London and the Kingdom - Volume 1: A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.Sharpe, Reginald R. (Reginald Robinson)
History
London and the Kingdom - Volume 1: A History Derived Mainly from the Archives at Guildhall in the Custody of the Corporation of the City of London.
Sharpe, Reginald R. (Reginald Robinson)
London (England) -- History
The close of the reign of William the First witnessed the completion of
"Doomsday," or survey of the kingdom, which he had ordered to be made for
fiscal purposes. For some reason not explained, neither London nor
Winchester—the two capitals, so to speak, of the kingdom—were included in
this survey. It may be that the importance of these boroughs, their wealth
and population, necessitated some special method of procedure; but this
does not account for the omission of Northumberland, Cumberland,
Westmorland, and Durham, from the survey. We know that Winchester was
afterwards surveyed, but no steps in the same direction were ever taken
with respect to London. The survey was not effected without disturbances,
owing to the inquisitorial power vested in the commissioners appointed to
carry it out.
(M63)
William died whilst on a visit to his duchy of Normandy, and "he who was
before a powerful king, and lord of many a land, had then of all his land,
only a portion of seven feet."(91) the same which, to this day, holds his
mortal remains in the Abbey at Caen. He was succeeded by William his son.
The death of the father and accession of his son was marked by fire,
pestilence, and famine.(92)
(M64)
A fire destroyed St. Paul’s and the greater part of the City. Maurice,
Bishop of London, at once set to work to rebuild the Cathedral on a larger
and more magnificent scale, erecting the edifice upon arches in a manner
little known in England at that time, but long practised in France. The
Norman Conquest was already working for good. Not only the style of
architecture, but the very stone used in re-building St. Paul’s came from
France, the famous quarries of Caen being utilised for the purpose.(93)
There was already in the city, one church built after the same manner, and
on that account called St. Mary of Arches or "le Bow." The object of
setting churches and other buildings upon vaults was to guard against
fire. Whatever defence against fire this method of building may have
afforded, it was certainly no defence against wind. In 1091, the roof of
St. Mary-le-Bow was clean blown off, huge baulks of timber, 26 feet long,
being driven into the ground with such force that scarce 4 feet of them
could be seen.(94)
(M65)
The reign of the new king was one of oppression. Nevertheless, he
continued to secure that protection for life and property which his father
had so successfully achieved, so that a man "who had confidence in
himself" and was "aught," could travel the length and breadth of the land
unhurt, "with his bosom full of gold."(95) He also had an eye for the
protection of the city, and the advancement of its commerce, surrounding
the Tower of London by a wall, and repairing the bridge which had been
nearly washed away by a flood.(96)
(M66)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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