Chapter V: VALIANT SOLDIER alley, Barnaby street (2)

That the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, and the justices of peace within the counties adjoining to the river Thames, upon complaint of any two of the overseers, or of any waterman’s master, have power, not only to hear and determene any offence committed against this act; but to enlarge any watermen unjustly confined by those overseers; but also to punish the overseers themselves, in case they make an ill use of their power.

That the court of Aldermen should assess the fares of watermen, which being subscribed by two at least of the privy council, should be set up in Guildhall and Westminster Hall, _&c._ and the waterman that takes more than according to the fare so assessed, shall, for every such offence, suffer half a year’s imprisonment, and forfeit 40_s._

That any waterman withdrawing himself in time of pressing, shall suffer a fortnight’s imprisonment, and be prohibited rowing any more on the Thames for a year and a day.

Other regulations were made in the succeeding reigns, particularly in that of William III. when for the better ordering and governing the watermen, wherrymen and lightermen, on the river Thames, it was enacted, that every lighterman, or owner, keeper, or worker of any lighter, or other large craft on the Thames between Gravesend and Windsor, shall be taken to be of the society, or company of wherrymen, watermen and lightermen, who by this act are made a society, or company under the direction of the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this city; who are thereby impowered annually to appoint eight persons of the best character among the watermen, and three persons out of twelve annually nominated by the lightermen; which eleven persons are to be stiled, the overseers and rulers of all the wherrymen, watermen, and lightermen, that shall use or exercise any rowing upon the river of Thames between Gravesend and Windsor; in order to keep good order among the watermen and lightermen.

By this act the rulers and assistants of the company are likewise enabled annually on the first of June, to appoint and direct the watermen of the principal towns, stairs, and plying places between Gravesend and Windsor; and to chuse a free waterman who is a housekeeper, for each of the said places, to be of their assistants, so that they do not exceed the number of sixty, nor be less than that of forty; to which shall be added nine lightermen, who together shall compose the number of assistants of the said company.

These overseers are by the above act impowered to appoint any number of watermen not exceeding forty, to ply and work on Sundays between Vauxhall and Limehouse, at such stairs and plying places, being seventeen in number, besides the two at Westminster, for carrying passengers across the river Thames, for one penny each: the money arising thereby, which annually amounts to about 1450_l._ including those at Westminster, is by each of the working watermen to be paid every Monday morning, to the order of the said rulers; who, after having paid those watermen their proper wages, the surplus is to be applied to the use of the poor of the company. The watermen of Westminster being however exempt from the immediate direction of the watermens company in this affair, they annually appoint their own watermen to ply and work on Sundays, for carrying passengers across the Thames, from and to Westminster bridge and Stangate, and the horse-ferry at Lambeth; which money is applied to the use of the poor watermen, or their widows, of St. Margaret’s parish.

It is also declared in the said act, that if the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioners of the Admiralty, shall at any time give notice to the watermens company, that there is occasion for a certain number of that company to serve on board the royal navy; then all such persons as shall be duly summoned for that purpose, and shall not appear before the overseers and rulers of that company, shall not only suffer imprisonment for one month; but be rendered incapable of enjoying any privilege belonging to the company for two years.

In the year 1701, an order was made by the court of rulers, auditors and assistants of the company of watermen and lightermen of the river Thames, observing, that several watermen and their apprentices, while they are rowing upon that river, or at their plying places between Gravesend and Windsor often use immodest, obscene, and lewd expressions towards passengers, and to each other, that are offensive to all sober persons, and tend to the corruption of youth, it is ordained, that any waterman, or lighterman, after the sixteenth of October 1701, convicted of using such expressions, shall forfeit 2_s._ 6_d._ for every such offence, and if any waterman or lighterman’s apprentice shall offend in the same manner, his master or mistress shall on his conviction, forfeit the like sum; or in case of their refusal, the offender shall suffer such correction as the rulers of this company shall think fit and necessary. And that the forfeitures, when paid, shall be applied to the use of the poor, aged, decayed, and maimed members of the company, their widows and children.

By the constitutions of this company, all boats and barges belonging to the several members thereof are obliged to be numbered and entered in the company’s register; and to prevent the citizens from being imposed upon, the following table of rates have been appointed by the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen to be taken by the respective watermen rowing upon the river Thames, between Gravesend and Windsor.

_Rates of Watermen plying upon the river Thames, either with oars, or skullers._

Oars. | Skul.
s. d. | s. d.
From London Bridge to Limehouse, } |
New Crane, Shadwell dock, } |
Bell wharf, Ratcliff cross } 1 0 | 0 6

From London Bridge to Wapping } |
dock, Wapping Old } |
and New-stairs, the Hermitage, } |
or Rotherhithe Church stairs } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From St. Olave’s to Rotherhithe } |
Church stairs, and Rotherhithe } |
stairs } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From Billingsgate and St. Olave’s } 0 6 | 0 3
to St. Saviour’s mill } |
|
From any stairs between London } |
bridge and Westminster } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From either side above London } |
bridge to Lambeth, or Vauxhall } 1 0 | 0 6

From Whitehall to Lambeth, } |
or Vauxhall } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From the Temple, Dorset-stairs, } |
Black Friars stairs, or } |
Paul’s wharf, to Lambeth } 0 8 | 0 4
|
Over the water directly, from } |
any place between Vauxhall } |
and Limehouse } 0 4 | 0 2

_Rates of oars up and down the river, as well for the whole fare as company._

Up the River.
Fare. | Comp.

