London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Sources; London (England) -- Surveys
162 perches; from Cripplegate to Aldersgate, 75 perches; from Aldersgate
to Newgate, 66 perches; from Newgate in the west to Ludgate, 42 perches;
in all, 513 perches of assize. From Ludgate to the Fleet-dike west,
about 60 perches; from Fleetbridge south to the river Thames, about 70
perches; and so the total of these perches amounteth to 643, every perch
consisting of five yards and a half, which do yield 3536 yards and a
half, containing 10,608 feet, which make up two English miles and more
by 608 feet.
FOOTNOTES:
[12] Whitchendus. Whittichind, a monk of Corvay, who died about the year
1000, wrote a History of the Saxons down to 973, which was published at
Basle by Hervagius in 1532.
[13] Malmesbury, Bede.
[14] Whitchendus, Bede.
[15] Benedict, abbot of Wearmouth.
[16] Asser, Marianus, Florentius.
[17] Roger of Wendover, Matthew Paris, Ranul. Coggeshall.
[18] Matthew Paris.
OF ANCIENT AND PRESENT RIVERS, BROOKS, BOURNS, POOLS, WELLS, AND
CONDUITS OF FRESH WATER, SERVING THE CITY, AS ALSO OF THE DITCH
COMPASSING THE WALL OF THE SAME FOR DEFENCE THEREOF.
Anciently, until the Conqueror’s time, and two hundred years after, the
city of London was watered, besides the famous river of Thames on the
south part, with the river of Wells, as it was then called, on the west;
with the water called Walbrooke running through the midst of the city in
the river of Thames, serving the heart thereof; and with a fourth water
or bourn, which ran within the city through Langborne ward, watering
that part in the east. In the west suburbs was also another great water,
called Oldborne, which had its fall into the river of Wells; then were
there three principal fountains, or wells, in the other suburbs; to wit,
Holy well, Clement’s well, and Clarkes’ well. Near unto this last-named
fountain were divers other wells, to wit, Skinners’ well, Fags’ well,
Tode well, Loder’s well, and Radwell. All which said wells, having the
fall of their overflowing in the aforesaid river, much increased the
stream, and in that place gave it the name of Well. In West Smithfield
there was a pool, in records called Horsepoole, and one other pool near
unto the parish church of St. Giles without Cripplegate. Besides all
which, they had in every street and lane of the city divers fair wells
and fresh springs; and after this manner was this city then served with
sweet and fresh waters, which being since decayed, other means have
been sought to supply the want, as shall be shown. But first of the
aforenamed rivers and other waters is to be said, as following:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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