Part 3

“The new church of St. Giles’s, says the author of _The Review of the Public Buildings_, is one of the most simple and elegant of the modern structures: it is raised at a very little expence, has very few ornaments, and little beside the propriety of its parts, and the harmony of the whole, to excite attention, and challenge applause: yet still it pleases, and justly too; the east end is both plain and majestic, and there is nothing in the west to object to, but the smallness of the doors, and the poverty of appearance that must necessarily follow. The steeple is light, airy, and genteel, argues a good deal of genius in the architect, and looks very well both in comparison with the body of the church, and when ’tis considered as a building by itself, in a distant prospect. Yet after all I have confessed in favour of this edifice, I can’t help arraigning the superstition of situating churches due east and west; for in complaisance to this custom, the building before us has lost a great advantage it might have otherwise enjoyed; I mean, the making the east end the front, and placing it in such a manner as to have ended the vista of what is called Broad St. Giles’s; whereas now it is no where to be seen with ease to the eye, or so as justly to comprehend the symmetry and connection of the whole.”

There is a marble monument on the outside of the north isle to the memory of Hugh Merchant, Gent. who died on the 17th of January, 1714, with this inscription:

When, by inclemency of air, These golden letters disappear, And Time’s old cankered teeth have shown Their malice on this marble stone, Virtue and Art shall write his name In annals, and consign his fame To monuments more lasting far, Than marble stones, or golden letters are.

The expence of erecting this church amounted to 10,026_l._ 15_s._ 9_d._ It is a rectory in the gift of the Crown.

GILHAM’S _court_, Rotherhith Wall.†

GILHAM’S _rents_, the Folly, Dock head.†

GILTSPUR _street_, without Newgate.*

GINGERBREAD _alley_, 1. Holiwell lane. 2. Old Change, Cheapside.

GINGERBREAD _court_, 1. Lamb alley, Bishopsgate street. 2. Old Change.

GIRDLERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Henry VI. in the year 1449, and confirmed by Queen Elizabeth in 1568, when the Pinners and Wiredrawers were incorporated with them.

This fraternity consists of a Master, three Wardens, twenty-four Assistants, and seventy-seven Liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 10_l._ They have a convenient hall in Basinghall street.

GLASSENBURY _court_, Rose street, Covent Garden.

GLASSHOUSE _alley_, White Friars.☐

GLASSHOUSE _fields_, Cock hill, Ratcliff.☐

GLASSHOUSE _hill_, Well street.☐

GLASSHOUSE LIBERTY, a part of the parish of St. Botolph Aldersgate street, situated in Goswell and Pickax streets, thus named from a glasshouse which anciently stood there. There was formerly but one government in the parish; but the poor of this liberty increasing considerably, the city liberty ungenerously separated from them, and obliged those in this district to maintain their own poor.

GLASSHOUSE _street_, Swallow street.☐

GLASSHOUSE _yard_, 1. Black Friars.† 2. Goodman’s fields.☐ 3. Old Barge stairs.☐ 4. Old Bethlem.☐ 5. Pickax street.☐ 6. Red Maid lane.☐ 7. Upper Ground.☐ 8. Well street.☐ 9. White Friars.☐ 10. White’s yard.☐ 11. Willow street.☐

GLASS SELLERS, a company that were incorporated with the Looking-glass makers by letters patent granted by King Charles II. in the year 1664, by the title of _The Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty of Glass sellers of the city of London_.

This fraternity is governed by a Master, two Wardens, twenty-four Assistants, and forty-four Liverymen, who on their admission pay a fine of 5_l._ But they have no hall. _Maitland._

GLASS _yard_, Cut-throat lane.

GLAZIERS, a company incorporated with that of the glass painters, by a charter granted by Charles I. in the year 1637.

They consist of a Master, two Wardens, twenty-one Assistants, and ninety-one Liverymen, whose fine is 3_l._ Their hall being consumed in the fire of London, has never yet been rebuilt. _Maitland._

GLAZIER’S _rents_, Fore street, Limehouse.

