Part 4
GREAT TOWER _hill_, by Great Tower street.
GREAT TOWER _street_, the broad part on the east end.
GREAT TRINITY _lane_, Bow lane.
GREAT TURNSTILE, Holborn.
GREAT TURNSTILE _alley_, High Holborn.
GREAT WARDOUR _street_, Oxford street.
GREAT WARNER _street_, Cold Bath street.
GREAT WHITE LION _street_, Seven Dials.
GREAT WILD _street_, Great Queen street, Lincoln’s Inn fields.
GREAT WINCHESTER _street_, Broad street, London Wall.
GREAT WINDMILL _street_, Piccadilly.
GREAT _yard_, Parish street, Horselydown.
GREAT YORK _street_, Cock lane, Shoreditch.
GREAVE’S _court_, George yard, Whitechapel.†
GREEN _alley_, 1. Broad Sanctuary. 2. Coleman street, Wapping. 3. St. Saviour’s Dock. 4. Tooley street.
GREEN ARBOUR _court_, 1. French alley. 2. Lambeth hill, Thames street. 3. Little Moorfields. 4. Little Old Bailey.
GREEN BANK, 1. Horselydown. 2. Coleman street, Wapping. 3. St. Olave street. 4. Wapping.
_Board of_ GREEN CLOTH, a court of justice continually sitting in the King’s house. This court is under the Lord Steward of the King’s houshold, and is composed of the Treasurer of the houshold, the Comptroller, Cofferer, Master of the houshold, two clerks of the Green Cloth, and two clerks comptrollers; and receives its name from a green cloth spread over the table, at which they sit.
In the absence of the Lord Steward, the Treasurer of the King’s house, in conjunction with the Comptroller, and other officers of the board, together with the Steward of the Marshalsea, have power to determine treasons, felonies and other crimes committed within the verge. By the direction and allowance of this board, the Cofferer pays the wages of the King’s servants above and below stairs, and the bills for provisions. Also before this board the Averner to the Master of the horse lays the accompts of the stables for horse meat, livery wages, and board wages, in order to be passed and allowed. See the article LORD STEWARD OF THE KING’S HOUSHOLD.
GREEN COAT HOSPITAL, Tothill fields. Several of the inhabitants of Westminster having resolved to settle an hospital like that of Christ Church in the city of London, where poor orphans might not only be furnished with all the necessaries of life, but instructed in manual arts, in the year 1633 obtained a charter from King Charles I. by which they were constituted a body politic and corporate, by the appellation of _The Governors of the hospital of St. Margaret’s Westminster, of the foundation of King Charles_; to consist of twenty Governors, inhabitants of Westminster, with the right of purchasing lands, tenements, &c. in mortmain, to the value of 500_l._ _per annum_. But the civil war soon after breaking out, in a manner quashed this noble design. However, by the charitable benefactions of King Charles II. and others, the estate amounts to above 300_l._ a year, and there are at present twenty boys maintained upon this foundation. _Maitland._
GREEN _court_, 1. Green Bank, Wapping. 2. Knaves Acre. 3. Little Minories. 4. Marshal street, Shoreditch.
GREEN DRAGON _alley_, 1. Narrow street, Limehouse.* 2. Surry street, in the Strand.* 3. By Wapping Wall.*
GREEN DRAGON _court_, 1. Broadway, Westminster.* 2. Cow lane.* 3. Foul lane.* 4. New Crane, Wapping.* 5. Old Change.*
GREEN DRAGON _yard_, 1. Long lane, West Smithfield.* 2. Whitechapel.*
GREEN ELM _court_, in the Savoy.
GREENFORD, in the vale, a village two miles south of Harrow on the Hill.
GREENHILL’S _rents_, Smithfield bars.†
GREENLAND _stairs_. Deptford.
GREEN _lane_, 1. Lambeth. 2. Tottenham Court fields.
GREEN LETTICE _court_, Fore street, Cripplegate.*
GREEN LETTICE _lane_, Canon street.*
GREEN _market_, Leadenhall street.