To Chelsea, Battersea, and } |
Wandsworth } 1 6 | 0 3
|
To Putney, Fulham, or Barnelms } 2 0 | 0 4
|
To Hammersmith, Chiswick, } |
or Mortlack } 2 6 | 0 6
|
To Brentford, Isleworth, or } |
Richmond } 3 6 | 0 6
|
To Twickenham 4 0 | 0 6
|
To Kingston 5 0 | 0 9
|
To Hampton Court 6 0 | 1 0
|
To Hampton Town, Sunbury, } |
or Walton } 7 0 | 1 0
|
To Weybridge, and Chertsey 10 0 | 1 0
|
To Stanes 12 0 | 1 0
|
To Windsor 14 0 | 1 0

Down the River.
Fare. | Comp.
s. d. | s. d.
|
From London to Gravesend 4 6 | 0 9
To Grays, or Greenhithe 4 0 | 0 8
To Purfleet, or Erith 3 0 | 0 6
To Woolwich 2 6 | 0 4
To Blackwall 2 0 | 0 4
To Greenwich, or Deptford 1 6 | 0 3

_Rates of carrying goods in the tilt-boat from London to Gravesend._

l. s. d.

For every single person in the }
ordinary passage } 0 0 9
For a hogshead 0 2 0
For a whole firkin 0 0 2
For half a firkin 0 0 1
One hundred weight 0 0 4
One sack of corn, salt, _&c._ 0 0 6
An ordinary chest, or trunk 0 0 6
An ordinary hamper 0 0 6
The hire of the whole tilt-boat 1 2 6

Any waterman who takes more than the above rates is liable to forfeit 40_s._ and to suffer half a year’s imprisonment, and if he sets up a sail between Lambeth and London Bridge, upon complaint being made, as hereafter mentioned, forfeits 5_s._

However any person going by water, need not make any bargain with the waterman, but only let him know at what stairs he is to land him; then paying him according to the foregoing rates, if he refuses to accept the money, the best way is to offer him more money than he demands, and to charge him not to take more than his due: But be sure to remember the number of your waterman’s boat; for if he has taken more than his fare, and you have a mind to correct him for imposing upon you, you may go to Watermens hall, by the Old Swan-stairs, and acquaint the clerk with your business (giving him at the same time the number of the boat) who will summon the waterman to the hall, to answer to your complaint: And if he is found to have acted against the prescribed rules, he will be punished according to the nature of his crime, whether it relates to exaction, sauciness, or other misbehaviour towards you.

It is proper to add, that to prevent the losing the lives of persons passing on the river, it is enacted in a statute of the 10th of George II. that no tilt-boat, row-barge, or wherry, take at one time more than thirty-seven passengers, and three more by the way; nor in any other boat or wherry more than eight, and two more by the way; nor in any ferry-boat or wherry, allowed to work on Sundays, any more than eight passengers, on pain of forfeiting for the first offence 5_l._ for the second offence 10_l._ and for the third offence to be disfranchised for twelve months from working on the river, and from enjoying the privileges of the company: And in case any person shall be drowned, where a greater number of passengers is taken in than is allowed, the watermen shall be deemed guilty of felony, and transported as felons.

By the same statute it is also enacted, that every tilt-boat shall be of the burthen of fifteen tons, and any other boat or wherry three tons; and that no Gravesend boats or wherries with close decks or bails nailed down, and not moveable, be navigated, tilt-boats only excepted, on the penalty of 10_l._

Any watermen or wherrymen who wilfully or negligently lose their tide from Billingsgate to Gravesend, or from thence to Billingsgate, by putting ashore for other passengers, or by waiting or loitering by the way, so that the first passengers shall be set on shore two miles short of the place to which they are bound; such passengers shall be discharged from paying any thing for their passage.

The rulers of the watermens company are to appoint two or more officers to attend, one at Billingsgate, at every time of high-water at London Bridge, and the other at Gravesend at the first of flood; who shall publicly ring a bell for fifteen minutes, to give notice to the tilt-boats and wherries to put off. And if such wherrymen, _&c._ do not immediately put off on ringing the said bell; and do not effectually proceed on their voyage, but put on shore within two miles of Billingsgate or Gravesend, as the case may be; or if such boats are not navigated by two sufficient men, the youngest to be eighteen years old at least; in every such case the owners of such boats shall forfeit 5_l._ to be levied on the boats or goods of the owners of such boats.

And if the company of watermen neglect setting up the said bells, and appointing proper persons to ring them, they shall forfeit 50_l._ as shall such persons appointed to ring the said bells, forfeit 40_l._ for every neglect.

WATERMEN’S HALL near London Bridge, a handsome brick building situated with its front towards the Thames.

WATERSIDE _row_, Upper Ground street.

WATER _street_, 1. Arundel street: 2. Black Friars: 3. Bridewell Precinct.