GLEAN _alley_, Tooley street.

GLOBE _alley_, 1. Deadman’s Place.* 2. Fish street hill.* 3. Narrow street, Limehouse.* 4. Quaker street.* 5. In the Strand.* 6. Wapping.*

GLOBE _court_, 1. Seven Stars alley.* 2. Sheer lane.* 3. Shoe lane.*

GLOBE _island_, Rotherhith.

GLOBE _lane_, Mile-end road.*

GLOBE _stairs_, Rotherhith.*

GLOBE _stairs alley_, 1. Jamaica street.* 2. Rotherhith.*

GLOBE _yard_, 1. New Fish street hill.* 2. Old Bethlem.* 3. Schoolhouse lane, Ratcliff.* 4. Wapping.*

GLOUCESTER _court_, 1. Beer lane. 2. Black Friars. 3. St. James’s street. 4. Whitecross street, Cripplegate.

GLOUCESTER _street_, 1. Liquorpond street. 2. Queen’s square, Bloomsbury.

GLOVERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Charles I. in the year 1638.

This company is governed by a Master, four Wardens, thirty Assistants, and a livery of 130 members, who upon their admission pay a fine of 5_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ They have a hall in Beech lane.

GLOVERS _court_, Beech lane.☐

GLOVERS _yard_, Beech lane.☐

GOAT _alley_, 1. St. Catharine’s lane.* 2. Ludgate hill.* 3. Upper Ground, Southwark.* 4. Whitecross str. Cripplegate.*

GOAT INN _yard_, St. Margaret’s hill.*

GOAT’S HEAD _alley_, Skinners street.*

GOAT _stairs_, Bank side.*

GOAT _yard_, 1. Free school street, Horselydown.* 2. In the Maze, Tooley street.* 3. Whitecross street, by Old street.*

GOAT _yard passage_, Horselydown.*

GOATHAM _alley_, Shoreditch.‖

GOBB’S _alley_, Grey Eagle street.†

GOBIONS. See GUBBINS.

GODDARD’S _rents_, 1. Holiwell street.† 2. Wheeler street.†

GODLIMAN’S _street_, 1. Little Carter lane.† St. Paul’s Chain.†

GODFREY’S _court_, Milk street, Cheapside.†

GODWEL _stairs_, near Limehouse.†

GOLD AND SILVER WIREDRAWERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by K. James I. in the year 1623.

This fraternity is governed by a Master, two Wardens, and eighteen Assistants, but has neither livery nor hall.

GOLDBY’S _rents_, Golden lane.†

GOLDEN ANCHOR _alley_, Old street.*

GOLDEN BALL _court_, Great Wild street.*

GOLDEN CROSS _court_, Cateaton street.*

GOLDEN FLEECE _yard_, Tothill street.*

GOLDEN KEY _court_, 1. Basinghall Postern.* 2. Fore street.*

GOLDEN _lane_, Barbican.

GOLDEN LEG _court_, Cheapside.*

GOLDEN LION _alley_, Long ditch, Westminster.*

GOLDEN LION _court_, 1. Aldersgate street.* 2. By St. George’s church, Southwark.*

GOLDEN _square_, near Great Windmill street, a very neat but small square, containing about two acres. A large space on the inside adorned with grass plats and gravel walks, was till lately surrounded with wooden rails; but these have been removed, and handsome iron ones placed in their room.

GOLD’S _hill_, Dean street.

GOLDSMITHS, one of the twelve principal companies, is of great antiquity; for in the reign of Henry II. in the year 1180, it was among other guilds, fined for being adulterine, that is, setting up without the King’s special licence. But at length, in 1327, Edward III. in consideration of the sum of ten marks, incorporated this company by letters patent, and granted the Goldsmiths the privilege of purchasing an estate of 20_l._ _per annum_ in mortmain, for the support of their valetudinary members, which in the year 1394, was confirmed by Richard II. for the sum of twenty marks. These grants were afterwards confirmed by Edward IV. in the year 1462, who also constituted this society a body politic and corporate, to have perpetual succession, and a common seal. They had now likewise the privilege of inspecting, trying, and regulating all gold and silver wares, not only in this city, but in all other parts of the kingdom; with the power of punishing all offenders concerned in working adulterated gold and silver, and the power of making by-laws for their better government.

