London Before the ConquestLethaby, W. R. (William Richard)
History
London Before the Conquest
Lethaby, W. R. (William Richard)
London (England) -- History -- To 1500
In bringing this topographical essay to a conclusion, it may be desirable
to note a few observations on the materials we possess for making a map of
early London, the reconstruction of which, with considerable fulness and
accuracy, is possible. We have in the Survey of Leeke, made directly after
the great fire, and engraved on two sheets by Vertue from a parchment
original, now in the MS. room of the British Museum (5415. E.I.), an
admirable starting-point. Even the widths of the streets are figured on
this plan, and the forms of St. Paul's and the other old churches are
given with fair precision. It is entitled "An Exact Survey of the Streets,
Lanes, and Churches, comprehended within the Ruins of the City of London;
first described in six platts in December, Anno Domini, 1666. By John
Leeke.... And here reduced into one entire platt by John Leeke." This
parchment was engraved by Hollar to a smaller scale, with the unburnt
portions of the city added in isometrical projection. On this plan the
ward boundaries are carefully laid down. As to the ground-plan of the
portions left uninjured by the fire, we can supplement Leeke's Survey by
the plan Wren made for reconstructing the city, now at Oxford, which
shows the streets and churches of the uninjured areas; and from Ogilvie's
large map, made only a few years later, details, such as the block-plans
of the churches in the unburnt part, can be filled in with greater
accuracy. From Faithorne's map, 1658, some additional facts, especially as
to Southwark and the suburbs, can be obtained, as it is of large
extent.[221] Putting all these together, we have an exact map of London as
it existed at the moment of the fire. Afterwards a few modifications were
made in the streets, but the plan of old London remained practically
unchanged till Southwark Bridge was built and Queen Street made to lead to
it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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