London (England) -- Description and travel; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Sources; London (England) -- Surveys
The next tower or castle, banking also on the river of Thames, was, as
is afore showed, called Mountfiquit’s castle, of a nobleman, Baron of
Mountfiquit, the first builder thereof, who came in with William the
Conqueror, and was since named Le Sir Mountfiquit. This castle he built
in a place not far distant from Baynard’s, towards the west. The same
William Mountfiquit lived in the reign of Henry I., and was witness to
a charter then granted to the city for the sheriffs of London. Richard
Mountfiquit lived in King John’s time; and in the year 1213, was by the
same king banished the realm into France, when peradventure King John
caused his castle of Mountfiquit, amongst other castles of the barons,
to be overthrown; the which after his return, might be by him again
re-edified; for the total destruction thereof was about the year 1276,
when Robert Kilwarby, archbishop of Canterbury, began the foundation of
the Fryers Preachers church there, commonly called the Blacke Fryers, as
appeareth by a charter the 4th of Edward I., wherein is declared that
Gregorie de Rocksley, mayor of London, and the barons of the same city,
granted and gave unto the said Archbishop Robert, two lanes or ways next
the street of Baynard’s castle, and the tower of Mountfiquit, to be
applied for the enlargement of the said church and place.
One other tower there was also situate on the river of Thames near unto
the said Blacke Fryers church, on the west part thereof built at the
citizens’ charges, but by license and commandment of Edward I. and of
Edward II., as appeareth by their grants; which tower was then finished,
and so stood for the space of three hundred years, and was at the last
taken down by the commandment of John Shaw, mayor of London, in the year
1502.
Another tower, or castle, also was there in the west part of the city
pertaining to the king. For I read, that in the year 1087, the 20th
of William I., the city of London, with the church of St. Paul, being
burned, Mauritius, then bishop of London, afterward began the foundation
of a new church, whereunto King William, saith mine author, gave the
choice stones of this castle standing near to the bank of the river of
Thames, at the west end of the city. After this Mauritius, Richard his
successor purchased the streets about Paul’s church,[85] compassing the
same with a wall of stone and gates. King Henry I. gave to this Richard
so much of the moat or wall of the castle, on the Thames side to the
south, as should be needful to make the said wall of the churchyard, and
so much more as should suffice to make a way without the wall on the
north side, etc.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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