This fraternity is governed by a Prime, three other Wardens, and ninety-eight Assistants; with a livery of 198 members, who upon their admission pay a fine of 20_l._

GOLDSMITHS HALL, a spacious building in Foster lane, Cheapside, was originally built by Drew Barentin, about the year 1407, but was destroyed by the fire in 1666, and the present edifice arose in its place. It is an irregular structure built with brick, and the corners wrought in rustic of stone. The door is large, arched, and decorated with Doric columns, which support a pediment of the arched kind, but open for a shield, in which are the arms of the company. The hall room is spacious, and both that and the other rooms well enlightened.

In this hall are, among others, the pictures of Sir Martin Bowers, and Sir Hugh Middleton, both of this company, and great benefactors to it. They both enjoyed the office of Lord Mayor of London. The latter is worthy of immortal honour, for bringing the New River water to the city: out of the rents of which he gave 30_l._ a year to this company, which is now worth near the annual revenue of 300_l._ They have also a very great estate, and apply above 1000_l._ a year to charitable uses.

By an act passed in the 12th year of the reign of his present Majesty George II. it is ordered that no goldsmith, silversmith, or other person dealing in gold or silver wares, shall make any gold vessel, plate, or manufacture, of less fineness than 22 carats of fine gold in every pound troy weight; nor any of silver, of less fineness than 11 ounces, two pennyweights, of fine silver in every pound troy. And that no goldsmith, silversmith, or other dealer in gold or silver wares, shall sell, exchange, or expose to sale, any gold or silver plate, or export the same, without its being marked with the first letters of the christian and surname of the maker, and, if in London, with the marks of the Goldsmiths company, namely, the leopard’s head, the lion passant, and a distinct variable mark, denoting the year in which such plate was made; or with the mark of the worker, and the marks appointed to be used by the assayers of York, Exeter, Bristol, Chester, Norwich, or Newcastle upon Tyne; on the penalty of forfeiting 10_l._ for every omission. The forging of the company’s marks, exposes the maker to the penalty of 100_l._ or two years imprisonment. However, such pieces of gold or silver, as are either too small or too thin to receive the marks, and do not weigh ten pennyweights of gold or silver each, are not to be stamped. The price of assaying is fixed by the Wardens of the company.

GOLDSMITH’S _alley_, 1. Jewin street.† 2. Lukener’s lane, Drury lane.†

GOLDSMITH’S _court_, 1. Goldsmith’s alley, Jewin street.† 2. New street.†

GOLDSMITH’S _rents_, East Smithfield.†

GOLDSMITH’S _street_, 1. Crucifix lane, Barnaby street, Southwark.† 2. Wood street, Cheapside.

GOLD’S _square_, Golston street, Whitechapel.† See GOULD’S _square_.

GOLD _street_, 1. Near New Gravel lane. 2. Wood street, Cheapside.

GOLSTON’S _court_, Drury lane.†

GONSON’S _rents_, Bluegate fields, Upper Shadwell.†

GOODCHILD’S _alley_, Market street, Westminster.

GOODMAN’S _fields_, a considerable piece of ground lying behind the houses on the south side of Whitechapel, the east side of the Minories, and the north side of Rosemary lane. Mr. Stow observes, that in his time, this was a large field and farm kept by one Goodman, whose son afterwards let it out, and lived like a gentleman upon the rent it produced: and it still retains the same name, though it has now no appearance of a field. It principally consists of four handsome streets, inhabited by merchants, and other persons in affluent circumstances: these streets are on the four sides, and in the center is a tenter ground, which being surrounded by the houses, is excluded from public view. About fifteen years ago there was a very neat but small play house in one of these streets, and in this theatre Mr. Garrick first distinguished himself as an actor.

