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Survey of London (1598): Langbourn Ward
Survey of London (1598): Bridge Ward Within
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161
Billinsgate warde
BIllinsgate warde,
Billinsgate
warde.
beginneth at the west ende
of Towerstreete warde, in Thames streete, about
Smartes Key, and runneth downe along that
streete on the south side, to S. Magnus church
at the Bridge1 foote, and on the north side of the
same Thames steeete, from ouer against Smarts
Key till ouer against the North west Corner of S. Magnus
Church aforesaide: on this North side of Thames streete, is S.
Marie hill lane, vp to S. Margarets Church, and then parte of
S. Margarets Pattens streete, at the end of S. Mary hil lane:
Next out of Thames streete is Lucas lane, and then Buttolph
lane, and at the northend thereof Philpot lane, then is Rothar
lane, of olde time so called, and thwart the same lane is little East
cheape, and these be the bounds of this Billinsgate warde. Touch
ing the principall ornamentes within this warde. On the south
side of Thames streete, beginning at the East end thereof, there
is first the saide Smartes key,
Smartes key.
so called of one Smart sometime
owner thereof, the next is Billinsgate,
Billinsgate.
whereof the whole ward
taketh name, the which (leauing out the fable, thereof faigning it
to be builded by king Beline a Briton, long before the incarna
tion of Christ) is at this present a large Water gate, Porte or
Harbrough for ships and Boates, commonly ariuing there with
fish both fresh and salt, shell fishes, salt, Orenges, Onions, and o
ther Fruits and Rootes, Wheat, Rie, and Graine of diuers sorts,
for seruice of the Citie, and the partes of this Realme adioyning.
This Gate is now more frequented then of olde time, when the
Queenes Hith was more vsed as being appointed by the kinges of
this Realm, to be the special or onely porte for taking vp of al such
kinde of marchandizes brought to this citie by strangers & For
renners, and the draw bridge of Timber at London bridge was
then to bée raised or drawne vp for passage of shippes with toppes
thether. Touching the auncient customes of this BThis text has been supplied. Reason: Omitted from the original text due to a printing or typesetting error. Evidence: The text has been supplied based on evidence internal to this text (context, etc.). (SM)i2llinsgate,
Customes of
Billinsgate.
I
haue not read in any recorde, more then that in the raigne of Ed
warde the thirde, euery great ship landing there, paide for stran
M
dage
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162
Billinsgate warde
dage two pence, euery little ship, with Orelockes a penny, the
lesser boate called a Battle, a halfepenny: of two quarters of corn
measured the king was to haue one Farthing of a Combe, of
Corne a pennie, of euerie weight going out of the City a
halfepenny, of two quarters of sea coale measured a farthing,
and of euery Tunne of Ale going out of England beyond the seas,
by Marchant strangers foure pence, of euery thousand Herring,
a farthing, except the Franchises &c.
The next to this is Somars key,
Sommars Key.
which likewise tooke that
name of one Somar dwelling there, as did Lion key
Lyon Key,
of one Lyon
owner thereof, and since of the signe of a Lyon.
Then is there a fayre Wharfe or Key, called Buttolphes gate
Buttolphés
wharfe.

by that name so called in the times of VVilliam the Conqueror,
and
Parish church
of S. Buttolph,
of Edwarde the Confeſſor, as I haue shewed alreadie in the
description of the Gates.
Next is the parish church of S. Buttolph, a proper Church, &
hath had many fayre monumentes therein, now defaced and cleane
gone: notwithstanding I find by Testimonies abroad, that these
which follow were buried there, to wit, Roger Coggar, 1384.
Andrew Pikeman, and Ioan his wife, 1391. Nicholas Iames
Ironmonger one of the Sheriffes, 1423. Iohn Raynewel Fish
monger, and VVilliam his Father, the saide Iohn Rainwel was
Maior 1426. and deceasing 1445. was buried there with this
Epitaphe.

Citizens of London, call to your remembrance,
The famous Iohn Rainewel, sometime your Maior,
Of the Staple of Callis, so was his chance.
Here lieth now his Corps, his soule bright and fayre,
Is taken to heauens blisse, thereof is no dispaire.
His actes beare witnes, by matters of recorde,
How charitable he was, and of what accorde,
No man hath beene so beneficial as hee,
Vnto the Citie, in giuing liberalitie,&c.

