London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Sources; London (England) -- Surveys
The second ward within the wall, on the east part, is called Aldgate
ward, as taking name of the same gate. The principal street of this ward
beginneth at Aldgate, stretching west to sometime a fair well, where
now a pump is placed; from thence the way being divided into twain, the
first and principal street is called Aldgate street, runneth on the
south side to Lime street corner, and half that street down on the left
hand is also of that ward. In the mid way on that south side, betwixt
Aldgate and Lime street, is Hart horn alley, a way that goeth through
into Fenchurch street over against Northumberland house. Then have ye
the Bricklayers’ hall, and another alley called Sprinckle alley, now
named Sugarloafe alley, of the like sign. Then is there a fair house,
with divers tenements near adjoining, sometimes belonging to a late
dissolved priory, since possessed by Mistress Cornewallies, widow, and
her heirs, by gift of Henry VIII., in reward of fine puddings (as it
was commonly said) by her made, wherewith she had presented him. Such
was the princely liberality of those times. Of later time Sir Nicholas
Throgmorton, knight, was lodged there. Then, somewhat more west is
Belzettar’s lane, so called of the first builder and owner thereof, now
corruptly called Billitar lane. Betwixt this Belzettar lane and Lime
street was of later time a frame of three fair houses, set up in the
year 1590, in place where before was a large garden plot, enclosed from
the high street with a brick wall, which wall being taken down, and the
ground dug deep for cellarage, there was found right under the said
brick wall another wall of stone, with a gate arched of stone, and gates
of timber to be closed in the midst towards the street; the timber of
the gates was consumed, but the hinges of iron still remained on their
staples on both the sides. Moreover, in that wall were square windows,
with bars of iron on either side of the gate. This wall was under ground
about two fathoms deep, as I then esteemed it, and seemeth to be the
ruins of some houses burned in the reign of King Stephen, when the fire
began in the house of one Alewarde, near London stone, and consumed east
to Aldgate, whereby it appeareth how greatly the ground of this city
hath been in that place raised.
On the north side this principal street stretcheth to the west corner of
St. Andrewe’s church, and then the ward turneth towards the north by St.
Marie street, on the east side to St. Augustine’s church in the wall,
and so by Buries markes again, or about by the wall to Aldgate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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