Even the details of the fairs, the covered waggons, and the church-bell have some historical value. It seems probable that the Danish occupation of this quarter outside the walls of the city may date from the arrangement made between Guthrum and Alfred. * * * * * _Portlands and Cnihten Gild._--London was surrounded by a wide zone of common land, the boundary of which in its late and probably lessened extent was defined by bars on the several roads, such as Temple Bar, Holborn Bar, Spital Bar, Red Cross Bar, and the bars without Aldersgate and Aldgate. These bars can be traced back to the twelfth century.[121] In 1181-88 the land or the canons of St. Paul's without the bar beyond Bishopsgate is mentioned.[122] The "bars" seem to have been posts; those at the limit of Bridge Ward against Southwark were called "stulpes" (by Stow) or "stoples" (in 1372, Riley's _Memorials_). In the Hundred Roll of Edward I. we hear of a citizen who had put "stapellos" in front of his house.[123] From these analogies I had come to the conclusion that Staples Inn was the inn at Holborn Bars, or Staples, and I find that this suggestion has already been made because "staple" is Saxon for "post."[124] The land out to the bars is called suburbs by FitzStephen, and later, franchises or liberties. I cannot but think that the whole of this land was at times included under the designation Portsoken, which more particularly is given to that part outside the east wall of the city; thus the charter of Henry II. grants liberties "within the city and Portsoken thereof"; and the 1212 Assize of Building regulated buildings _infra Civitatem et Portsokna_. The wider liberties of the city seem to be without guarantee unless Portsoken had this extended meaning.[125] In any case the suburbs may represent a zone of common pasture and tillage.[126] A consideration of its boundaries, however, suggests that its present form must have been governed by the growth of extra-mural population; this is also shown by the way in which extensions of boundary overlie the main roads. The Portsoken Ward must formerly have been part of this _pomærium_ of the city, and it occupied most of the eastern side. Mr. Coote, in the authoritative article on the subject, calls it the city manor. The Cnihten Gild, which held it until 1125, possessed a charter of Edward the Confessor confirming to them the customs which they had in King Edgar's day.[127]