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Aldersgate

Coordinates:51°31′03″N00°05′50″W/ 51.51750°N 0.09722°W/51.51750; -0.09722
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This article is about an area of London. For the company, seeDavid and Simon Reuben.
Not to be confused withAldgate.

Ward of Aldersgate
Ward of Aldersgate is located in Greater London
Ward of Aldersgate
Ward of Aldersgate
Location withinGreater London
Population1,465 (2011 Census Ward)[1]
OS grid referenceTQ321817
Sui generis
Administrative areaGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLONDON
Postcode districtEC1, EC2
Dialling code020
PoliceCity of London
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
UK Parliament
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London
51°31′03″N00°05′50″W/ 51.51750°N 0.09722°W/51.51750; -0.09722

Aldersgateis aWardof theCity of London,England, named after one of the northerngatesin theLondon Wallwhich once enclosed the City.

The Ward of Aldersgate is traditionally divided into Aldersgate Within and Aldersgate Without, the suffix denoting whether the part was within the line of the wall or outside it. The ancient ward boundaries were redrawn in 2013; the names are preserved but their location only loosely approximates to their historic extent.

The gate also gave its name to Aldersgate Street, which runs north from the former gate towardsClerkenwell.The street was wholly part of Aldersgate Without ward until a short section further north was renamed and so added to it.

The gate[edit]

An old illustration of the gate,c.1650

TheWallwas first built around the year 200, but Aldersgate was not one of the original Roman gates, being added later in the Roman period.

The nameAldersgateis first recorded around 1000 in the formEaldredesgate,i.e. "gate associated with a man named Ealdrād"; the gate probably acquired its name in the late Saxon period.[2]

WhenJames VI of Scotlandcame to England to take the crowns of both England and Scotland in 1603, he entered the City at Aldersgate. Statues of the king were placed both outside (on horseback) and inside (seated on the throne) the gate to commemorate the occasion.

The old gate was taken down in 1617, and rebuilt in the same year from a design by Gerard Christmas. The gate was damaged in theGreat Fire of Londonin 1666 but was repaired and remained until 1761. Aldersgate Street contained theBishop of London's chapel and his chambers at London House, which was used from the 18th century because it was closer toSt Paul's Cathedralthan his official residence inFulham.

Ward of Aldersgate[edit]

Location within the City (post 2013)
Ancient boundaries of the City Wards

The ward of Aldersgate straddles the (now former) line of London Wall and the old gate and historically was divided into "Within" and "Without" divisions, with a deputy (alderman) appointed for each division. There is now only one deputy alderman for the ward.

Geography[edit]

Aldersgate Within[edit]

TheWithindivision was focussed on the buildings on each side ofSt. Martin's Le Grand(which extends northward as Aldersgate Street), Noble Street and Foster Lane.

The ward took in thelibertyofSt. Martin's Le Grandwhen that was disestablished in the 16th century.[3]

Aldersgate Without[edit]

Aldersgate Withoutwas, at an early date, part of an area outside the northern wall called theSoke of Cripplegate,held by the church ofSt. Martin's Le Grand.[4]TheWithoutdivision was coterminous with that part of the Ancient Parish ofSt Botolph Without Aldersgatethat was part of the City. The area included the parish church ofSt Botolph's Aldersgateand the adjacentPostman's Park,named after the former principalsorting officein King Edward Street, and the location of theMemorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice.

St Botolph's, Aldersgate as seen from Postman's Park

The church outside Aldersgate was one of four London churches dedicated toSaint Botolph,[5]a 7th-century English saint. By the end of the 11th century Botolph was regarded as thepatron saintof boundaries, and by extension of trade and travel.[6]

The division was mainly focussed on the buildings on each side of Aldersgate street and included the western part of theBarbican Estate(including theMuseum of London), twolivery companyhalls (theIronmongers' Halland thePlaisterers' Hall) as well as200 Aldersgate,a large office complex at the southern end of the street.

Post-2013 ward[edit]

Since ward boundary changes in 2013, almost all of the ward is Without and the former liberty and street of St. Martin's is no longer within the ward's boundaries.

The much-altered newwardof Aldersgate is bounded by Aldersgate Street,Beech Street,Noble Street,Angel Street,King Edward Street and Montague Street.[7]

Aldersgate Street[edit]

Aldersgate Street forms a short section of theA1 routetowardsEdinburgh.It is located on the west side of theBarbican EstateandBarbican Centre,nearSt Bartholomew's Hospitaland theMuseum of Londonfrom its opening in 1976 until it closed in December 2022 prior to its move to Smithfield Market (during which time it fell within the ward).

Northbound it continues into Goswell Road at the junction withFann Street;southbound it continues intoSt. Martin's Le Grand.Barbican Underground stationis located on Aldersgate Street and when it was opened in 1865 was named Aldersgate Street tube station. In 1910 it was renamed Aldersgate, then Aldersgate & Barbican in 1924, before finally being renamed Barbican in 1968.[8]

Originally Aldersgate Street only corresponded to the section starting from the church of St Botolph without Aldersgate towards Long Lane. The portion of the road from Long Lane till Goswell Street (after 1864Goswell Road) was formerly named Pickax Street, where today is located the Barbican tube station. This name may derive from Pickt Hatch, an area of brothels said to be in this part of London during theElizabethan era.Pick Hatch is mentioned inThe Merry Wives of Windsor( "Goe... to your Mannor of Pickt-hatch" ) and inThe Alchemist( "The decay'd Vestalls of Pickt-hatch" ). By the late eighteenth century the name Pickax was no more in use, and the road was fully incorporated into Aldersgate Street.