WATFORD, a market town in Hertfordshire on the east side of Cashiobury, and seventeen miles from London, is situated upon the Colne, where it has two streams that run separately to Rickmansworth. The town is very long but consists of only one street, which is extremely dirty in winter, and the waters of the river at the entrance of the town, were frequently so much swelled by floods as to be impassable: But in the year 1750, the road at the entrance of Watford was raised by a voluntary contribution; by which means the river is now confined within its proper bounds. In the church are several handsome monuments; there are also a free-school and several almshouses belong to the town.

WATLING _street_, St. Paul’s church-yard; thus called from the Roman road of the same name, which ran through this street. _Maitland._

WAT’S _alley_, Long ditch.

WATSON’S ALMSHOUSE, in Old street, near Shoreditch, was erected chiefly at the expence of Mr. William Watson, citizen and weaver, for the widows of twelve weavers, who annually receive 20_s._ and twenty-four bushels of coals, with a gown every second year. _Maitland._

WATSON’S _rents_, Angel alley.†

WATTS’S _court_, Deadman’s place.†

WATTS’S _rents_, St. Catharine’s lane.†

WAX CHANDLERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King Richard III. in the year 1483. This corporation is governed by a master, two wardens, and twenty assistants; with 113 liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 5_l._ They have a handsome hall in Maiden lane, Wood street.

WEATHERBY’S _rents_, Whitecross street Cripplegate.†

WEAVER _alley_, near Spicer’s street, Spitalfields.

WEAVERS, this company, which was anciently denominated _Thenarii_, appears to have been the most ancient guild of this city, for in the reign of Henry I. they paid 16_l._ a year to the crown for their immunities. Their privileges were afterwards confirmed at Winchester by letters patent granted by Henry II. which are still in the company’s possession; but are without a date; and in these letters, the annual sum payable to the crown is fixed at two marks of gold, to be paid yearly at Michaelmas, on the penalty of 10_l._

This company originally consisted of the cloth, and tapestry weavers, who in the seventh of Henry IV. were put under the management, and authority of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the city.

They are now governed by two bailiffs, two wardens, and sixteen assistants, with a livery of 279 members, whose fine upon their admission is 6_l._

The weavers have a handsome hall in Basinghall street, adorned on the inside with hangings, fretwork, and a screen of the Ionic order. _Maitland._

WEAVERS ARMS _yard_, Booth street, Spitalfields.*

WEAVERS _lane_, Horselydown.†

WEAVERS _street_, Fleet street Spitalfields.

WEBB’S _court_, Red Lion alley.†

WEBB’S _square_, Shoreditch.†

WEBB’S _yard_, Vine yard, Old Horselydown lane.†

WEDDON _street_, Chancery lane, Fleet street.

WEIGH-HOUSE, at the north-west corner of Love lane, entering into Little Eastcheap. This house stands on the ground where the church of St. Andrew Hubbard stood before the fire of London, at which time the weigh-house was in Cornhill. In the weigh-house were weighed, by the King’s beam, foreign merchandize brought to London. It was under a master, and four master porters, with labouring porters under them; who used to have carts and horses to fetch the merchants goods to the beam, and to carry them back.

The house belongs to the grocers company, who chose the several porters, _&c._ but of late years little is done in this office, as a compulsive power is wanting to oblige merchants to have their goods weighed, they alledging it to be an unnecessary trouble and expence.

In a large room over the weigh-house is a commodious meeting-house used by a congregation of Protestant dissenters.

WELCH COPPER OFFICE, in Philpot lane, Fenchurch street, is under the government of a company first incorporated by letters patent granted by King William III. in the year 1694, by the stile of the Governor and company of copper miners of the principality of Wales: by which charter they are allowed to purchase lands, tenements, _&c._ in mortmain, without limitation. _Maitland._

WELL _alley_, 1. in the Minories: 2. near Tooley street, Southwark: 3. Ropemakers fields, Limehouse.

WELL AND BUCKET _alley_, Old street.

WELL AND BUCKET _court_, Old street.

WELLBECK _street_, a handsome new street, by Marybone fields, built on the estate of the late Earl of Oxford, and thus named from Wellbeck his Lordship’s seat in Hertfordshire.

WELLBECK _mews_, a street of stables, coach-houses, _&c._ by Wellbeck street.

WELLCLOSE _square_, by the upper end of Rosemary lane, by some called _Marine square_, from the number of sea officers who live there. It is a neat square of no great extent; its principal ornament is the Danes church, situated in the centre, in the midst of a church-yard well planted with trees, and surrounded by a handsome wall adorned at equal distances with iron rails.

This church is a commodious and elegant structure. Though the architect appears to have understood ornaments, he has not been too lavish in the use of them. The edifice consists of a tall and handsome body, with a tower and turret. The body is divided by the projection of the middle part, into a fore front in the center, and two smaller: at the west end is the tower, and at the east it swells into the sweep of circle; the corners of the building are faced with rustic. The windows, which are large and well proportioned, are cased with stone with a cherub’s head at the top of the arch, and the roof is concealed by a blocking course. The tower has a considerable diminution in the upper stage, which has on each side, a pediment, and is covered by a dome, from which rises an elegant turret, supported by composite columns.

WELL _court_, 1. Glean alley, Tooley street: 2. Queen street, Cheapside: 3. Shoe lane, Fleet street.

WELL _yard_, 1. Church-yard alley, Rosemary lane: 2. Little Britain.