GOODMAN’S _wharf_, St. Catharine’s.†

GOODMAN’S _yard_, In the Minories, leading into Goodman’s fields.†

GOOD’S _rents_, In the Minories.†

GOODWIN’S _court_, 1. Oxford street.† 2. St. Martin’s lane, Chancery lane.† 3. Noble street.†

GOODYEAR’S _rents_, Wapping.†

GOOSE _alley_, 1. Bow Church yard, Cheapside.* 2. Fleet Ditch.*

GOOSETREE’S _yard_, Peter street, Westminster.†

GORHAMBURY, a little to the west of St. Alban’s, was formerly the paternal estate of the great Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, and Viscount of St. Alban’s, and is now the seat of the Lord Viscount Grimston.

GOSLING’S _rents_, Swordbearer’s alley, Chiswell street.†

GOSSIPS _rents_, Tooley street.‖

GOSSIPS _row_, Glean alley, Tooley street.‖

GOSWELL _street_, extends in a line from the corner of Barbican, where Aldersgate street ends, to Mount Mill.

GOUGH’S _square_, near Fleet street; a very small oblong square, with a row on each side of handsome buildings.†

GOUGH’S _yard_, Back street, Lambeth.†

GOULD’S _court_, Woodrofe lane.†

GOULD’S _square_, Woodrofe lane.†

GOULSTON’S _square_, Whitechapel.†

GRACECHURCH _street_, Cornhill, was originally called Grass church street, from a grass or herb market, near Allhallows Lombard street, which from that market was called Grass church. _Stow._

GRACE _court_, Fenchurch street.

GRACE’S _alley_, Well street, Wellclose square.

GRAFTON _buildings_, Long lane.

GRAFTON _street_, Soho.

GRAHAM’S _Almshouse_, in Hog lane, Soho, was founded in the year 1686, by Mrs. Graham, for four decayed Clergymen’s widows, their maiden daughters, or other gentlewomen, each of whom has a handsome apartment, and 10_l._ _per annum_; and for fuel and a servant to attend them all, the additional sum of 10_l._ a year.

GRANGE, Near the King’s road.

GRANGE _court_, Carey street, Lincoln’s Inn fields.

GRANGE _lane_, Bermondsey.

GRANGE _road_, Bermondsey.

GRANGE _street_, Chapel street, in Red Lion street, Holborn.

GRANGE _walk_, King John’s court, Bermondsey.

GRANGE _yard_, Bermondsey fields.

GRANGER’S _rents_, Near Barbican.†

GRAPE _street_, By Little Moorfields.

GRASSCHURCH _street_, Cornhill; now generally called and spelt Gracechurch street.

GRASSHOPPER _alley_, 1. Fore street.* 2. Whitecross street.*

GRASSHOPPER _court_, Charterhouse street.*

GRAVEL _court_, Old Gravel lane.*

GRAVEL _lane_, 1. Near the Falcon stairs. 2. Houndsditch.

GRAVEL _street_, Brook street, Holborn.

GRAVEL _walk_, 1. Blue Anchor alley. 2. Collingwood street.