Hee gaue a stone house, to bee a Reuestrie to that Church for
euer: more, hee gaue landes, and Tenementes to the vse of the
Commi-
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Billinsgate warde.
163
Comminaltie, that the Maior and Chamberlaine should satisfie
vnto the discharge of all persons, inhabiting the wardes
Billinsgate
warde, Down
gate warde,
and Aldgate
warde dischar
ged of all
fifteenes.
of Belins
gate, Downegate, and Aldegate, as often as it shall happen any
fifeteene, by Parliament of the king to bee granted, also to the
Exchequer in discharge of the Sheriffes tenne pounde yearely,
which the Sheriffes vsed to pay for the Fearme of Southwarke,
so that all men of the Realme, comming or passing with carriage
should be free quitted and discharged of all Tole and other pay
mentes, afore time clamed by the Sheriffes: Further that the
Maior and Chamberlaine, shall pay yearely to the Sheriffes,
eight pound, so that the saide Sheriffes take no manner Tole or
money, of any person of this Realme, for their goods, Marchandi
zes, victuailes, and carriages, for their passages at the great gate
of the bridge of the citie, nor at the gate called the draw bridge &c.
The ouerplus of money comming of the saide Landes and Tene
mentes, deuided into euen portions, the one parte to bee imploy
led to instore the Grayners of the Cittie, with wheate for the re
leefe of the poore Comminaltie, and the other Moity to cleare and
clense the shelues, and other stoppages of the riuer of Thames &c.
Stephen Forstar Fishmonger, Maior in the yeare, 1454. and
Dame Agnes his wife, lie buried there: VVilliam Bacon Ha
berdasher, one of the Sheriffes 1480. was there buried, besides
many other persons of good worship, whose monumentes are all
destroyed by greedy men of spoile.
This parish of S. Buttolph is no great thing, notwithstan
ding diuers strangers are there harbored as may appeare
The number
of strangers.
by a
presentment, not many yeres since made of strangers inhabitants
in the warde of Billinsgate in these wordes. In Billinsgate ward
were one and fifty householdes of strangers, whereof thirty of
these househouldes inhabited in the parrish of S. Buttolph in
the chiefe and principall houses where they giue twenty pound
the yeare for a house lately letten, for foure marks, the nearer they
dwell to the waterside, the more they giue for houses, and within
thirty yeares before there was not in the whole warde aboue thrée
Netherlanders, at which time there was within the saide parish
leauied for the helpe of the poore, seauen and twentie pounde, by
the yeare, but since they came so plentifully thether, there cannot
M2
be
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164
Billinsgate warde
be gathered aboue eleuen pound, for they will not contribute to
such charges as other Citizens doe. Thus much for that south
side of this warde.
On the north side is Bosse Alley,
Bosses alley
and the Bosse
of Billinsgate.
so called of a Bosse of spring
water continually running, which standeth by Billinsgate, against
this
S. Mary hil
lane
Alley, and was sometimes made by the Executors of Rich
ard VVhitington.
Then is
Parish church
of S. Mary hil.
S. Mary hill lane, which runneth vp North from
Billinsgate, to the end of S. Margaret Pattens, commonly cal
led Roode lane, and the greatest halfe of that lane is also of Billins
gate warde. In this S. Marie hil lane is the fayre parish church
of S. Marie called on the hill, bycause of the ascent from Billins
gate.
This church hath been lately builded, as may appeare by this
that followeth. Richarde Hackney one of the Sheriffes in the
yeare 1322. and Alice his wife were there buried, as Robert
Fabian writeth, saying thus. In the yeare 1497. in the moneth
of Aprill, as laborers digged for the foundation of a walle, with
in the Church of S. Marie hil neare vnto Billinsgate, they found
a Coffin of rotten Timber, and therein the Corps of a woman,
whole ofskin, and of bones vndeseuered, and the iointes of her
armes pliable, without breaking of the skinne, vpon whose sepul
chre this was engrauen. Here lyen the bodies of Richarde
Hackney and Allice
Alice Hackney
found vncor
rupted more
then 170. yeres
after shee was
buried.
his wife, the which Richard was Sheriffe
in the fifteenth of Edwarde the second, her bodie was kept aboue
ground, three or foure dayes without noysance, but then it waxed
vnsauorie: and so was again buried. Iohn Mordan stocke-Fish
monger was buried there, 1387. Nicholas Exton Fishmonger
Maior, 1387. VVilliam Cambridge Maior, 1420 William
Phillip Sergeant at Armes, 1473. Robert Reuell one of the
Sheriffes 1490. gaue liberally towarde the new building of this
Church, and steeple, and was there buried, William Remington
Maior, 1500. Sir Thomas Blanke Maior, 1582. VVilliam
Holstocke Esquier, Controller of the kinges ships. Sir Cut