WELLS, a rivulet which anciently ran through a part of this metropolis, and was called the river of Wells, and was thus named from its having many springs uniting to supply its current. It afterwards obtained the name of Turnmill brook, from certain mills erected upon it, by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, which appellation is still preserved in a street of that name called Turnmill street, through part of which this water took its course, towards the bottom of Holbourn hill, and thence into the Thames. _Maitland._

WELLS _row_, Islington.

WELLS _street_, 1. Coverlid’s fields, East Smithfield.† 2. Great Jermain street.† 3. Hackney.†

WELLS _yard_, 1. Mainhard street, near St. Giles’s Pound.† 2. Wells row, Islington.

WENCHES _yard_, in the Minories.║

WENTWORTH _street_, Petticoat lane, Spitalfields.†

WERE’S _row_, Whitechapel.†

WESTBURY _street_, Wheeler street, Spitalfields.†

WEST _court_, Spitalfields market.

WESTBY’S ALMSHOUSE, on Hoxton causeway, was founded by Mrs. Mary Westby of Bocking in Essex, widow, in the year 1749, for ten poor women. _Maitland._

WESTERHAM or WESTRAM, a neat well built market town, on the western borders of Kent, situated about eight miles to the west of Sevenoaks. Near this place, a very noble seat was begun to be built by a private gentleman; but it was finished by the late Earl of Jersey, and called Squirries. The house stands on a small eminence with respect to the front; but on the back of the edifice the ground rises very high, and is divided into several steep slopes; near the house are some woods, through which are cut several ridings. On the other side the hill behind the house arise nine springs, which, uniting their streams, form the river Dart, or Darent.

WEST HAM, a pleasant village, about a mile from Stratford in the Essex Road; thus named from another Ham on the east called East Ham. Here are the country houses of several wealthy citizens.

WEST HARDING _street_, Fetter lane, Fleet street.

WEST _lane_, Rotherhith wall.

WEST _lane stairs_, Rotherhith.

WESTMINSTER, had its name from its abbey or minster situated to the westward of the city of London; which according to several modern historians was thus denominated to distinguish it from the Abbey of Grace on Tower Hill, called Eastminster: but Maitland proves this to be a mistake, by shewing that the former is called Westminster in a charter of sanctuary granted by Edward the Confessor in the year 1066, and that the latter was not founded till 1359; he therefore supposes that the appellation of Westminster was given to distinguish it from St. Paul’s church in the city of London. In early times, this noble part of the great metropolis of the kingdom, was a little, mean, unhealthy place, with nothing worthy of notice but its minster or abbey, situated in a marshy island, surrounded on one side by the Thames, and on the others by what was called Long ditch; a branch of the river which began near the east end of the place, where Manchester court is now situated, intersected King street, and running along where Gardener’s lane now is, to the place called from thence Long ditch, crossed Tothill street, a little to the west of the Gatehouse, and continued its course along the south wall of the abbey garden, where a common sewer is erected over it. The island thus formed was in a manner a waste over grown with thorns and briars, and was thence called Thorny Island.

In this situation was the abbey, minster, or monastery founded; for the convenience of which a few houses were probably first erected, and these at length grew into a small town, in ancient books called the town of Westminster.

It was thus for many ages a place entirely distinct from London, and there was a large space between them. The Strand was the road which led from London to that town, and it was open on either side to the Thames and to the fields. In 1385 we find that this road was paved as far as the Savoy; and many years after Sir Robert Cecil building a house at Ivy bridge, his interest brought the pavement of the road to be extended thither; and many of the houses of the nobility were erected in the Strand.

Westminster owed its most distinguished privileges to Henry VIII. for in the 37th year of his reign an act was passed to authorize him by either letters patent or proclamation, to make it an honour, a title of distinction which he was impowered by the same act to confer upon Kingston upon Hull, St. Osyth’s in Essex, and Donnington in Berkshire; and after the dissolution of the monastery, he converted it into a bishoprick, in the year 1541, with a dean and twelve prebendaries, and appointed the whole county of Middlesex, except Fulham, which was still to belong to the bishoprick of London, as its diocese. Upon this occasion Westminster became a city, for the making of which, according to the Lord Chief Justice Coke, nothing more is required than the appellation of a bishop’s see. It had many years before been the seat of the royal palace, the high court of parliament, and of our law tribunals; most of our Sovereigns had been crowned, and had their sepulchres in the abbey church, and the ancient palace, being almost destroyed by fire, the last mentioned Prince had here his palace of Whitehall, which he purchased of Cardinal Wolsey. He also built the palace of St. James’s, inclosed a fine spot of ground which he converted into a park, for the accommodation of both palaces, and this was no sooner finished, than he erected the stately gate lately near the banquetting house, and added to it a magnificent gallery for the accommodation of the royal family, the nobility and gentry, to sit in, in order to see the justings and other military exercises in the tilt yard; and soon after the same Prince erected, contiguous to the said gate, a tennis-court, cock-pit, and places for bowling.