GRAVE’S _dock_, Fore street, Limehouse.†

GRAVE’S _wharf_, near Fishmongers hall, Thames street.†

GRAVESEND, a town in Kent, twenty-two miles from London, situated on the Thames, opposite to Tilbury Fort, about six miles east from Dartford, and about the same distance from Rochester. In the reign of Richard II. the French and Spaniards sailed up the Thames to this town, and having plundered and burnt it, carried away most of the inhabitants. To enable the town to recover this loss, the Abbot of St. Mary le Grace on Tower hill, to whom King Richard II. had granted a manor belonging to Gravesend, obtained that the inhabitants of Gravesend and Milton should have the sole privilege of carrying passengers by water from hence to London, at 2_d._ a head, or 4_s._ the whole fare; but the fare is now raised to 9_d._ a head in the tilt boat, and 1_s._ in the wherry. The former must not take in above forty passengers, and the latter no more than ten. The Watermens company are by act of parliament obliged to provide officers at Billingsgate and at Gravesend, who at every time of high water by night and day, are at their respective places to ring publicly a bell set up for that purpose, for fifteen minutes, to give notice to the tilt boats and wherries to put off; and coaches ply at Gravesend at the landing of people from London to carry them to Rochester. King Henry VIII. raised a platform here and at Milton, and these towns were incorporated by Queen Elizabeth, by the name of the Portreve (which has been changed to that of Mayor) the jurats and inhabitants of Gravesend and Milton. The whole town being burnt down in 1727 the parliament in the year 1731 granted 5000_l._ for rebuilding its church. Here is a very handsome charitable foundation, Mr. Henry Pinnock having in 1624, given twenty-one dwelling houses and a house for a master weaver to employ the poor: and a good estate is also settled for the repairs.

Within a few years past, great improvements have been made in the lands near this town, by turning them into kitchen gardens, with the produce of which Gravesend not only supplies the neighbouring places for several miles round, but also sends great quantities to the London markets, particularly of asparagus, that of Gravesend being preferred to that of Battersea. As all outward bound ships are obliged to anchor in this road till they have been visited by the custom house officers, and as they generally stay here to take in provisions, the town is full of seamen, and in a constant hurry.

GRAY FRIARS. See GREY FRIARS.

GRAY’S _court_, Duke street, Piccadilly.†

GRAY’S INN, on the north side of Holborn, near the Bars, is so called from its being formerly the residence of the ancient and noble family of Gray of Wilton, who in the reign of Edward III. demised it to several students of the law. It is one of the four Inns of Court, and is inhabited by Barristers and Students of the law, and also by such gentlemen of independent fortune, as chuse this place, for the sake of an agreeable retirement, or the pleasure of the walks.

The members of the house are to be in commons a fortnight every term, for which they pay 16_s._

The officers and servants belonging to the Inn, are, a Treasurer, a Steward, a chief and three under butlers, an upper and under cook, a pannier man, a gardener, the steward, the chief butler’s men, and two porters.

This Inn has its chief entrance out of Holborn through a large gate, though it is seated far backwards, and though with its gardens it takes up almost all the west side of Gray’s Inn lane. It consists of several well-built courts, particularly Holborn court, Coney court, and another at the entrance into the garden. The hall where the gentlemen of the society dine and sup is large and commodious; but the chapel is too small; it is a Gothic structure, and has marks of much greater antiquity than any other part of the building.

The chief ornament belonging to this Inn, is its spacious garden, the benefit of which is enjoyed by the public, every body decently dressed being allowed the recreation of walking in it every day. This garden consists of gravel walks, between vistas of very lofty trees, of grass plats, agreeable slopes, and a long terras with a portico at each end; this terras is ascended by a handsome flight of steps. Till lately there was a summer-house erected by the great Sir Francis Bacon, upon a small mount: it was open on all sides, and the roof supported by slender pillars. A few years ago the uninterrupted prospect of the neighbouring fields, as far as the hills of Highgate and Hampstead, was obstructed by a handsome row of houses on the north; since which the above summer-house has been levelled, and many of the trees cut down to lay the garden more open. The part represented in the print is the lower side of Coney court, containing the chapel, hall, &c. and is the principal square of this Inn (which is a very considerable one) belonging to the gentlemen of the long robe.

GRAY’S INN _lane_, Holborn Bars.

GRAY’S INN LIBRARY, which is kept in Coney court, Gray’s Inn, consists of a considerable number of books in several languages, and on different branches of learning; but more particularly on law, for the use of the gentlemen of the Inn.

GRAY’S INN _passage_, 1. Field court, Gray’s Inn. 2. Red Lion street, Holborn.

GRAYS THURROCK, a town in Essex, nineteen miles from London, so called from its ancient Lords the Grays of Codnor. It has a very good market for corn and cattle.

