Mr. Strype, in his edition of Stow’s Survey, gives the following account of the origin of this hamlet. The banks of the river Thames, says he, were frequently damaged by the inundations of that river, particularly about the year 1561, when several breaches were made therein, and these were no sooner repaired, than another happened in 1571, when the commissioners of sewers, after viewing the place, were of opinion, that the most effectual way to secure the bank of the river in those parts, would be to erect houses thereon, upon which the first foundation of the houses of Wapping was laid. The most remarkable things in this district are St. John’s church, a Presbyterian, Quakers, and French meeting houses; a work-house for the reception of the poor, and two charity schools; one square, a yard for ship-building, and eight pair of stairs or steps to go down to and return from the river, two of which are denominated docks, the one being called Bell-dock, and the other Execution-dock, this is the common place of execution for pirates, who are here hung on a gallows which projects over the river. WAPPING DOCK _stairs_, Wapping. WAPPING DOCK _street_, Wapping, WAPPING _New-stairs_, Wapping. WAPPING _Old-stairs_, at Wapping. WAPPING _street_, Hermitage. WAPPING _wall_, Shadwell. WAR OFFICE, at Whitehall. This office is under the government of the secretary at war, who has under him a deputy secretary, a first clerk, and twelve other clerks. WARDENS _court_, Clerkenwell-close. WARDS, certain districts into which the city and its liberties are divided, each being under the government of an Alderman and his deputy, and represented by several common councilmen. Maitland supposes that the first division of this city into wards was not merely on account of government, as at present; but that London, like the other cities and towns in this kingdom, was anciently held of the Saxon Kings and nobility in demesne, and their several properties therein being so many sokes or liberties, were under the immediate dominion of their respective Lords, who were the governors or wardens thereof, and from thence arose the Saxon appellation ward, which signifies a quarter or district. This opinion, he adds, is not only corroborated by the wards of Baynard’s Castle, Faringdon, Coleman street, and Basinghall, or Bassishaw’s, still retaining the names of their ancient proprietors, but also by the other wards of the city being alienable, and the purchasers becoming the proprietors thereof, with the additional epithet of Aldermen.