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Born-digital file containing information about the ward and links to other parts of the project. 1603 transcription from Stow.
Tower Street Ward is east of Billingsgate Ward and west of the Tower of London.
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Tower Street Ward is east of Billingsgate Ward and west of the Tower of London.
The following diplomatic transcription of the opening paragraph(s) of the 1603 chapter on this ward will eventually be subsumed into the MoEML edition of the 1603
The firſt Warde in the Eaſt parte of this cittie within the wall, is called
Towerſtreete Ward, and extendeth
along the riuer of Thames from the ſaid Tower in the Eaſt, almoſt to Belinſgate in the Weſt: One halfe of the Tower, the ditch
Upon this Hill is alwayes readily prepared at the charges of the cittie a
large Scaffolde and Gallowes of Timber, for the execution of ſuch Traytors
or Tranſgreſſors, as are deliuered out of the Tower, or otherwiſe to the Shiriffes of London by
writ there to be executed. I read that in the
By the Weſt ende of this Parriſh church and chappell,
Then haue yee out of Towerſtreete, alſo on the North ſide, one other lane, called Marte lane, which runneth vp towardes the North, and is for the moſt parte of this Towerſtreet warde, which lane is about the thirde quarter thereof deuided, from Aldgate ward, by a chaine to bee drawn, thwart the ſaide lane aboue the weſt ende of Harte ſtreete. Cokedon hall, ſometime at the South weſt end of Marte lane I reade of.
A third lane out of Towerſtreete on
the North ſide is called Mincheon
lane, ſo called of tenements there ſometime pertayning to the Minchuns
or Nunnes of Saint Helens in Biſhopſgate ſtreete: this lane is all
of the ſaide Warde, except the corner houſe towardes Fenchurch ſtreete.
And therefore to begin againe at the Eaſt ende of Towerſtreete, on the South ſide, have ye Beare lane, wherein are many faire
houſes, and runneth downe to Thames
ſtreete. The next is Sporiar
lane, of old time ſo called, but ſince, and of later time named
Water lane, becauſe it runneth
downe to the Water gate by the Cuſtome houſe in Thames ſtreete: then is there Hart lane for Harpe lane, which likewiſe runneth downe into Thames ſtreete. In this Hart lane is the Bakers Hall, ſometime the dwelling houſe of
In Tower ſtreete, betweene Hart lane, and Church lane, was a quadrant called Galley row, becauſe Galley men dwelled there. Then haue ye two lanes out of Tower ſtréete, both called Churchlanes, becauſe one runneth downe by the Eaſt ende of Saint Dunſtans Church, and the other by the weſt ende of the ſame: out of the weſt lane, turneth another lane, weſt toward S. Marie Hill, and is called Fowle lane, which is for the moſt part of Tower ſtreete warde.
This Church of Saint Dunſtone in
called in the Eaſt, for difference from one other of the ſame name in the
weſt: it is a fayre and large Church of an auncient building, and within a
large Churchyarde: it hath a great pariſh of many rich Marchants, and other
occupiers of diuerſe trades, namely
Now for the two Church lanes, they meeting on the Southſide of this Church
and Churchyarde, doe ioyne in one: and running downe to the Thames ſtreete: the ſame is called
Saint Dunſtans hill, at the
lower ende whereof the ſayd Thames
ſtreete towards the weſt on both ſides almoſt to Belins gate, but towardes the Eaſt vp to the water gate, by the Bulwarke of the
tower, is all of tower ſtreete
warde. In this ſtreete on the Thames ſide are diuers large landing
places called wharffes, or keyes, for Cranage vp of wares and Marchandiſe,
as alſo for ſhipping of wares from thence to be tranſported. Theſe wharffes
and keyes commonly beare the names of their owners, and are therefore
changeable.
Neare vnto this Cuſtomers key towardes the Eaſt, is the ſayd watergate, and weſt from it Porters key, then Galley key, where the Gallies were vſed to vnlade, and land their marchandizes and wares: and that part of Thames ſtreete, was therefore of ſome called Galley Row, but more commonly petty Wales.
The boundaries of Tower Street Ward, as drawn on the Agas map, are approximate. See MoEML’s page on ward boundaries.