POSTERN GATE, an ancient gate which stood at the east end of Postern row on Tower hill. It was erected soon after the Conquest in a beautiful manner with stones brought from Kent and Normandy, for the convenience of the neighbouring inhabitants, both within and without the walls; but in the second year of the reign of Richard I. William Longchamp, Bishop of Ely, and Chancellor of England, having resolved to enlarge and strengthen the Tower of London with an additional fortification, he caused a part of the city wall, which extended about 300 feet from the Tower to this gate, to be taken down, in order to make way for a strong wall and a spacious ditch: by which means the postern being deprived of its support on that side, fell down in the year 1440. It was afterwards replaced by a mean building of timber, laths and loam, with a narrow passage; but this also decayed, and has been many years removed quite away; nothing remaining at present to preserve the name, but a few posts to guard a narrow foot way from the encroachments of horses and carriages. A little to the south of the place where the gate stood, is a descent by several stone steps to an excellent spring, much admired, which is still called the Postern Spring. POSTERN _row_, a row of houses on Tower hill, leading from the place where the postern gate formerly stood. POTTERS _fields_, 1. Back lane, Southwark. 2. Pickleherring lane. POTTLEPOT _alley_, St. Catharine’s by the Tower.* POVERTY _lane_, Brook street.‖ POULTNEY _court_, Cambridge street. POULTON’S _court_, near Broad street.† POULTERERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by Henry VII. in the year 1504. They have a Master, two Wardens, twenty-three Assistants, and a livery of an hundred and six members, who on their admission pay a fine of 20_l._ but they have no hall. POULTRY, a street which extends from the Mansion house to Cheapside, and was so denominated from the Poulterers stalls which anciently extended along that street from Stocks market. _Maitland._ See SCALDING _alley_. POULTRY COMPTER, one of the city prisons, so denominated from its use and situation: for this prison belonging to one of the Sheriffs, Maitland supposes, might possibly be named the Compter, from the prisoners being obliged to account for the cause of their commitment before their discharge: and the addition of Poultry is added from its situation in that street, to distinguish it from the Compter in Wood street. For an account of the several officers belonging to the two Compters, see the article COMPTER. POWDERED BEEF _court_, Cabbage lane. POWELL’S _alley_, Chiswell street, Moorfields.† POWELL’S _court_, Queen street.† POWELL’S _yard_, Upper Ground street, Southwark.† PRAT’S _wharf_, Millbank, Westminster Horseferry.† PREBENDS _of St. Paul’s_. See the article CANONS.