GREEN _Park_, between St. James’s Park and Hyde Park. This Park adds greatly to the pleasantness of the houses which are situated so as to overlook it, among which the most conspicuous by far is that lately built by Mr. Spencer. Altogether it appears very noble, but considering it as a front, we are disappointed in not seeing any entrance, which surely should have been made conspicuous. The pediment being extended over so many columns is too large and heavy, and the bow window has no relation at all to the building, and offends every eye; but the figures and vases on the top have indeed a fine effect. The irregularity of the other side or principal front (which is in St. James’s Place) is excusable, as the adjoining houses can’t yet be purchased, but the flatness of it, having no columns or great projections, will always make it subordinate to the side that fronts the Park, which is that we have given a view of in the print.
GREEN’S _court_, Lothbury.†
GREEN’S _rents_, Bride lane, Fleet street.†
GREEN SCHOOL _court_, London Wall.
GREEN _street_, 1. Near Grosvenor square. 2. Leicester fields. 3. Theobald’s row.
GREEN _walk_, 1. Broad Wall. 2. Gravel lane.
GREENWICH, a very pleasant town in Kent, situated six miles from London, has been the birth place of several of our Monarchs, particularly Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth: and here King Edward VI. died. Their palace was first erected by Humphry Duke of Gloucester, who named it Placentia. This palace was enlarged by Henry VII. and completed by Henry VIII. but being afterwards suffered to run to ruin, was pulled down by King Charles II. who began another, a most magnificent edifice, and lived to see the first wing finished. See GREENWICH HOSPITAL.
King Charles II. also enlarged the park, walled it round, planted it, and caused a royal observatory to be erected on the top of the steep of the hill. This edifice his Majesty erected for the use of the celebrated Mr. Flamstead, and it still retains the name of that great astronomer: his Majesty likewise furnished it with mathematical instruments for astronomical observations, and a deep dry well for observing the stars in the day time.
That which is properly the palace here, is an edifice of no great extent, and it is now converted into apartments for the Governor of the Royal Hospital, and the Ranger of the park. This park is well stocked with deer, and affords a noble and delightful view of the fine hospital, the river Thames, and the city of London.
Greenwich is said to contain 1350 houses. Its parish church, which has been lately rebuilt by the Commissioners for erecting the fifty new churches, is a very handsome structure, dedicated to St. Alphage, Archbishop of Canterbury, who is said to have been slain by the Danes in the year 1012, on the spot where the church now stands. There is a college at the end of the town, fronting the Thames, for the maintenance of 20 decayed old housekeepers, twelve out of Greenwich, and eight who are to be alternately chosen from Snottisham and Castle-Rising in Norfolk. This is called the Duke of Norfolk’s College, though it was founded and endowed, in 1613, by Henry Earl of Northampton, the Duke of Norfolk’s brother, and by him committed to the care of the Mercers company. To this college belongs a chapel, in which the Earl’s body is laid, which, as well as his monument, was removed hither a few years ago, from the chapel of Dover Castle. The pensioners, besides meat, drink, and lodging, are allowed 1_s._ 6_d._ a week, with a gown every year, linen once in two years, and hats once in four years.
In the year 1560 Mr. Lambard, author of the Perambulation of Kent, also built and founded an hospital called Queen Elizabeth’s College, said to be the first erected by an English protestant. There are likewise two charity schools in this parish, one founded by Sir William Boreman, Knt. for twenty boys, who are cloathed, boarded, and taught; they wear green coats and caps: and the other by Mr. John Roan, who left his estate for teaching also twenty boys reading, writing, and arithmetic, and allowing 2_l._ _per annum_ for each boy’s cloaths. These wear grey coats.
The river Thames is here very broad, and the channel deep; and at some very high tides the water is salt, though it is usually sweet and fresh.