Politics[edit]

Aldersgate is one of 25 wards of the City of London, each electing analdermanto theCourt of Aldermenandcommoners(the City equivalent of acouncillor) to theCourt of Common Councilof theCity of London Corporation.Only electors who areFreemen of the City of Londonare eligible to stand.

In the 2017 City-wide Common Council elections, theLabour Partywon one seat in Aldersgate ward with local resident Richard Crossan standing for Labour and being elected unopposed.[9]The Labour Party won a record total of five seats on the Common Council in March 2017 winning two seats inPortsoken,two seats inCripplegateward and one seat in Aldersgate ward.[10]

Current elected representatives in Aldersgate, following the 2022 Common Council election and Aldermanic election are Christopher Makin (Alderman), Randall Anderson (Deputy), Naresh Sonpar, Steve Goodman, Helen Fentiman, Deborah Oliver and Anett Ridegg.[11]

History[edit]

The wards of London appear to have taken shape in the 11th century, before the Norman Conquest. Their administrative, judicial and military purpose made them equivalent toHundredsin the countryside. The primary purpose of wards like Aldersgate, which included a gate, appears to be the defence of the gate,[12]as gates were the weakest points in any fortification.

The ward initially only included land within the walls, but a degree of growth beyond the gate meant some of the land beyond came under the sway of the City. Boundary markers – bars – were established here and elsewhere with the suburb eventually becoming part of the City. Aldersgate Bars are recorded as early as 1197.[13]

A mansion above Aldersgate, referred to as Aldrichgate, was gifted toJohn Blytone,the earliest knownsword-bearerof theCity of Londonwhen he resigned from the service of theLord Mayor of Londonin 1395.[14][15]

Religion[edit]

In 1554 Aldersgate Street was the scene of a fraud whereElizabeth Croftswas smuggled into a wall to pretend to be a heavenly voice. Reputedly 17,000 people came to listen to her give out anti-Catholic propaganda.[16]

The house of Sarah Sawyer, in Rose and Rainbow Court (approximately the site of the presentMuseum of London), formed one of the earliestQuakermeetings in London (before 1655). In 1675, it became a dedicated meeting house, the Box Meeting, used mainly by Quaker women for poor relief, on her marriage.[17]

Memorial at Aldersgate commemorating John Wesley's religious experience

28 Aldersgate Street is the approximate former location of aMoravian Church.On 24 May 1738, attending a meeting at the church, the clergymanJohn Wesleyunderwent a profound religious experience. The following year, he broke with the Moravians and founded theMethodist Societyof England.[18]The yearly anniversary of his experience is celebrated by Methodists asAldersgate Day.Wesley's Chapel,in nearbyCity Road,remains a major focal point of the worldwide Methodist movement.

The arts[edit]

The poetThomas Flatmanwas born in a house in Aldersgate Street in 1633. As with most historic buildings on this stretch of road, the building no longer stands. At Nos. 35-38 stood Shaftesbury House, built around 1644 byInigo Jones.It was demolished in 1882.[19]Lauderdale House was demolished in 1708, the London home of theDuke of Lauderdaleand earlier the house of his mother-in-law, theCountess of Home.[20]

134 Aldersgate Street, Shakespeare's House - demolished in 1879

No. 134 for many years had a sign claiming: "This wasShakespeare's House ".[21]Although the building was very close to the nearbyFortune Playhouse,there is no documentary evidence surviving to indicate that Shakespeare resided here; a subsidy roll from 1598 shows a "William Shakespeare" as owner of the property, but there is nothing to indicate that it is the playwright. The building no longer exists, and Barbican station now occupies the site. The nearbyShakespeare Toweris named for this (tenuous) connection. At the point where Aldersgate Street changes its name to Goswell Road there is also a public house "The Shakespeare".

Lost buildings[edit]

General Post Office,late 1820s.

Adjacent to the modern roundabout on the site of the gate wasthe former headquartersof theGeneral Post Office(closed in 1910 and demolished shortly afterwards), and the adjoining Postman's Park. The southern part of the roundabout and the northern part of where the Post Office once stood are located on the site of acollegiate churchandsanctuaryfounded in 750 by Withu,King of Kent,hugely expanded in 1056 by Ingebrian, Earl of Essex, and issued with aroyal charterin 1068 byWilliam the Conqueror.The site of the church was cleared in 1818 in preparation for the construction of the Post Office.[22]

Most of the buildings on Aldersgate Street were destroyed or badly damaged in theSecond World War.The entire length of the eastern side of the street is now occupied by a part of the 40-acre (16 ha) Barbican residential and arts complex.[23]