berte Buckle Maior, 1594.
This lane on both sides is furnished with many fayre houses
for Marchantes and hath at the North end thereof, one other
lane
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Billinsgate warde
165
lane called S. Margaret Pattens, because of olde time Pattens
were there vsually made and solde: but of later time, this is called
Roode lane, of a Roode there
S. Margaret
Patents lane
placed, in the Church yarde of Saint
Margaret, whilest the olde Church was taken downe, and a
gaine newly builded, during which time the oblations made to
this Roode, were imployed towardes building of the church: but
in the yere 1538. about the 23. of May in the morning, the saide
Roode was found to haue been in the night
Parish churThis text has been supplied. Reason: The facsimile photograph does not include the whole surface. Evidence: The text has been supplied based on evidence internal to this text (context, etc.). (SM)ch3
of S. MargaThis text has been supplied. Reason: The facsimile photograph does not include the whole surface. Evidence: The text has been supplied based on evidence internal to this text (context, etc.). (SM)ret4
pattentes.
proceeding (by people
vnknown), broken all to péeces, together with the Tabernacle,
wherein it had béene placed. Also on the 27, of the ſame moneth, in
same parrish amongst the Basketmakers, a great and sudden
fire happened in the night season, which within the space of thrée
howers consumed more then a dozen houses, & nine persons were
brent to death there, and thus ceased that worke of this Church,
being at that time nigh finished to the steeple.
The lane on both sides beyond the same church to the mid
way towardes Fenchurch streete is of Billinsgate warde.
Then againe out of Thames streete, by the west
Rope lane or
Lucas lane.
ende of S.
Mary hill Church, runneth vp one other lane of olde time called
Roape lane, since called Lucas Lane, of one Lucas owner of some
part thereof, and now corruptly called Loue lane, it runneth vp by
the East end of a parish Church of Saint Andrew Hubbert,
or Saint Andrew in East Cheape: This Church and all the
whole Lane called Lucas Lane is of this Billinsegate warde.
Then haue yee one other lane
Parish church
of S. Andrew
Hubbert.
out of Thames streete, cal
led Buttolph lane, because it riseth ouer against the Parrish
Church of S. Buttolph, and runneth vp North by the East end of
S. Georges Church, to the West ende of S. Androwes Church
and to the south ende of Philpot lane.
This Parrish Church of Saint George in
Buttolph lane
Buttolph lane,
is smal, but the Monumentes for two hundred yeares past are
well preserued, from spoile whereof, one is of Adam Bamme
Maior, one thouſand three hundred ninetie ſeauen, Richarde
Bamme Esquier, his sonne of Gillingham in
Parish church
of S. George.
Kent, 1452. Iohn
VValton Gentleman, 1401. Marpor a Gentleman, 1400.
Iohn, Saint Iohn Marchant of Leauaunt, and Agnes his
wife, 1400. VVilliam Combes Stocke Fishmonger, one of
M3
the
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166
Billinsgate warde
the Sheriffes, 1452. who gaue forty pound, towardes the
workes of that Church. Iohn Stokar Draper one This text is the corrected text. The original is fo (KL)of
the Sheriffes, 1477. Richarde Drylande Esquier, and Ka
therine his wife, Daughter to Morrice Brune Knight, Lorde
of Southuckenton in Essex, Stewarde of the Housholde to
Humphrey Duke of Glocester, 1487. Nicholas Partrich
one of the Sheriffes, 1519. William Forman Maior, 1538.
Iames Mounforde Esquier. Surgeon to king Henry the eight,
buried. 1544. Thomas Gayle Haberdashar. 1540. Ni
cholas Wilforde Marchant Taylor and Elizabeth his wife, a
bout the yeare. 1551. Hugh Spencer Esquier, 1424. Edward
Heywarde 1573. &c.
Then haue yee one other lane called Rother Lane or Red
Rose Lane,
Rother lane or
Red rose lane.
of such a signe there, now commonly called Pudding
Lane, because the Butchers of Eastcheape, haue their skalding
house for Hogges there, and their Puddinges with other filth of
Beastes, are voided downe that way to their dung boates on the
Thames.
This Lane stretcheth from Thames streete to little East-
Cheape chiefely inhabited, by Basketmakers, Turners, and
Butchers: and is all of Billins gate warde. The Garland in
little East Cheape, sometime a Brewhouse, with a Garden on
the backeside adioyning to the Garden of Sir Iohn Philpot, was
the chiefe house in this East Cheape, it is now deuided into sundry
small Tenementes, &c.
This Warde hath one Alderman, and his Deputie, common
Counsellors Constables eleuen, Scauengers sixe, for the Wardmote inquest foureteene and a Beadle, it is taxed to the fifteene in London, at two and thirty pound, and in the Exche
quer at one and thirty pound ten shillinges.
Bridgeward
Survey of London (1598): Langbourn Ward
Survey of London (1598): Bridge Ward Within