GREENWICH HOSPITAL, stands on the spot, where stood the palace of several of our Kings. The first wing of this noble and superb edifice, erected by K. Charles II. was designed to be applied to the same use. Indeed from the magnificence of the structure, it can scarcely be taken for any thing less than the palace of a great monarch. However King William III. being very desirous of promoting the trade, navigation, and naval strength of this kingdom, by inviting great numbers of his subjects to betake themselves to the sea, gave this noble palace, and several other edifices, with a considerable spot of ground, for the use of those English seamen and their children, who by age, wounds, or other accidents, should be disabled from farther service at sea, and for the widows and children of such as were slain in fighting at sea, against the enemies of their country. King William also by his letters patent, in 1694, appointed commissioners for the better carrying on his pious intentions, and therein desired the assistance of his good subjects, as the necessity of his affairs did not permit him to advance so considerable a sum towards this work, as he desired. In conformity to this request, many benefactions were made both in that and the succeeding reigns, to this noble charity, which, according to the tables hung up at the entrance of the hall, amount to 58,209_l._ and afterwards the estate of the Earl of Derwentwater, who bore a principal part in the rebellion in 1715, amounting to 6000_l._ _per annum_, was given by parliament to this hospital. The first range had cost King Charles II. 36,000_l._ and another was ordered to be built on the same model: this has been completed with equal magnificence, and the whole structure entirely finished.
The front to the Thames consists of these two ranges of stone buildings, with the Governor’s house at the back part in the center, behind which the park, well planted with trees, rises with a noble ascent. These buildings, between which is a large area, perfectly correspond with each other, and each range is terminated by a very noble dome.
In each front to the Thames, two ranges of coupled Corinthian columns finely wrought, support their pediments, and the same order is continued in pilasters along the building. The projection of the entablatures gives an agreeable diversity of light and shade. In the center of each part, between these ranges of Corinthian columns, is the door, which is of the Doric order, and adorned above with a tablet and pediment. Within the height of these lofty columns are two series of windows, enlightening two floors. The undermost, which are the smallest, have rustic cases crowned with pediments; while the upper series, which are larger, and more lofty, are adorned with the orders, and with upright pointed pediments. Over these is an Attic story; the entablature of the Corinthian columns and pilasters supports a regular Attic course: the pilasters of this order rising over every column, and pilaster of the Corinthian below, between which the windows are regularly disposed, and the top is crowned with a handsome balustrade.
The buildings, which are continued from these, and face the area, correspond with them, though in a finer, and more elegant manner. In the center of both is a range of columns supporting a pediment, and at each corner a range of Corinthian pilasters. The front is rusticated, and there are two series of windows. The domes at the end, which are 120 feet high, are supported on coupled columns, as are the porticos below; and under one of these is the chapel, which is adorned on the inside with the greatest elegance and beauty.
On the sides of the gate which opens to these buildings from the park, are placed a large celestial and terrestrial globe, in which the stars are gilt; and in the center of the area, is fixed on a pedestal, a statue of his Majesty King George II.
The hall of this hospital is finely painted by Sir James Thornhill, particularly the ceiling and upper end; on the latter are represented in an alcove, the late Princess Sophia, King George I. King George II. Queen Caroline, the Queen Dowager of Prussia, Frederic Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cumberland, and the five Princesses, the daughters of his present Majesty. On the ceiling over the alcove are her late Majesty Queen Anne and Prince George of Denmark: and on the ceiling of the hall are King William and Queen Mary, with several fine emblematical figures. All strangers who see this hall pay two pence each, and this income is applied to the support of the mathematical school, for the sons of sailors.
For the better support of this hospital every seaman in the royal navy and in the service of the merchants pays 6_d._ a month. This is stopped out of the pay of all sailors, and delivered in at the Six penny Receiver’s office on Tower hill. And therefore a seaman who can produce an authentic certificate of his being disabled, and rendered unfit for the sea service, by defending any ship belonging to his Majesty’s British subjects, or in taking any ship from the enemy, may be admitted into this hospital, and receive the same benefit from it, as if he had been in his Majesty’s immediate service.
There are at present near 2000 old or disabled seamen, and an hundred boys, the sons of seamen, instructed in navigation, and bred up for the service of the royal navy: but there are no out-pensioners, as at Chelsea. Each of the mariners has a weekly allowance of seven loaves, weighing sixteen ounces each; three pounds of beef; two of mutton; a pint of pease; a pound and a quarter of cheese; two ounces of butter; fourteen quarts of beer, and 1_s._ a week tobacco money: the tobacco money of the boatswains is 2_s._ 6_d._ a week each; that of their mates 1_s._ 6_d._ and that of the other officers in proportion to their rank. Besides which, each common pensioner receives once in two years, a suit of blue cloaths, a hat, three pair of stockings, two pair of shoes, five neck cloths, three shirts, and two night caps.