From that time the buildings about Westminster began to extend on every side; though it did not long enjoy the honour of being a city, and even the palace was some time after burnt; for it never had but one bishop, and he being translated to the see of Norwich, by Edward VI. in 1550, the new bishoprick was dissolved by that Prince; and its right to the epithet of city was thereby lost, though by public complaisance it has retained that name ever since: but yet Westminster had not any arms till the year 1601. For a more particular account of the antiquities of Westminster, see the articles ABBEY, WESTMINSTER HALL, WHITEHALL, _&c._

The city of Westminster at present consists but of two parishes, St. Margaret’s and St. John the Evangelist; but the liberties contain seven parishes, which are as follow: St. Martin’s in the fields, St. James’s, St. Anne’s, St. Paul’s Covent Garden, St. Mary le Strand, St. Clement’s Danes, and St. George’s Hanover square; and the precinct of the Savoy. Each of the above parishes is of such a prodigious extent, considering the number of houses they contain; that it would be impossible for one tenth part of the inhabitants to attend divine worship at one and the same time, there are therefore many chapels of ease for the convenience of those who could not be so well accommodated in their parish churches.

The government of both the city and liberties are under the jurisdiction of the dean and chapter of Westminster, in civil as well as ecclesiastical affairs, and their authority also extends to the precinct of St. Martin’s le Grand, by Newgate street, and in some towns of Essex, that are exempted from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, and the Archbishopric of Canterbury: but the management of the civil part has ever since the reformation been in the hands of laymen, elected from time to time, and confirmed by the dean and chapter.

Of these magistrates, the principal is the High Steward, who is usually one of the prime nobility: this great officer is chosen by the dean and chapter; his post is not unlike that of chancellor of an University, and he holds it during life: but upon his death or resignation, a chapter is called for the election of another, in which the dean sits as high steward, till the election be over.

The next great officer is the Deputy Steward, who is chosen by the high steward, and confirmed by the dean and chapter. This officer, who also holds his post during life, supplies the place of a sheriff, for he keeps the court leet, with the other magistrates, and is always chairman at the quarter sessions.

The High Bailiff, who is the next in rank, is nominated by the dean, and confirmed by the high steward. He likewise holds his office for life, and has the chief management in the election of members of parliament for Westminster, and all the other bailiffs are subordinate to him. He summons juries, and in the court leet sits next to the deputy steward. To him all fines, forfeitures and strays belong, which renders his place very beneficial; but it is commonly executed by a deputy well versed in the laws.

There are also sixteen burgesses and their assistants, whose office in all respects resembles that of the Aldermen’s deputies of the city of London, each having his proper ward under his jurisdiction; and out of these are elected two head burgesses, one for the city, and the other for the liberties, who take place in the court leet, next to the head bailiff.

There is also a High Constable, who is also chosen by the court leet, and has all the other constables under his direction.

Thus the government of Westminster has but little resemblance to that of an opulent and noble city; it being much more like that of a little country borough, since its representatives are chosen by its householders, and it has not the power of making freemen; has no trading companies; nor any other courts, besides those of the leet, the sessions, and a court of requests lately erected, and yet, according to Maitland, it contains 15,445 houses; many of which are laid out in handsome streets and squares, and pays annually 11,870_l._ 8_s._ 9_d._ on account of the church; and 20,723_l._ 17_s._ 3_d._ on account of the poor.

Besides the above officers, there are in Westminster, and its liberties, 52 inquestmen, 12 surveyors of the highways, 55 constables, 31 beadles, 236 watch-men, and 80 scavengers, who pay to the rakers 4127_l._ _per annum_ for cleaning the streets.

WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. The horse-ferry at Westminster was perhaps one of the most frequented passages over the river of Thames, ever since the building of London Bridge, and laying aside the ancient ferry there. From the multitude of coaches, carriages and horses continually passing and repassing at all hours, times, and seasons, many inconveniences and accidents unavoidably happened, and in a course of time many lives were lost. To prevent these inconveniences and dangers the Archbishop of Canterbury and several other noblemen, in the year 1736, procured an act of parliament for building a bridge across the Thames, from New Palace yard, to the opposite shore in the county of Surry: but this act was not obtained without great opposition from the people of London and Southwark, and some fainter efforts used by the bargemen and watermen of the Thames; but private interest was obliged to give way to the public advantage, and preparations were made for carrying on this great work under the sanction of the legislature.

At length the ballastmen of Trinity house were employed to open a large hole for the foundation of the first pier to the depth of five feet under the bed of the river, and this being finished and levelled at the bottom, it was kept to a level by a proper inclosure of strong piles. Mean while, a strong case of oak, secured and strengthened with large beams, was prepared of the form and dimensions of the intended pier in the clear; this was made water proof and being brought over the place, was secured within the piles.

In this wooden case the first stone was laid on the 29th of January, 1738–9, by the late Earl of Pembroke; the case of boards was above the high-water mark, and it sinking gradually by the weight of the prodigious blocks of stone strongly cemented to its bottom, the men continued to work as on dry ground, though at a great depth under water. Thus the western middle pier was first formed, and in the same manner were all the other piers erected, and when finished, the planks on the sides being taken off, the stone work appeared entire. The superstructure was added in the common method, and the whole finished in the most neat and elegant manner, and with such simplicity and grandeur, that whether viewed from the water, or more closely examined by the passenger who goes over it, it fills the mind with an agreeable surprise.

