Quakers' Meeting House - Queen's Buildings

A Dictionary of London. Originally published by H Jenkins LTD, London, 1918.

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'Quakers' Meeting House - Queen's Buildings', in A Dictionary of London, (London, 1918) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/dictionary-of-london/quakers-meeting-house-queens-buildings [accessed 18 March 2024]

In this section

Quakers' Meeting House

At the south end of White Hart Yard, Lombard Street In Bridge Ward Within (Rocque, 1746).

The site is occupied by the Lombard Exchange and Reading Rooms in O.S.. 1880.

Quakers' Meeting House

On the south side of Bull and Mouth Street (Strype, 1720 and 1755).

Site occupied by General Post Office buildings.

Queen Square

West out of Aldersgate Street, at No. 159a, to Bartholomew Close. In Aldersgate Ward and Farringdon Ward Without (P.O. Directory).

First mention : " Queen's Court" (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 235). " Queen's Square (P.C. 1732).

Strype says it was erected in 1708, and at the upper end contains a curious picture of the late Queen Anne, in whose honour it was originally named.

Queen Street

South out of Cheapside at No.69, across Cannon Street to Upper Thames Street (P.O. Directory). In Vintry, Cordwainer and Cheap Wards.

Made after the Fire of 1666, according to Act of Parliament, as a direct route to the river from the Guildhall.

Called: " New Queen Street" (O. and M. 1677). " Queen Street" (Horwood, 1799)

The northern portion occupies the site of Soper Lane (q.v.), only wider; the southern portion in Vintry Ward occupies the site of " Brodelane" (q.v.) and the Three Cranes in the Vintry. The street was widened in 1846-7.

In the days when the Lord Mayor and Aldermen went by water to Westminster Hall in order that the Lord Mayor might be sworn in before the Barons of the Exchequer, they took water at the Stairs at the end of this street (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 13).

Named in honour of the Queen of Charles II.

Roman wall found a short distance from Watling Street and the bronze figure of an archer at a depth of 12-13 ft. Coins also found at a depth of 12-15 ft. (R. Smith, 71, 127), pavements and pottery.

Queen Street Place

South out of Upper Thames Street, at No.68, to Southwark Bridge. In Vintry Ward (P.O. Directory).

First mention: O.S. 1848-51.

Formerly the southern end of Queen Street.

Queen Street, Royal Mint Street

South out of Royal Mint Street to Little Tower Hill (W. Stow, 1722-O.S. 1894-6).

Removed for the continuation of Mansell Street to meet the Tower Bridge Approach,, 1897 (Lond. Street Improvements, 1855-7, p.217).

Queen Victoria Street.-

West from the Mansion House to Blackfriars Bridge (P.O. Directory). In Cheap, Cordwainer, Bread Street, Queenhithe, Castle Baynard, and Far ringdon Within Wards.

Construction recommended 1861 and provided for in Metropolitan Improvement Act,. 1863. Opened, 1871. Nearly two-thirds of a mile long.

Numerous Courts and alleys, as well as streets of a larger extent, were swept away for its formation. Amongst those which had occupied the site previously were Five Foot Lane, Dove Court, Old Fish Street Hill, Lambeth Hill (part), Bennet's Hill (part), St. Peter's Hill (part), Earl Street, Bristol Street, White Bear Alley, White Horse Court.

Considerable difficulties were experienced in the formation of the street owing to the steep gradients from Upper Thames Street to Cheapside. In some cases the existing streets had to be diverted in order to give additional length over which to distribute the differences in level. The net cost was over £1,000,000. Subways for gas and water were constructed under the street and house drains and sewers below these. Further below are the railway lines.

At the eastern end of the street the pavement of a Roman bath was found embedded in the valley of the Walbrook. It is now in the Guildhall Museum.

Named after Queen Victoria.

Queenhithe

South out of Upper Thames Street, at No. 6o, to the river (P.O. Directory). In Queenhithe Ward.

First mention: The highway called Queenhithe is mentioned 1 Ed. VI. 1547 as the northern boundary of certain messuages in the parish of St. Michael next Quenehytla (London I. p.m. I. 93).

So named in Rocque, 1746.

Queenhithe Alley

In Thames Street (Dodsley, 1761).

Not named in the maps.

Queenhithe Dock

See Queenhithe Wharf.

Queenhithe Little Stairs

..-West of Queenhithe Stairs at the east end of Brooks' Wharf (Rocque, 1746).

No later mention.

Queenhithe Stairs

At the southern end of the street called Queenhithe, east of Queenhithe Dock (Rocque, 1746-O.S. 1880).

Queenhithe Ward

One of the twenty-six wards of the City, by the riverside, bounded on the north by Bread Street and Cordwainer Wards, east by Vintry Ward, west by Castle Baynard Ward, and on the south by the river.

First mention: 1289 (Cal. L. Bk. A. p.209). Identified as the Ward of Simon de Hadestok, mentioned 55 H. III. (Anc. Deeds, C. 1910).

