The Story of LondonWheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
History
The Story of London
Wheatley, Henry B. (Henry Benjamin)
London (England) -- History
Little appears to have been done in general sanitation until the reign
of Henry III., but it has been said that the sanitary reforms of the
reign of Edward I. were as great as the reforms effected in the law and
constitution. It is satisfactory to learn that it was the example of
this great King which made the use of the bath popular among his
subjects. In Riley's _Memorials_ there are several references to
sanitary ordinances at this time. In 1281 regulations were made that no
swine and no stand or timber were from henceforth to be found in the
streets. The swine were to be killed and the stands and timber
forfeited. Melters of tallow and lard were turned out of their
warehouses in Cheapside in 1283. The watercourse of Walbrook was to be
made free from dung and other nuisances in 1288. Swine still wandered
about the streets, and in 1292 four men whose names are given in Letter
Book C were elected and sworn 'to take and kill such swine as should be
found wandering in the King's highway, to whomsoever they might belong,
within the walls of the city and the suburbs thereof.' The Earl of
Lincoln complained to Parliament in 1307 as to the state of the River
Fleet, and the gist of his complaint is reported by Stow: 'Whereas in
times past, the course of water running at London under Holborne bridge
and Fleete bridge into the Thamis, had beene of such large breadth and
depth, that ten or twelve ships at once with merchandises were wont to
come to the foresaide bridge of Fleete and some of them to Holborne
bridge; now the same course (by filth of the tanners and such other) was
sore decayed. Also by raysing up of wharffes, but especially by turning
of the water, which they of ye new Temple made to their milles without
Baynard Castle, and divers other perturbations, the said shippes now
could not enter as they were wont, and as they ought, wherefore hee
desired that the Maior of London, with the Sheriffes and certaine
discreete Aldermen, might be appointed to see the course of the said
water, and that by oth of honest men all the foresaid hindrances might
be removed, and to bee made as it was wont of old time.'[189]
In the second year of Edward II.'s reign (1309) a proclamation was
issued for cleansing the streets, which were more encumbered with filth
than they used to be, and penalties were enforced against those who
neglected their duty in this matter.[190] Between forty and fifty years
after this we have evidence that one of the main thoroughfares of the
city was in a very bad state. On August 22, 1358, Isabella, the widowed
Queen of Edward II., died at Hertford Castle, and in the following
November she was buried in the Church of the Grey Friars. In order that
the passage of the body through the city should be carried out with any
decency, it was necessary to enact that Bishopsgate Street and Aldgate
Street should be cleansed of ordure and other filth.[191]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account