This bridge is universally allowed to be one of the finest in the world. It is adorned and secured on each side by a very lofty and noble balustrade, there are recesses over every pier, which is a semioctogan. Twelve of them are covered with half domes, _viz._, four at each end, and four in the middle. Between these in the middle are pedestals on which was intended a group of figures; this would greatly add to the magnificence by making the centre more principal (which it ought to be) and giving it an air of magnificence and grandeur suitable to the city to which it belongs; a great number of lamps are so agreeably disposed on the top of the recesses as at once to contribute to the purposes of use and beauty. This magnificent structure is 1223 feet in length, and above three hundred feet longer than London Bridge. The ascent at the top is extremely well managed, and the room allowed for passengers, consists of a commodious foot way seven feet broad on each side, paved with broad Moor stone, and raised above the road allowed for carriages. This last is thirty feet wide, and is sufficient to admit the passage of three carriages and two horses on a breast, without the least danger.

The construction and distance of the piers from each other are so managed, that the vacancies under the arches allowed for the water-way, are four times as much as at London Bridge, and in consequence of this, there is no fall, nor can the least danger arrive to boats in passing through the arches. The piers, which are fourteen, have thirteen large and two small arches, all semicircular. These with two abutments constitute the bridge, whose strength is not inferior to its elegance.

The length of every pier is seventy feet, and each end is terminated with a saliant angle against either stream. The breadth of the two middle piers is seventeen feet at the springing of the arches, and contain three thousand cubic feet, or near two hundred tons of solid stone; and the others on each side, regularly decrease one foot in breadth, so that the two next to the largest are each sixteen feet, and so on to the two least next the sides, which are no more than twelve feet wide at the springing of the arches.

The centre arch is seventy-six feet wide, and the others decrease in width four feet on each side, so that the two next to the centre arch are seventy-two feet wide, and so on to the least of the large arches, which are each fifty-two feet wide, and the two small ones in the abutments close to the shore, are about twenty feet in width.

The foundation of the bridge is laid on a solid and firm mass of gravel which lies at the bottom of the bed of the river; but at a much greater depth on the Surry, than the Westminster side; and this inequality of the ground, required the heights of the several piers to be very different; as some have their foundations laid at five feet, and others at fourteen feet under the bed of the river. The piers are all four feet wider at their foundation than at the top, and are founded on the bottoms of the above mentioned wooden cases formed of the most substantial work, eighty feet in length, twenty-eight in breadth, and these timbers are two feet in thickness. The caisson or wooden case, in which the first pier was built, contained an hundred and fifty loads of timber; and forty thousand pound weight is computed to be always under water in stone and timber.

The materials are much superior to those commonly used on such occasions: the inside is usually filled up with chalk, small stones, or rubbish; but here all the piers are the same on the inside as without, of solid blocks of Portland stone, many of which are four or five tons weight, and none less than a ton, except the closers, or smaller ones, intended for fastening the others, one of which has its place between every four of the large ones. These vast blocks are perfectly well wrought for uniting; they are laid in Dutch terrace, and also fastened together with iron cramps run in with lead. All this iron work is however entirely concealed, and so placed that none of them can be affected by the water.

It is also worthy of remark, that the soffit of every arch is turned and built quite through with blocks of Portland stone, over which is built and bonded in with it, another arch of Purbeck stone, four or five times thicker on the reins than over the key; and by this secondary arch, together with the incumbent load of materials, all the parts of every arch are in equilibrio, and the whole weight so happily adjusted, that each arch can stand single, without affecting, or being affected by the other arches. In short, between every two arches a drain is contrived to carry off the water and filth, that might in time penetrate and accumulate in those places, to the great detriment of the arches.

Though the greatest care was taken in laying the foundation deep in the gravel, and using every probable method to prevent the sinking of the piers, yet all this was in some degree ineffectual, for one of them sunk so considerably when the work was very near compleated, as to retard the finishing it a considerable time. This gave the highest satisfaction to those who had opposed this noble work: but the commissioners for building the bridge, immediately ordered the arch supported by that pier, on the side where it had sunk, to be taken down, and then caused the base of the pier to be loaded with incredible weights, till all the settlement that could be forced was made. After this the arch was rebuilt, and has ever since been as secure as the rest.

In short the last stone was laid in November 1747, eleven years and nine months from the beginning of the construction; a very short period, considering the vastness of the undertaking, the prodigious quantity of stone made use of, hewn out of the quarry, and brought by sea; the interruptions of winter, the damage frequently done by the ice to the piles and scaffolding, and the unavoidable interruptions occasioned twice a day by the tide, which for two years together, reduced the time of labour to only five hours a day. The expence of erecting this bridge, and of procuring all the requisite conveniences was defrayed by parliament, and amounted to 389,000_l._ which was raised by several lotteries.

This bridge, considered in itself, is not only a great ornament to this metropolis, and of the most singular advantage to the city of Westminster; but it has entirely changed the appearance of that city; new and beautiful streets have been erected; those that were before narrow, crooked and ill built, have been widened, rendered straight and rebuilt with regularity and elegance. And new plans of improvement are daily formed, and continually putting in execution.

WESTMINSTER FIRE OFFICE, in Bedford street, Covent Garden, was originally kept at Tom’s coffee-house, in St. Martin’s lane; the deed of settlement was executed on the 13th of February, 1717, and two days after was inrolled in the high court of chancery. _Maitland._

This office was erected for insuring only houses from fire, and, like the Hand-in-Hand fire office, is a joint copartnership, every one insuring becoming an equal sharer in the profits and loss, in proportion to his or her respective insurance.