The ward contained in Stow's time seven parish churches, viz.: St. Michael Queenhithe; St. Mary Somerset; St. Mary Mounthaw; St. Nicholas Coleabbey; St. Nicholas Olave; Holy Trinity the Less.

Now only: St. Michael Queenhithe and St. Nicholas Coleabbey.

Two Halls of Companies: Painter-Stainers' Hall and Blacksmiths' Hall.

So named of Queenhithe Wharf or harbour.

See Wards.

Queenhithe Wharf, Dock

On the Thames, in Queenhithe Ward, at the southern end of the street called Queenhithe (P.O. Directory).

The earliest mention occurs in a Charter of Alfred of 899, granting land near" Aetheredes hyd" to Archbishop Plegmund and to Werfrid, Bishop of Worcester (Birch, II pp. 220-1, and Kemble, MLXXIV.).

The Earl Harold made a grant to Peterborough monastery of land in London near monasterium Sancti Pauli juxta portumque vocatur Etheredishythe" (Dugdale, I. 386).

In the 12th century it was in possession of Queen Adelicia of Louvain, wife of Henry I., and she made mention of it in a charter granted by her to the church of Reading as "heda mea Londoniae" (Dugdale, IV. 42).

In a Charter of Henry II. it is referred to as "Ripa Reginae que appellatur Atheres hethe" (Dugdale, VI. 635).

William de Ypres made a grant of " Edredeshyda" to the Canons of Holy Trinity, which grant was confirmed by King Stephen (Anc. Deeds, A. 6684).

King John gave" Ripam Reginae "to Queen Alienore (Rot. Hund. I. 404), and Queen Isabel gave it to her son Richard of Cornwall (ib. 403 and 414).

In 30 Hen. III. it was leased by Richard, Earl of Cornwall, to the Mayor and citizens of London at a fee farm rent of £50 by the name of Queenhithe, which gift was confirmed by the King (Cal. L. Bk. C. p.15).

Forms of name: " Quenehithe," 8 H. III. (Cal. P.R. 1216-25, p.445). "Quenehid," 3 Hen. III. (Cal. L. and M. Feet of Fines, I. 14). " Hithe Regine," 1231 (Cal. Close R. H. III. 1227-31, p.497).

The customs to be adhered to in "Soka Reginae" are set out in Liber Albus, I. 238-41. Corn was to be landed at Queenhithe only and fish for foreign parts. These orders were re-enacted 3 Ed. IV. as they had fallen into disuse to the hurt of the City (Cal. L. Bk. L. p.45).

In early times the port of Queenhithe was equal in importance to Billingsgate as a dock and market, and its gradual decline was due solely to its position above the Bridge, which made it less easy of access for larger vessels.

From the records set out above, it appears that the original name of the wharf was "Etheredishyth," evidently the name of the owner or builder, and it may even have originally belonged to one of the kings bearing this name, which in the form of " Ethelred " or" Ethered "was one of the names of most common occurrence in Saxon times.

The name " Ripa Reginae" seems to have come into use not later than the 12th century, and the subsequent form " Queenhithe" is merely the English rendering of this Latin name.

The Charter of Alfred quoted above is very interesting, suggesting as it does the existence of a sea-wall at this point. If further light could be thrown upon this it might furnish proof of the existence of the southern wall of the City, of which there is at present no reliable record.

Queen's Arms

In Ludgate Street, in parish of St. Martins, in Farringdon Ward Within. Afterwards known as the "Dogge or Talbott." Burnt in the Fire of London. Rebuilt and called the" Old Dog "until 1714 or later, and afterwards in 1834" The Sun."

The old house seems to have contained other taverns in it: Below stairs was "The Phoenix," upstairs "The Pomegranate," " King's Arms," " King's Head," " Dolphin," Swanne," and " Spread Eagle." Possibly the names were used merely to distinguish the several apartments in the house. But it seems to be a curious and uncommon practice (N. and Q. 8th S. XI. p.204).

Queen's Arms Alley

East out of Shoe Lane, in Farringdon Ward Without (Strype, 1720-Boyle, 1799).

Former name: "Queens Arms Yard" (O. and M. 1677).

Site afterwards covered by Farringdon Market (q.v.).

Queen's Arms Tavern

In Bow in Hand Court, between 77 and 78 Cheapside (Wheatley).

Not named in the maps.

Queen's Arms Tavern

In St. Paul's Churchyard in Johnson's time, 1783 (Gent. Mag. Lib. XV. 73).

Not named in the maps.

Queen's Arms Yard, Shoe Lane

See Queen's Arms Alley.

Queen's Buildings

On the west side of Old Bailey at No. 18 (P.O. Directory). In Farringdon Ward Without.

First mention: L.C.C. List, 1901.

Queen's Buildings

In Queen Victoria Street (L.C.C. Lists, 1901 and 1912).

Erected for chambers, offices, etc.