GREAT ALMONRY, Tothill street, Westminster. See ALMONRY.

GREAT ARTHUR _street_, Goswell street.†

GREAT ASHENTREE _court_, White Friars.‡

GREAT BACON _yard_, Goswell street.

GREAT BEAR _key_, Thames street. See BEAR KEY.

GREAT BLACK HORSE _court_, Aldersgate street.*

GREAT CARTER _lane_, St. Paul’s church yard.†

GREAT CHAPEL _street_, Oxford street.

GREAT COCK _alley_, 1. Fore street, Cripplegate.* 2. Redcross street.*

GREAT COW _alley_, Whitecross street, Old street.*

GREAT DEAN’S _yard_, Westminster.

GREAT DICE _key_, Thames street.

GREAT DISTAFF _lane_, Old Change.*

GREAT EARL _street_, Seven Dials.†

GREAT EASTCHEAP, Canon street, Fish street hill. See EASTCHEAP.

GREAT ELBOW _lane_, College hill.

GREAT FRIARS GATE, Fleet street: so called from its leading into White Friars.

GREAT GARDEN, St. Catharine’s lane.

GREAT GEORGE _street_, 1. A fine new built street, that extends from the end of Bridge street into St. James’s Park. The great uniformity observed in the buildings, their grandeur, and the length and straightness of this street, form a noble vista, terminated at the end next the park by very handsome iron gates supported on stone piers, and by the tall trees of the park, which at a distance resemble a thick grove. 2. A very noble street which extends from Hanover square into Conduit street; this is also broad and well paved, and has several very fine houses built and inhabited by noblemen and people of the first rank. See HANOVER SQUARE.

The other streets of this name, are, 3. By Great New George street, Spitalfields: and 4. by King street, Westminster. These streets were thus named in honour of his present Majesty and his royal father.

GREAT HART _street_, James’s street, Long Acre.

GREAT HERMITAGE _street_, in the Hermitage.

GREAT JERMAIN _street_, Near Piccadilly.†

GREAT KIRBY _street_, Hatton Garden.†

GREAT KNIGHTRIDER’S _street_, by Addle hill.

GREAT LAMB _alley_, Blackman street.

GREAT MADDOX _street_, Hanover square.

GREAT MARLBOROUGH _street_, Poland street.

GREAT MONTAGUE _court_, Little Britain.

GREAT MONTAGUE _street_, near Brick lane, Spitalfields.

GREAT MOOR _yard_, St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.

GREAT NEW _street_, Fetter lane.

GREAT NEWPORT _street_, near Long Acre.

GREAT NOTTINGHAM _street_, Plumtree street.

GREAT OLD BAILEY, Ludgate hill.

GREAT ORMOND _street_, Red Lion street, Holborn.

GREAT ORMOND _yard_, Ormond street.

GREAT PEARL _street_, Grey Eagle street, Spitalfields.

GREAT PETER _street_, by Great Poulteney street.

GREAT POULTENEY _street_, near Brewer’s street, Soho.

GREAT QUEEN _street_, 1. Lincoln’s Inn fields. 2. Westminster.

GREAT RIDER _street_, St. James’s street.

GREAT RUSSEL _street_, 1. Bloomsbury, from the Duke of Bedford’s house near it. 2. Covent garden, from its being built upon the same Duke’s estate.

GREAT ST. ANDREW’S _street_, Seven Dials.

GREAT ST. ANN’S _lane_, by Orchard street, Westminster.

GREAT ST. HELEN’S _court_, Bishopsgate street within. See _St._ HELEN’S.

GREAT ST. THOMAS APOSTLE’S _lane_, by Queen street, Cheapside. See _St._ THOMAS APOSTLES.

GREAT STONE _stairs_, Ratcliff.

GREAT SUFFOLK _street_, Cockspur street.

GREAT SWALLOW _street_, Piccadilly.

GREAT SWORDBEARERS _alley_, Chiswell street.