instituted the office of sheriff, and laid William Walworth, then mayor of Londown that plan of the municipal consti- don. tution of London, which has gradually A similar but equally unsuccessful moulded into the peesent form. attempt threatened the safety of the In 1013, Sweyn, king of Denmark, metropolis in 1450, headed by Jack Cade, assumed the crown, which passed in the and a powerful body of malcontents. next year to Canute, his son. London During the reign of Edward the was then important, for out of an enor- Fourth, 1460, we have the earliest notice mous impost of £80,000 Saxon, levied of bricks being employed in the buildupon the English, £11,000 was supplied ing of houses in London: cisterns and by London alone. conduits for water were constructed, In 1050, Edward the Confessor re- and the City generally lighted at night built Westminster Abbey, which previ- by lanterns. The art of printing first ously was only a rude building of wood. introduced by William Caxton, a citizen On Christmas - day, 1066, William, and mercer. styled the Conqueror, was crowned In 1485, a dreadful visitation, called King of England. Among the City the "sweating sickness," desolated the archives is still preserved, a Charter City; and during the reign of Henry granted by William to the citizens; it is the Seventh, the chapel called after his beautifully written in Saxon characters, name was appended to Westminster on a slip of parchment. For copy of Abbey. Many valuable improvements Charter, see Chapter VI. in the municipal regulations of the City, In the year 1078, the Tower of Lon- etc., were effected during the despotism don was built. In 1083, old St. Paul's of his successor, Henry the Eighth. was commenced building, but again The short but brilliant reign of Eddestroyed by fire in 1087. In the reign ward the Sixth, 1547, witnessed the of William Rufus, 1097, Westminster establishment of Christ's Hospital, Hall was erected, part of which same Bridewell, and St. Thomas's Hospital; building still remains. In 1100, the and under the memorable sway of Elizaprivileges of the City were further beth, London increased with surprising extended by a Charter of Henry the rapidity in commercial enterprise and First; and early in the reign of Richard general prosperity. the First, the title of Mayor was sub- 1602, the Royal Exchange was built stituted for that of Bailiff, which had by Sir Thomas Gresham, and the citipreviously designated the chief magis-zens equipped sixteen ships, with 10,000 trate of London. men, to resist the threatened invasion The same monarch confirmed and of the Spanish Armada. enlarged its liberties by two successive Early in the reign of James the First, Charters; and the corporate form of 1603, 30,000 persons fell victims to the government, nearly as it exists at pre-ravages of the plague. At this time Sir sent, was established under his succes- Hugh Middleton commenced his great sor, John. The division of the City undertaking of supplying the inhabitants into twenty-four wards, each presided with water, by means of the New River. over by an Alderman, took place under Again, in the reign of Charles the First, Edward the First. In the reign of the plague returned and carried off Edward the Third, 1348, it was ravaged 35,000 inhabitants, and in 1665 it apby a pestilence, during which 50,000 peared again and swept away 100,000 bodies were interred in the ground now in thirteen months. The following year forming the precincts of the Charter- was marked as one of the most eventful house. 1380 was marked by the despe- occurrences London ever witnessed, viz., rate insurrection, headed by Wat Tyler, the Great Fire, which, as though to and suppressed by the courage of Sir purify the City of the dreadful epidemic which preceded it, raged with such fury, a German writer describing the metrothat it consumed 400 streets, 89 churches, polis, speaking of Tyburn, the place of and 13,200 dwelling-houses, the City execution at that time, mentions it as gates, Guildhall, hospitals, schools, and being "distant from London about two libraries, leaving a ruined space from English miles." From Oxford-road to the Tower to the Temple Church, and Piccadilly, there was a road called the destroying property to the value of Way from Reading, proceeding through £10,000,000 sterling. Hedge-lane and the Haymarket (which Some idea may be formed of the avenues were entirely destitute of houses), general extent and aspect of London to St. James's Hospital, now the Palace; previous to the fire, from the perusal of and a few small buildings on the site of a map published in the early part of the Carlton-terrace were all that existed of 17th century. the present Pall-mall. Leicester-square From Bishop's Gate to the Tower, was all open