Notes

  1. I.e., London Bridge. (JZ)↑
  2. Letter missing; context obvious. (SM)↑
  3. Page cropped; context obvious. (SM)↑
  4. Page cropped; context obvious. (SM)↑

Cite this page

MLA citation

Stow, John, and William fitz-Stephen. Survey of London (1598): Billingsgate Ward. The Map of Early Modern London, Edition 6.6, edited by Janelle Jenstad, U of Victoria, 30 Jun. 2021, mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/stow_1598_BILL2.htm.

Chicago citation

Stow, John, and William fitz-Stephen. Survey of London (1598): Billingsgate Ward. The Map of Early Modern London, Edition 6.6. Ed. Janelle Jenstad. Victoria: University of Victoria. Accessed June 30, 2021. mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/stow_1598_BILL2.htm.

APA citation

Stow, J., & fitz-Stephen, W. 2021. Survey of London (1598): Billingsgate Ward. In J. Jenstad (Ed), The Map of Early Modern London (Edition 6.6). Victoria: University of Victoria. Retrieved from https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/editions/6.6/stow_1598_BILL2.htm.

RIS file (for RefMan, RefWorks, EndNote etc.)

Provider: University of Victoria
Database: The Map of Early Modern London
Content: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

TY  - ELEC
A1  - Stow, John
A1  - fitz-Stephen, William
ED  - Jenstad, Janelle
T1  - Survey of London (1598): Billingsgate Ward
T2  - The Map of Early Modern London
ET  - 6.6
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/06/30
CY  - Victoria
PB  - University of Victoria
LA  - English
UR  - https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/stow_1598_BILL2.htm
UR  - https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/xml/standalone/stow_1598_BILL2.xml
ER  -

TEI citation

<bibl type="mla"><author><name ref="#STOW6"><surname>Stow</surname>, <forename>John</forename></name></author>, and <author><name ref="#FITZ1"><forename>William</forename> <surname>fitz-Stephen</surname></name></author>. <title level="a">Survey of London (1598): Billingsgate Ward</title>. <title level="m">The Map of Early Modern London</title>, Edition <edition>6.6</edition>, edited by <editor><name ref="#JENS1"><forename>Janelle</forename> <surname>Jenstad</surname></name></editor>, <publisher>U of Victoria</publisher>, <date when="2021-06-30">30 Jun. 2021</date>, <ref target="https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/stow_1598_BILL2.htm">mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/stow_1598_BILL2.htm</ref>.</bibl>

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