Winchester House, situated west of St. Mary Overy's Church, was built in
1107 by Bishop Giffard. It has had famous occupants besides the prelates:
such were Simon de Montfort and his wife; and James Stuart, king of
Scotland, who was married here to the niece of Cardinal Beaufort in 1424.
No less interesting was its history in later times, with which we have
here, however, no concern.
From the Bridge foot, looking south, extends the great highway called Long
Southwark. In this main street was held the market of the Borough, which
also occupied the Churchyard of St. Margaret, at the end of the great
thoroughfare. Close by, opposite St. George's Church, were the cage,
pillory, stocks, and whipping-post, for the correction of offenders
sentenced at the Court of Piepowder at Our Lady Fair. Behind Winchester
House was the ducking-stool for sousing scolds in the river.
Southwark Fair, or Our Lady Fair, was held at Michaelmas, under a charter
granted by Edward IV. in 1462. It occupied the main thoroughfare of the
Borough, and overflowed on either side into the courts and inn-yards,
invading even the bridge itself. In 1499, as we learn from the Bridge
House Records, 7_s._ 8_d._ was "leveid and gaderid of divers artificers
stonding and selling their wares and chefres on the said bridge in the
tyme of Oure Ladye Faire in Southwerke."
The Manor of Paris Garden took its name from Robert de Paris, who held the
manor in the reign of Richard II. That part of the Liberty of Paris Garden
bordering on the Thames was known as Bankside, and was the site of several
early theatres. Long before the legitimate drama made its appearance, bull
and bear-baiting flourished at Bankside. The bull-ring was the special
delight of the Southwark people, and boats by hundreds were always passing
to and fro, filled with sightseers from Westminster and the city.
Many of the Southwark inns had signs referring to this sport. Such were
"The Chained Bull," "The Bull and Chain," and "The Bull and Dog." At the
bridge foot, Southwark, was the famed tavern of "The Bear," and the token
of its proprietor was impressed with a bear passant, with a collar and
chain. Of the theatres which took the place of these exhibitions, and were
at first contemporaneous with them, the most famous was the Shakespearian
playhouse known as the Globe. It was built in 1593 for William Burbage. A
licence was granted by James I. permitting Shakespeare and others to act
here in 1603. The building was of wood, hexagonal in form, and was used by
Shakespeare as a summer theatre. Ben Jonson was also connected with it as
a partner, playwright, or actor. The building was destroyed by fire in
1613, but was rebuilt in the following year; its site is now covered by a
portion of Barclay and Perkins's brewery.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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