This hospital has about 100 Governors, composed of the nobility, great officers of state, and persons in high posts under the King. The principal officers of the house, with their annual salaries, are:
The Governor £1000
Lieutenant Governor 300
Treasurer 200
Three Captains, each 200
Six Lieutenants, each 100
Two Chaplains, each 100
A Physician and Surgeon, 200 each
A Clerk of the cheque 100
Auditor 100
GREENWICH _alley_, Brickhill lane.
GREENWICH _street_, Dowgate wharf.
GREENWOOD’S _court_, Nightingale lane.†
GREEN _yard_, 1. Basinghall Postern. 2. East Smithfield. 3. Fore street, Cripplegate. 4. Goswell street. 5. Green Bank, Wapping. 6. Horselydown. 7. Milk yard, New Gravel lane. 8. Pepper alley. 9. Tooley street. 10. Upper Ground street. 11. White’s yard, Rosemary lane.
GREGORY’S _court_, High Holborn.
_St._ GREGORY’S, so called from its being dedicated to Pope Gregory the Great, who sent Austin the Monk to convert the English, stood at the south west corner of St. Paul’s cathedral; but being burnt by the fire of London in 1666, and not rebuilt, the parish was by act of parliament annexed to the church of St. Mary Magdalen in Old Fish street.
GREG’S _court_, Goodman’s yard.†
GRENADIER’S _mews_, Portland street.†
GRESHAM’S _Almshouse_ in Broad street, on the west side of Gresham College, was founded by Sir Thomas Gresham in the year 1575, for eight poor men; the trust of which he committed to the Lord Mayor and Commonalty of London, who annually pay these Almsmen 6_l._ 13_s._ 4_d._ each, and a gown every other year.
GRESHAM COLLEGE, situated within the walls between Bishopsgate street and Broad street, and was formerly the dwelling of the founder Sir Thomas Gresham, Knt. a merchant of London, and one of the company of Mercers, who after he had built the Royal Exchange, bequeathed half the revenue thereof to the Mayor and Commonalty of London, and their successors, and the other moiety to the company of Mercers, in trust that the Mayor and Commonalty should find in all times to come four able persons to read in his dwelling house in Bishopsgate street, lectures on divinity, astronomy, geometry, and Music, and allow each of them besides handsome lodgings in that house, the sum of 50_l._ a year: and that the company of Mercers should find three other able men to read lectures in the civil law, rhetoric, and physic, pay them the same salary, and allow them the same accommodations. These salaries and other bequests of Sir Thomas Gresham, amounting in the whole to 603_l._ are payable out of the rents of the Royal Exchange, and there is a grand committee for the management of the affairs of this college and the Exchange, which consists of four Aldermen, whereof the Lord Mayor is always one; twelve of the company of Mercers, and eight of the Common Council, for the city. These lectures were first read in Trinity term, 1597, and with some interruptions have been continued to the present time.
The order of reading every term time is, Monday, divinity; Tuesday, civil law; Wednesday, astronomy; Thursday, geometry; Friday, rhetoric; Saturday, anatomy in the morning, and music in the afternoon. _Stow_, _last edit._ But since the institution of the Royal Society, these lectures are in a manner deserted, the professors having seldom above three or four auditors, and those of the most ordinary people. The print represents the inside of the quadrangle in its present state.
GRESHAM COLLEGE _court_, Bishopsgate street.†
GREVIL _street_, Leather lane.†
GREY-COAT HOSPITAL, Tothill fields, Westminster. In the year 1698 this charity school was erected in St. Margaret’s parish, for the education of poor children, and named _The Grey-coat School_, from the colour of the children’s cloaths; but the trustees being at length greatly encouraged by charitable contributions, in the year 1701, not only increased the number of children, but supplied them with all the necessaries of life, in a large and commodious building near Tothill fields: and for the encouragement of so laudable an undertaking Queen Anne, in 1706, by her letters patent, constituted the trustees of this school a body politic and corporate, by the name of _The Governors of the Grey-coat hospital in Tothill fields, of the royal foundation of Queen Anne_, with the power of purchasing lands, tenements, &c. in mortmain, to the yearly amount of 2000_l._ These children, besides being taught the usual learning, are employed in spinning, knitting, sewing, &c. to inure them early to industry; and having attained the necessary qualifications at school, they are put out apprentices.