fields; and St. Martin'sall was uncovered or garden ground. lane had only a few buildings above the Goodman's Fields were enclosed pasture church towards the Convent-garden, grounds, and there were few buildings which extended as a garden to Druryeast of the Tower. Whitechapel con- lane, three buildings alone existing on sisted of a few houses only; and Hounds- that extensive site. Long-acre, Sevenditch, which contained a single row of dials, and even Drury-lane, to the top houses opposite to the City walls, of Wych-street, were quite open. The opened behind into the fields, Spital- Strand was a street, with houses on fields, from the back of the church, lay both sides, but principally formed of entirely open. From Bishopsgate-with- the mansions of the nobility and preout to Shoreditch church, there existed lates; those on the south side having a tolerably regular street, yet still with large gardens open to the Thames. unoccupied sites intervening. West of The present names of Norfolk-street, Bishopsgate to Moorfields and Fins- Arundel-street, Surrey-street, Salisburybury, was nearly all unbuilt. From street, Cecil-street, Villiers-street, Buckthe upper end of Chiswell-street to ingham-street, etc., point out the relaWhitecross-street, there were very few tive situations of several of them. At houses; and Goswell-street was called that time it was customary for noblethe road to St. Alban's. Clerkenwell men residing on the banks of the was chiefly occupied by the monastery Thames, to proceed to Whitehall to and church; Cow-cross and part of St. Court in their own barges, and in conJohn's-street excepted. From the back sequence they retained a number of of Cow-cross to Gray's-inn-lane, which watermen in livery, who were thereby extended a very little way from Gray's- protected from impressment. Springinn, the ground was either unoccupied gardens were what the name imports, or pasture and garden ground. From and the gardens extended to the present Holborn-bridge to Red Lion-street, the Treasury, which occupies the space of houses continued on both sides, after the Cockpit and Tilt-yard, opposite to which the road was open, or bounded which stood the palace of Whitehall. on one side by a garden wall, to the From King-street to the Abbey, the village of St. Giles, which village was buildings were close and connected, as formed by a small cluster of houses on also from Whitehall to Palace-yard. the right; it was therefore called the Several houses also stood near the preparish of St. Giles in-the-Fields, a name sent Abingdon-street, and on the shore which it still bears. Beyond, all was opposite to Lambeth-palace. On the country, both northward and westward, Surrey side of the Thames, there were Oxford-road having trees and hedges on but six or seven houses from Lambethboth sides; indeed, so recently as 1778, palaee to the shore opposite White friars, where a line of houses with dens; and Bond Street, now the centre gardens commenced, which were con- of fashion, was surrounded by fields tinued to Winchester House, in South- and lanes. wark. On the site of the present During the reign of Queen Anne Christ Church stood a theatre with fifty new churches were ordered to be gardens; the place was called Paris built in and near London. Of these, Garden. Opposite to Queenhithe were St. George's, Bloomsbury, by Hawksthe circular buildings appropriated to moor, St. George's, Hanover Square, bull and bear baitings, which Queen and St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, by Gibbs, Elizabeth often witnessed. Southwark are perhaps the finest. As notice of extended but a little way down the the architecture of London is given in High Street. London Bridge was a separate chapter, we shall close this crowded with buildings. Along Tooley sketch with merely a glance at the Street to Horsleydown was also much changes in the metropolis during the built over after which a few houses 18th century. At an early part of it and gardens only appeared. lamps were first introduced; at this Notwithstanding the plan proposed time Farringdon Street was a river, with by Sir Christopher Wren, and the op- wharfs on each side for landing goods portunity which now offered for great from the barges, which came up as far improvement in the architecture of as Holborn Bridge. In the year 1735, London, it is evident, from the present this river was arched over, and forms appearance of some of the older streets, now one of the main sewers. that, with the exception of bricks being In 1747, the last beheading took substituted for chesnut wood (of which place on Tower Hill, which had been a most of the houses previous to the fire place of execution since the reign of were composed), there was little im- Richard the Second. In 1760, the