The conditions of insurance are,

I. No house is insured at more than 2000_l._ but such sums of money as the directors, or any three or more of them shall think proper, may be insured upon the wing or wings of any house, having a brick wall between the wings and the body of the house, by a separate policy; provided such sum do not exceed three fourths of the value of the wings.

II. New houses may be insured when tiled in; but not at more than two thirds of their value.

III. The limits of insurance in this office extend to twenty-five miles distance from it; but the proprietors of all houses that are five miles, or a greater distance, are to defray the charge of the surveyor and messenger’s journey, to survey the premises, and set up the mark; and also to defray the charge of the director’s journey to estimate a damage, when and after such loss happens, and the directors are impowered to deduct the charges out of the money due on such loss.

IV. All whose houses are insured pay 12_s._ deposit and 4_s._ _per cent._ premium, on all brick houses, and double for all timber buildings; as a pledge for the performance of their covenants, to be returned at the expiration of their policies, with the yearly dividends of profits, incident charges and contribution to losses first deducted. Persons paying for each policy, besides the stamps; 4_d._ for all houses within, and 1_s._ without the bills of mortality.

V. Each policy is to contain but one house, unless where two, three or more small houses stand together, in which case 500_l._ may be insured upon them, each being distinctly valued.

VI. Every insurance is for seven years; and such insurance is to continue in force till six o’clock of the evening of that day seven years, on which the same is dated; and in the mean time such insurers property in the premises insured ceases, when such insurer or legal representative, may receive the return of deposit due upon the respective policy or policies, the same being delivered up to the office to be cancelled. But the deposit-money on policies expired, not demanded within two years after, is sunk to the society, and all policies either new or to be renewed, directed to be made out and not taken away in three months after, are cancelled. The earned money paid for such new policies is sunk; and the stamp and charge of such renewed policies are deducted out of every insurer’s deposit-money.

VII. Every house that is by reason of fire destroyed from the first floor upwards, is deemed as demolished, and the directors are impowered either to pay the money insured thereon within sixty days after notice given to them at their office, or to rebuild the same with all convenient speed; but no more than 30_l._ is allowed for any chimney piece destroyed by fire; and gilding, history, painting and carving are excepted from the insurance.

VIII. Every member, upon any loss, is to certify the same to the directors within thirty days after such loss happened, that skilful persons may view and report the same, and a rate of contributions be made thereon; otherwise the society is not obliged to make good such losses.

IX. Every member neglecting to pay his rate towards any loss for twenty-five days after publication in the Gazette, or otherwise, forfeits double the said rates; and neglecting to pay these forfeits, for five days more, forfeits all his right and deposit-money, and may be excluded by the directors from the society, and the benefit of his insurance; his covenant nevertheless, to abide in force.

X. Contributions to losses are dated annually, and every person insuring in the same year contributes in proportion to his insurance, to the losses, and receives a dividend of the profits of that year, arising from interest, _&c._ also in proportion to the sum insured. Every year’s account commencing on the first of October, and ending on the 30th of September following: but the contribution of no member is to be charged above 10_s._ _per cent._ for brick, and double for timber houses.

XI. If any house is insured in any other office at the same time it is insured in this such insurance is void.

XII. Twenty-four firemen are employed by this office in extinguishing fires, all of whom are cloathed by the office, and have badges bearing the mark of the office, which is a portcullis, crowned with the Prince of Wales’s coronet. _Settlement of the Westminster contributionship._

WESTMINSTER HALL, was first built by William Rufus, as an addition to the palace of Westminster, and that Prince at his return from Normandy kept the high festival of Christmas in this room, which for several reigns was used for great feasts, whenever our Kings entertained in a splendid manner the nobility and clergy: of this we find many instances; but what appears most remarkable, King Henry III. on New Year’s Day 1236, gave a public entertainment to 6000 poor men, women and children in this hall and the other rooms of the palace.

At length this great hall becoming very ruinous, it was rebuilt by Richard II. in the year 1397, as it at present appears, together with the buildings on the east and west sides; and it was no sooner finished than it received the appellation of the new palace, to distinguish it from the old palace, where the house of Lords and Commons at present assemble.

In the year 1399, the King kept his Christmas here, during which time 10000 persons were plentifully entertained in this spacious hall, and the other rooms of the palace; for whose supply were daily killed about eighty oxen, and three hundred sheep, besides a vast number of fowls. It is still used for our coronation feasts; and for the three great courts of justice, the chancery, king’s bench, and common pleas, besides the court of exchequer which adjoins to it.

The front of this hall is extremely narrow, it is built with stone in the gothic taste, with a tower on each side the entrance, adorned with abundance of carved work. The print represents this front. The hall itself is esteemed the largest room in Europe unsupported by pillars, it being 270 feet in length and 74 broad. The roof is admired for the excellence of the workmanship, and the sides contain a number of shops belonging to booksellers, _&c._ It is paved with stone, and to the courts of justice at the end is an assent by a flight of steps. The inside is most remarkable for being so wide and having no columns to support a roof so large. It is a regular Gothic, and gives us a good idea of the skill in architecture of our fore fathers so early as the time of Richard II.

WESTMINSTER HALL _court_, Dunning’s alley, Bishopsgate street.