This hospital, in the year 1727, was in so flourishing a condition that it contained eighty boys, and fifty girls, in which year the charge of all its disbursements amounted to 1457_l._ 7_s._ 6_d._ At Michaelmas 1739, a mathematical school was erected, and a proper master employed to instruct the boys in the art of navigation, to fit them for the service of their country, several of whom since the erection of this school have been put apprentice to captains in the King’s service.
The expence of each child is about 8_l._ a year, besides the salaries of the masters and mistresses, the wages of servants, and other charges attending the hospital.
GREY EAGLE _street_, Brick lane, Spitalfields.*
GREY FRIARS, a court in Newgate street, near the gate, adjoining on one side to Christ’s hospital. Here, in the reign of King Henry III. was erected a convent of Franciscans or Grey Friars, and some time after a spacious church, which was not compleatly finished till the year 1380, tho’ it was consecrated in 1325. This church, which was 300 feet in length, eighty-nine in breadth, and sixty-four feet two inches in height from the ground to the roof, was built at different times, at the expence of different persons, and among its benefactors were several Queens of England. In the year 1429, Richard Whittington here founded a library, 129 feet in length and thirty-one in breadth, which was finished the following year, and within three years after furnished with books. However, at the general suppression of monasteries, the friery, with all the edifices belonging to it, was surrendered to Henry VIII. and the ornaments and utensils taken away, and applied to the King’s use: after which the church was shut up for some time, and used as a storehouse for goods taken as prizes from the French; but in January 1546, this church, with the friery, library, chapter house, cloisters and gardens, were given by King Henry to the Mayor and Commonalty of London, with the hospital of St. Bartholomew in West Smithfield, the parishes of St. Nicholas and St. Ewin, and so much of St. Sepulchre’s parish as is within Newgate, to be made one parish belonging to the church in the Grey Friars, which was from thenceforward to be called Christ Church. In short, in the year 1552, the house of the Grey Friars began to be repaired for the reception of poor fatherless children, and in November following near four hundred were taken in. _Stow._ See CHRIST’S HOSPITAL.
GREYHOUND _alley_, 1. St. Mary Ax.* 2. Newgate street.*
GREYHOUND _court_, 1. Aldersgate street.* 2. St. Catharine’s lane.* 3. Chick lane.* 4. Lamb street.* 5. Milford lane.* 6. Moor’s street, Soho.*
GREYHOUND _Inn yard_, St. Margaret’s hill.*
GREYHOUND _lane_, Three Colts street.*
GREYHOUND _street_, Whitechapel.*
GREYHOUND _yard_, 1. Portpool lane.* 2. Upper Ground street.*
GREY PEA _alley_, Red Maid lane.
GREY’S _yard_, Duke street, Piccadilly.†
GRIDIRON _alley_, Whitechapel.*
GRIDIRON _court_, High Holborn.*
GRIFFIN _alley_, Blackman street.*
GRIFFIN _street_, Shadwell Dock.*
GRIFFIN _yard_, Long lane, West Smithfield.*
GRIFFIS’S _rents_, Barnaby street.†
GRIGG’S _court_, Goodman’s yard.†
GRIPEY _alley_, Artichoke lane.
GROCERS, the second of the twelve principal companies, was anciently denominated Pepperers; but having changed their name to that of Grocers, were under that denomination incorporated by letters patent granted by King Edward III. in the year 1345, which were confirmed by Henry VI. in 1429. These grants were afterwards confirmed by a new charter of Charles I. in the year 1640, with an additional power of searching and inspecting the goods and weights of all Grocers within the city and suburbs of London, and three miles round. They had anciently the management of the King’s beam in this city, with the right of appointing a master-weigher, and four porters to attend it.
This corporation consists of a Prime and three other Wardens, fifty-two Assistants, and one hundred and twenty-seven Liverymen, whose fine upon admission is 20_l._ They have a great estate, out of which they annually pay to the poor about 700_l._ _Maitland._
GROCERS _alley_, 1. In the Poultry.☐ 2. Shoreditch.