Towards the east end of this
yard is erected a fair market-house, standing upon columns, with
vaults underneath, and rooms above, with a bell tower, and a clock,
and under it are butchers' stalls. The tenements round about this
yard are for the most part inhabited by cooks and victuallers; and
in the passages leading out of the streets into this market are
fishmongers, poulterers, cheesemongers, and other traders in
provisions.
The third market belonging to Leadenhall is called the Herb Market,
for that herbs, roots, fruits, &c., are only there sold. This
market is about 140 feet square; the west, east, and north sides had
walks round them, covered over for shelter, and standing upon
columns; in which walks there were twenty-eight stalls for
gardeners, with cellars under them.
The public buildings in this ward are Leadenhall, the East India
House, Pewterers' Hall, and Fletchers' Hall.
Leadenhall is situated on the south side of Leadenhall Street. It
is a large stone fabric, consisting of three large courts or yards,
as has been observed already; part of it is at present a warehouse,
in the occupation of the East India Company, where the finest
calicoes, and other curiosities of the Eastern part of the world,
are reposited; another part of it is for Colchester baize, and is
open every Thursday and Friday. Here was also anciently a chapel,
and a fraternity of sixty priests constituted to celebrate Divine
Service every day to the market people; but was dissolved with other
religious societies at the Reformation.
On the south side of Leadenhall Street also, and a little to the
eastward of Leadenhall, stands the East India House, lately
magnificently built, with a stone front to the street; but the front
being very narrow, does not make an appearance answerable to the
grandeur of the house within, which stands upon a great deal of
ground, the offices and storehouses admirably well contrived, and
the public hall and the committee room scarce inferior to anything
of the like nature in the City.
There is not one church in this ward at present. The officers of
the ward are, an alderman, his deputy, four common-council men, four
constables, two scavengers, sixteen for the wardmote inquest, and a
beadle.
5. Bishopsgate Ward is divided into two parts, one within
Bishopsgate, and the other without.
The streets and places in this ward, within the gate, are, all
Bishopsgate Street, part of Gracechurch Street, all Great and Little
St. Helen's, all Crosby Square, all Camomile Street, and a small
part of Wormwood Street, with several courts and alleys that fall
into them.
That part of this ward that lies without Bishopsgate extends
northwards as far as the bars, being the bounds of the City freedom
on this side.
