT, an officer of the city, who is obliged to attend the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen on court days, and to be in council with them on all occasions, both within and without the precincts or liberties of the city; and formerly he was to take care of the estates of the city orphans.