At the corner in between Aldersgate Street and Long Lane,[24]opposite to the nowBarbican stationandBeech Street,stood the "Manchester Hotel" with over 240 rooms. It used to be a Victorian landmark in the area, popular with business men, visitors and juries attending trials at theOld Bailey. Opened in 1879, refurbished and modernised in 1921, suffered severe damages by theSecond World Warbombs and was consequently demolished. After theFirst World Warit was temporary closed, and commanded by the government as a hostel for Jewish refugees escaping Poland and Belgium.[25] Advertisement of the hotel regularly featured on local magazines andperiodicalsreferring to its splendid rooms, wine cellar, luncheon for City workers, and as a venue for wedding receptions.[26]

See also[edit]

Image gallery[edit]

  • Site of Aldersgate
    Site of Aldersgate
  • ShaftesburyHouse - demolished in 1882
    ShaftesburyHouse - demolished in 1882
  • Aldersgate Street
    Aldersgate Street
  • Aldersgate Street, north side from the Barbican highwalk
    Aldersgate Street, north side from the Barbican highwalk
  • Aldersgate Street, south side from the Barbican highwalk
    Aldersgate Street, south side from the Barbican highwalk
  • Little Britain, a street in the ward
    Little Britain,a street in the ward
  • St Botolph-without-Aldersgate Church
    St Botolph-without-Aldersgate Church
  • St Botolph-without-Aldersgate Church after redecoration
    St Botolph-without-Aldersgate Church after redecoration
  • Postman's Park from Aldersgate Street
    Postman's Park from Aldersgate Street
  • Aldersgate plaque
    Aldersgate plaque
  • Aldersgate history
    Aldersgate history
  • Aldersgate street view
    Aldersgate street view
  • No. 1 Aldersgate Street (the Money Order Office) (right) and the French Protestant Chapel in St Martin's Le Grand (left) (both demolished 1888).
    No. 1 Aldersgate Street (the Money Order Office) (right) and the French Protestant Chapel in St Martin's Le Grand (left) (both demolished 1888).

References[edit]

  1. ^"City of London Ward population 2011".Neighbourhood Statistics.Office for National Statistics. Archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2016.Retrieved16 October2016.
  2. ^Mills, A.D. (2010).A Dictionary of London Place-Names.Oxford University Press.p. 4.ISBN9780199566785.
  3. ^A Topographical Dictionary of England,Samuel Lewis, 1831, p 134
  4. ^Archaeological Excavations at Moor House, Jeremy Haslam p48
  5. ^The City Churches,Tabor, M., p121. London: The Swarthmore Press Ltd., 1917
  6. ^Churches in the Landscape,p217-221, Richard Morris,ISBN0-460-04509-1
  7. ^"Map of reformed ward of Aldersgate"(PDF).
  8. ^Williams, Hywel (2004)."Renamed Stations".London Underground History.Retrieved10 May2007.
  9. ^"City of London gains second Labour councillor".
  10. ^"Labour wins record five seats in historic City of London election victory".Independent.co.uk.24 March 2017.Archivedfrom the original on 24 March 2017.
  11. ^"Find Member".democracy.cityoflondon.gov.uk.15 August 2021.
  12. ^London 800-1216: The Shaping of a City, Brook and Keir Ch 7
  13. ^Page, William (1923).London, its origin and early development.p. 179(including reference to the primary source).
  14. ^Barrett, Edward (2017).Ceremonial Swords of Britain: State and Civic Swords.The History Press. p. 119.ISBN978-0-7509-6244-5.
  15. ^Carpenter, John;Whittington, Richard(1862) [1419].Liber Albus: The White Book of the City of London.Translated by Riley, Henry Thomas. John Russell Smith. p. 479.
  16. ^Daniel Hahn, 'Crofts, Elizabeth (b. c. 1535)',Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,Oxford University Press, 2004accessed 7 Dec 2014
  17. ^Roberts, Andrew (ed.)."Quakers Around Shoreditch".www.mdx.ac.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2006.Retrieved4 January2022.
  18. ^"What is Aldersgate Day?".umc.org.The United Methodist Church.Retrieved22 May2016.
  19. ^"Aldersgate".British History Online.Retrieved10 April2012.
  20. ^Peter Cunningham,A Handbook for London,vol. 2 (London, 1849), p. 471.
  21. ^Winter, William (1910).Seeing Europe with Famous Authors: Literary Shrines of London.London: Moffat, Yard & Co. Archived fromthe originalon 28 April 2015.Retrieved7 October2011.
  22. ^"Aldersgate Street and St Martin-le-Grand".Old and New London.2.Centre for Metropolitan History: 208–228. 1878.Retrieved10 May2007.
  23. ^"History of the Barbican Estate".City of London Corporation. Archived fromthe originalon 15 March 2007.Retrieved10 May2007.
  24. ^"The monastic buildings: The outer court | British History Online".www.british-history.ac.uk.
  25. ^"The monastic buildings: The outer court | British History Online".www.british-history.ac.uk.Retrieved21 July2021.
  26. ^Jones, R. E. (2 October 2014)."The Manchester Aldersgate – London".

External links[edit]

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