Site-Search
Coming Soon
|
Site-Search |
|
Page and site |
|
Bermondsey in Surrey County England History and GeographyBERMONDSEY, a parish in the eastern division of the hundred of BRIXTON, county of SURREY, 1½ mile (S.S.E.) from London, containing 25,235 inhabitants. This place in Domesday-book, is described as a royal demesne, and in other ancient records, as having been occasionally the residence of William the Conqueror and his successor, William Rufus, who had a palace here. In 1082, a priory for Cluniac monks was founded by Aldwin Child, a citizen of London, as a cell to the abbey of La Charité in France, from which establishment, brethren of that order are said to have been sent hither through the influence of Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury. To this monastery, William Rufus and some of his successors were great benefactors. Henry I. gave the palace to the monks for the enlargement of their cloister, reserving a part of it as a residence for himself, in which King John having subsequently resided, it obtained the appellation of King John's palace, and has been by some antiquaries considered rather as the original site, than, as it was in reality, only an appendage of the monastery. This establishment increased so much in wealth and importance, that it was found necessary to enlarge the buildings, and an hospital was erected adjoining it for the reception of their converts, and the education of their children, which was dedicated to St. Thomas the Martyr. Though an Alien priory, it was exempted from sequestration in the reign of Edward III., who placed it under the superintendance of an Englishman in whom he could confide, and whom he made prior. It was subsequently converted into an abbey, and retained its grandeur and importance till the dissolution, when its revenue was £548. 2. 5¾. The site appears to have been very extensive, comprising the present church-yard, and an adjoining area, still called King John's court. Vestiges of the palace and conventual buildings may still be traced in the gardens of the houses which have been erected on the site: a gateway, which was standing in 1807, has been taken down, in order to form a new street. Bermondsey owes its origin to the establishment of this monastery, in the vicinity of which, a gradual accumulation of buildings had formed an extensive village in the reign of Edward III., when a church was founded by the prior, for the use of the inhabitants. In this religious house, Catherine of France, widow of Henry V., lived in retirement, and died in 1436; and here also in 1486, Elizabeth, Queen of Edward IV., who was sentenced by the council to forfeiture of land and goods, ended her life in confinement. Bermondsey is situated on the southern bank of the Thames, and consists principally of two extensive streets, meeting obliquely near the church, and intersected by many smaller streets; the houses, in general ancient and irregularly built, are interspersed with several modern and handsome structures: the streets are paved, and well lighted with gas, and the inhabitants are supplied with water from the river and from springs. The tanning of leather is carried on to a very great extent, by a company chartered in the reign of Queen Anne; there are also numerous woolstaplers, fellmongers, curriers, and manufacturers of vellum and parchment. The situation is favourable to the carrying on of many trades: there are two small docks and several yards for boat-builders, in connexion with whom are rope-makers, anchor-smiths and stave-merchants, and there are establishments for the printing and dyeing of calico. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry of Surrey, and diocese of Winchester, rated in the king's books at £ 15. 8. 11½. Mrs. Humbly was patroness in 1827. The church, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, is an ancient and very plain structure, with a low square tower. A new church, was completed in 1828, partly by grant from the parliamentary commissioners, at the expense of £21,412. 19. 5.; it is a handsome edifice in the Grecian style of architecture, with a tower, and a portico of four pillars of the Ionic order. There are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan Methodists. A free school for sixty boys, who are instructed in reading, writing and arithmetic, was founded in 1709, by Mr. Josiah Bacon, who left £700 for building the premises, and £150 per annum for an endowment; of this annual income, the master receives a salary of £80, and the usher one of £50 per annum, the remainder is laid out in repairs: the school-room, was erected in 1718, in the Grange road, and is a neat brick building, having a statue of the founder in a niche over the entrance. The united charity schools, established in 1712, are supported partly by subscription, and partly by an endowment of £109. 16. 4. per annum, arising from several donations: the whole income is about £550 per annum, for which two hundred and twenty boys, and one hundred and thirty girls, are instructed, of whom fifty boys and thirty girls are also clothed: there is another school with a small endowment, and there are numerous benefactions for the relief of the poor. In 1770, a chalybeate spring was discovered here, and a spa established, which, for many years, was a celebrated place of entertainment. Israel Mauduit, an ingenious writer on polities and commerce, was born here in 1708. From Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of England 1831, courtesy of Databases 4 Sale |
Readers of this page were also interested in: Bewdley in Worcester County England History and Geography BEWDLEY, a borough, market town, and chapelry in the parish of RIBBESFORD, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the lower division of the hundred of DODDINGTREE, county of WORCESTER, 14 milcs (N.W.) from Worcester, and 122 (N.W.) from London, containing 3725 inhabitants Bristol in Gloucester County England History and Geography BRISTOL, a city and county of itself, and a considerable port, situated near the mouth of the Bristol channel, and between the counties of Gloucester and Somerset, 34 miles (S.W. by S.) from Gloucester, 12 (N.W.) from Bath, and 118 (W.) from London, containing 52,889 inhabitants Dorsetshire in Dorset County England History and Geography DORSETSHIRE, a maritime county, bounded on the north by the counties of Somerset and Wilts; on the east by the county of Southampton; on the west by the county of Devon, and part of that of Somerset; and on the south by the British channel: it extends from 50? 30' to 51? 6' (N. Lat.), and from 1? 58' to 3? 18' (W. Lon Lullworth (East) in Dorset County England History and Geography LULLWORTH (EAST), a parish in the hundred of WINFRITH, Blandford (South) division of the county of DORSET, 6 miles (S.W.) from Wareham, containing 353 inhabitants. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Dorset, and diocese of Bristol, rated in the king's books at £11. 14. 7., endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £200 royal bounty. The King presented by lapse in 1787 Windsor (New) in Berks County England History and Geography WINDSOR (NEW), a borough, market town, and parish, having separate jurisdiction, locally in the hundred of Ripplesmere, county of BERKS, 20 miles (E. by N.) from Reading, and 22½ (W. by S.) from London, containing, with the castle and the lower ward, 4648 inhabitants Witham in Essex County England History and Geography WITHAM, a market town and parish in the hundred of WITHAM, county of ESSEX, 8 miles (N.E. by E.) from Chelmsford, and 37 (N.E. by E.) from London, containing 2578 inhabitants |
