ERRATA.

10th page 25th line for "seven years" read "two years."

272nd 327th

416th

..

"D. W. Robinson" read "T. D., &c." for "1625" read "1635."

20th for "£2,776" read "£264,770"

22nd for "8th February, 1823" read " 8th February, 1816.”

..

Note in last line to Lady-day, 1826, the sums denote the gross rental, the two last columns the assessed ditto.

HISTORY

OF

ST. GILES IN THE FIELDS,

AND

ST. GEORGE BLOOMSBURY.

CHAPTER I.

The Manor of St. Giles and Boundaries described-Its Hospital for Lepers and their Disease defined-Name derived from a Grecian Saint-Charters and Grants of Hospital, dissensions of its Inmates, final Dissolution— Cruel Execution of Lord Cobham at St. Giles's Gallows, &c. &c.

THE Manors of St. Giles and Bloomsbury were anciently divided by a great fosse or ditch, called Blemund's Ditch, and were bounded on the south-east, by the Manor of Holborn, or Oburn; on the north-east, by the Manor of Portpole; and on the south, by the Liberty of the Dutchy of Lancaster; on the south-west, by the Manor of St. James, Westminster; on the north-west, by the Manor of Mary-le-bone;

B

and on the north, by the Manor or Prebend of Tottenhall.

In the celebrated register of estates contained in Doomsday Book, made by order of William the Conqueror, anno 1070, no mention is made of this district, except indeed a reference to a vineyard in Holborn, as belonging to the Crown. This was probably the site where stood, a few years since, the Vine Tavern, a little to the east of Kingsgate Street.*

These Manors of St. Giles and Bloomsbury, under a different designation, were vested in the Crown, probably previously, but certainly immediately subsequent to, the conquest; as

*

Doomsday Book. it should be observed, minutely details. the particulars of our towns and cities, whilst it is wholly silent in regard to London, it only mentioning the above vineyard and ten acres of land, nigh Bishopsgate, belonging to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's. Mr. Ellis, in his Modern London, p. 15, says, no mutilation of the manuscript has taken place, since the account of Middlesex is entire, and exactly coincident with the abridged copy of the survey, taken at the time, and now lodged in the office of the King's Remembrancer in the Exchequer." Mr. Brayley argues, that a" distinct and independent survey of the City itself might have been made at the time of the general survey, although now lost or destroyed, if not yet remaining among the yet unexplored archives of the Crown."

There can be no question that many important documents remain concealed among the ancient records: some have been occasionally discovered by accident, and otherwise. A short time since, the Charter of the Artillery Company was found by accident in the Rolls Chapel, after being lost 200 years.

may be deduced from the grant of eight acres* of land, by Queen Matilda to found the hospital, which was expressly stated to have been a portion of the royal domains.

According to Pennant, the neighbourhood of London, and especially towards the north, consisted in the time of the Romans of immense forests, and even as late as Henry II. these extended down to the Thames, and were filled with various species of beasts of chace. The City was defended by fosses on every side except to the south, which was guarded by the Thames, and it is most probable that the great fosse, or ditch, which separated the Manors under our notice, was part of the continuation of such a line of defence, running nearly parallel with the north side of Holborn, and in an easterly direction connecting itself with the creek which ran along Fleet Ditch. "The Britons," he says, "sought for security in places surrounded with woods or morasses; and added to their natural strength by forming ramparts and sinking fosses: but they preferred spots fortified by nature; and made artificial works only where nature shewed herself de

* First styled" Sancti Egidij in Campis" in Henry VIII.'s grant to Lord Lisle. In the exchange previously made with Radcliffe, it was called "Villa Sci Egidij."

ficient. Within such precints they formed their towns."-Pennant's London, 4th edit. p. 3.

A great proportion of the soil to the north-west of London is described to have been very marshy, wet, and unhealthy, of which character these Manors partook at an early period, till draining and cultivation had rendered them otherwise; much of this was effected by the formation of ditches in different directions at an early period.

About the time of the Norman conquest, the loathsome disease of leprosy was very prevalent, which has been oddly ascribed to the eating of sea-fish. Orivalle, Bishop of London, among many of the higher classes, was greatly afflicted with it anno 1075, and never could be cured, although it is said he underwent a peculiar operation.

In the present day this disease is but little understood, and medical men seem scarcely able to comprehend its symptons with accuracy. We may notice some of the opinions on this subject.

66

Leprosy, or Lepra," says Dr. Willich, "is a cutaneous disorder, in which the skin is rough, with white eschars resembling bran, though they are sometimes beneath the surface, and accompanied with an intense itching."