provement in domestic architecture, houses and other buildings upon London and the streets were erected as narrow Bridge were removed, and also about and inconvenient as before; for evi- the same period the cumbrous house dence of these, see the neighbourhood signs, which had been used by tradesof Doctors' Commons and Watling men to distinguish their shops and Street. places of business, were taken down. It is not our province here to discuss Until 1760 the shops were all open, like the points whether necessity made Sir the butchers' stalls of the present day. Christopher Wren a great architect, or Shortly after, the City gates, except whether he would have been great under Temple Bar, were removed, and Westany circumstances, suffice it to say, he minster and Blackfriars Bridges built. has left monuments, some of which we The latter part of this century offers may be justly proud of. Among them but little in the shape of architecture. are St. Paul's Cathedral, the Monument, The only buildings of eminence were St. Stephen's, Walbrook, St. Mary-le- the Bank of England and Somerset Bow, and some fifty other churches, House. besides commercial buildings. A hun- We have now nearly arrived at our dred years after the great fire, we find own time, when everything proceeds the metropolis had extended itself with rapid strides. To attempt in so considerably to the west and north-small a book even a recapitulation of the advancements which have so recently west. Yet at the commencement of this been made, would be vain; yet it is century (1700), spots which now are due to Mr. Nash, that we should point thickly-peopled and really old-looking, to Regent's Street and Regent's Park were rural suburbs. Even the site of as the greatest street improvements the British Museum was pleasant gar-London has recently witnessed. The D illumination of the streets by gas was been taught to travel beneath the an event of great importance. Thames. A great characteristic of the present A volume also might be written upon social condition of the better classes is the wonderful revolution created in the establishment of numerous club- London, as everywhere, by the conhouses, whose noble buildings have struction of railways; but as our duty done much to beautify the west end of lies rather in giving common-place inLondon. formation than a dissertation upon proBefore closing this brief imperfect|gression, or reflections upon London and sketch, we must notice, as a great its future, we shall say no more upon achievement of talent and enterprise, this subject, but proceed at once to dethe Thames Tunnel, by which we have scribe the BRITISH METROPOLIS of 1851. CHAPTER IV. PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL STATISTICS OF LONDON IN 1851, CONTAINING ALL INFORMATION RELATIVE TO ITS SITUATION, SIZE, POPULATION, TRADES, SUPPLY AND DEMAND AT THE PRESENT MOMENT. London is situated on the banks of degree the rapid increase of building in the Thames, sixty miles from the sea, the metropolis. and is composed of parts of four coun- The position of London is eminently ties, viz. Middlesex, Essex, Kent, and qualified to render it at once healthful Surrey; occupying a gentle slope on and flourishing, situated on a river of the north side of that celebrated river, ample extent, all that can be desired for and an almost uniform flat surface on drainage and commerce is obtained. its southern side, The following table shows the tive position of London to the cipal cities in Europe. From Amsterdam Miles. 190 W. The gradual elevation on the north side, rela- and the curve of the river forms a sort prin- of amphitheatre from east to west. The 610 S.W. south side having been a marsh, is of course flat, and is covered with buildings on the river side, from Vauxhall to Deptford, an extent of seven miles. London includes the City, Westmin Constantinople...1660 N.N.W.ster, Southwark, and the contingent Copenhagen Dublin Edinburgh Hamburgh Madrid.. Moscow Paris.. Petersburgh.. Rome Stockholm Vienna...... 338 S.E. 395 S. 850 N.N.E. 860 N.E.E. .1660 E.S.E. villages from Brompton and Kensington on the west, to Blackwall and 450 N.E.E. Poplar on the east, about nine miles; and from Islington on the north side to Kennington on the south, about six miles. Thus the buildings of London cover about twenty-two square miles, deducting, of course, the Thames. Lon950 N.N.W. don may be said to consist of seven distinguishing parts or divisions; viz. the City, the West-end, the East-end, the North Squares, Westminster, the Borough, and Islington. 225 N.N.W. .1140 S.W. 750 S.W. 820 N.W. The soil is gravel and clay; and to the abundance of the latter, for brickmaking, may be attributed in some The City is that part which was once surrounded by walls, mentioned in a |