Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & SocialBesant, Walter
History
Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & Social
Besant, Walter
London (England) -- History -- To 1500; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- To 1500
If we remember that Newgate was also rebuilt some distance south of its
original position, we shall find strong confirmation of the theory that
London was for a while a deserted City. For it is impossible that the
occupation of a City should be continuous if the old position of the
gates is forgotten. Nor is it only the site of the gates itself which
is concerned; the change of position of a gate means the destruction
and the obliteration of the old streets in the City which led to it;
also of the roads outside which led to it: it means total oblivion of
the former position of houses and streets. All this is meant by the
transference of a gate. As for the date of the transference, we have
the tradition which makes the good Bishop Erkenwald the builder; we
have, close by the gate, the Church of St. Ethelburga, who was the
Bishop’s friend. On the other hand, Alfred found the wall in a ruinous
condition and strengthened it. Perhaps it was he who built the gate.
The actual gate before which we are now, in imagination, standing,
was erected in 1210, and succeeded that built by either Alfred or
Erkenwald. The two stone images of Bishops on the south side of this
represent St. Erkenwald and William the Norman; the other two images
are those of Alfred and his son-in-law Ethelred, Earl of Mercia.
Outside this gate we observe a second church dedicated to St. Botolph,
and opposite the church one of the great inns which are found outside
every City gate. This is the “Dolphin.” The broad road outside leads
past the poverty-stricken House of St. Mary of Bethlehem, now reduced
to two or three Brethren, through an almost continuous line of houses
as far as the noble and beneficent foundation of St. Mary Spital,
whither the sick folk of London are brought by hundreds to lie in the
sweet fresh country air outside the foul smells of the City. The road
leads also to Holywell Nunnery on the west, and as far as the little
church of St. Leonard Shoreditch, lying among the gardens and the
orchards. At the east end of the road is a great field, “Teazle Field,”
where they used to cultivate teazles for the clothmakers: at the
time we are considering it is the place where the crossbow-men shoot
for prizes. In Lollesworth Field, behind St. Mary Spital, there was
formerly a Roman cemetery: many evidences of the fact have been found.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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