WESTMINSTER INFIRMARY, a plain neat building in James street, by Petty France, Westminster; founded for the relief of the sick, and of those who suffer by any of the unavoidable accidents to which the human frame is always liable. This charitable and noble foundation was first set on foot on the second of December, 1719, when the subscription was first opened, and trustees appointed. Benefactions were soon procured, and several of the most eminent Physicians and Surgeons not only became subscribers, but generously offered their assistance gratis. About the beginning of April 1720, a house was taken in Petty France, and fitted up with all the necessary accommodations for an infirmary; but it being soon found too small to contain the number of miserable objects brought thither, they four years after were removed to a larger house in Chapel street, where they continued till the present edifice in James street was erected.

The standing orders of this noble charity are as follow.

I. All persons who shall subscribe 2_l._ 2_s._ or more _per annum_, are trustees of this charity: but any trustee or subscriber neglecting to pay his subscription for the space of two years, is no longer deemed a trustee or subscriber, or to have any vote or privilege till his arrears are paid.

II. Every person giving a benefaction of 30_l._ or upwards, immediately becomes a trustee.

III. Every person who, by will, bequeaths a legacy of 50_l._ or upwards, may nominate another person, who, immediately after payment of the said legacy, is deemed a trustee.

IV. Each trustee may have one in-patient and one out-patient at a time; every person who becomes a subscriber of 2_l._ 2_s._ _per annum_, may have two in-patients and four out-patients in a year, and every person who becomes a subscriber of 1_l._ 1_s._ _per annum_, may have one in-patient and two out-patients in a year; but the treasurer, physicians, and surgeons, may have each two in-patients and two out-patients at a time, or four out-patients.

V. No person is to act as a trustee during the time that he, or any other person for his benefit, is employed as a tradesman, or appointed to work for, or supply the charity with provisions, or any other commodity, nor for the space of six months after his having been so employed.

VI. No person who has the venereal disease is to be admitted as a patient: And if any such person shall obtain admission under pretence of some other distemper; he or she, upon the discovery, is to be immediately discharged.

VII. Four quarterly general boards are held every year; and the weekly board, on the Wednesday after each quarter-day, is to appoint such quarterly board, within forty days after each quarter-day, and to nominate a committee of three, five, or more trustees, to prepare the business to be laid before such board.

VIII. The weekly board may, as often as they see occasion, appoint special general boards to be held (during the intervals between the quarterly general boards;) and may call a special general board when required by any seven trustees; giving notice in the summons of the occasion of calling such special board.

IX. If a ballot be demanded by three or more trustees at any quarterly or special general board, the chairman is to appoint a special general board for taking the same, at any time after fourteen days, and not exceeding twenty-one days, from the demand of such ballot; which is to begin at eleven o’clock in the forenoon, and be closed at two in the afternoon: And notice of such ballot, and the question on which it was demanded, is to be given to the trustees in the summons, and be advertised in some of the public papers.

X. All general boards are to consist of at least thirteen trustees.

XI. No standing order of this society is to be repealed, or altered, or any new one be in force, without the approbation of two general boards.

XII. The treasurer is chosen annually at the first general board after the general audit, proposed to the weekly board three weeks before his election.

XIII. The accounts of this society are to be annually closed upon the 31st of December.

XIV. All bonds, or other securities, for money belonging to the society, are secured in an iron chest under three different keys, kept by the vice-president and treasurer for the time being, and a third person nominated by a general board.

XV. The physicians, surgeons, apothecary, clerk, and matron, are appointed by the general board; and no addition is to be made to the salary of the apothecary, clerk, or matron, or any gratuity given them, without the consent of a general board. The inferior servants of the house, and tradesmen to be employed, are also appointed by the weekly board: And any gentleman may be candidate for physician, who has been educated, and taken his degrees in physick, in any university, or is a fellow or member of a college of physicians, in Great Britain or Ireland. A general board is to appoint the day for election of a treasurer, physician, surgeon, apothecary, clerk, or matron; and the first weekly board is to appoint a special general board to declare such vacancy by death or resignation; and in the mean time, the weekly board is impowered, in case of necessity, to employ such person or persons to officiate as treasurer, physicians, surgeons, apothecary, clerk, or matron, as occasion requires, till a proper person is chosen by a general board.

XVI. When any extraordinary operation in surgery is to be performed, all surgeons, who are trustees, have liberty to attend.

XVII. Pursuant to the will of a considerable benefactor to this charity, none but Protestants are at any time to be admitted into any service or employ in or about this infirmary.

XVIII. A weekly board, consisting of as many trustees as please to attend, meet at the infirmary every Wednesday; and have power, from time to time, to make such rules, and give such instructions and orders, as they find necessary for the immediate direction of the several officers, servants, and others, employed in this charity; for the admitting or dismissing of patients; and regulating every thing relating to the good management of the house: But no new order of the weekly board is to be of force (if objected to by any two trustees present,) till it be approved of by the majority at the next weekly board.

XIX. Two trustees are nominated every Wednesday, by the weekly board, to be visitors for the ensuing week, who are to attend daily, and inquire into the behaviour of the officers, servants, and patients, the quantity and quality of the provisions, and every thing relating to the oeconomy of the house; and these visitors have power to suspend any servant for misbehaviour, and to reject such provisions as they shall find deficient or improper, and provide others in their room, till they have made their report to the next weekly board.