Billingsgate
Encyclopedia
Billingsgate is a small ward
in the south-east of the City of London
, lying on the north bank of the River Thames
between London Bridge
and Tower Bridge
. It is found within the boundary defined by the river, Lovat Lane, Fenchurch Street
, Mark Lane and Sugar Quay.
(the name given to London in medieval British legend), is mentioned the Historia Regum Britanniae
(History of the Kings of Britain), written c.1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth
. This work describes how Belinus
, a legendary king of Britain said to have held the throne from about 390BCE, built a water-gate to the city of London with a tower above it:
Originally it was known as Blynesgate and Byllynsgate, and may indeed have originated with a water gate on the Thames, where goods were landed, becoming Billingsgate Wharf, part of the London
docks close to Lower Thames Street.
Stow
records that Billingsgate Market was a general market for corn, coal, iron, wine, salt, pottery, fish and miscellaneous goods until the 16th century, when neighbouring streets became a specialist fish market
. By the 16th century, most merchant vessels had become too large to pass London Bridge and Billingsgate, with its deeply recessed harbour, replaced Queenhithe as the most important landing-place in the City.
The ward includes Pudding Lane, where in 1666, the Great Fire of London
began. A sign was erected upon the house in which it began:
After the Great Fire of London, arcaded shops and stalls lined the west side of the harbour and at its head lay an open market-square known as 'Roomland'.
was formally established by an Act of Parliament
in 1699 to be "a free and open market for all sorts of fish whatsoever". Oranges, lemons, and Spanish onions were also landed there, alongside the other main commodities, coal and salt. In 1849, the fish market was moved off the streets into its own riverside building, which was subsequently demolished (c. 1873) and replaced by an arcaded market hall (designed by City architect
Horace Jones, built by John Mowlem
) in 1875.
In 1982, the fish market was relocated to a new building close to Canary Wharf
in east London. The original riverside market hall building
was then refurbished (by architect Lord Rogers
) to provide office accommodation.
The raucous cries of the fish vendors gave rise to "billingsgate" as a synonym for profanity or offensive language.
The ward contains the Customs House and the Watermen's Hall
, built in 1780 and the only surviving Georgian
guild hall. Centennium House in Lower Thames Street has Roman baths within their basement foundations.
and St Margaret Pattens
, but another St George's Botolph Lane was demolished in 1904.
s in the City of London
, each electing an Alderman
, to the Court of Aldermen
and Commoners (the City equivalent of a Councillor
) to the Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation. Only electors who are Freeman of the City of London are eligible to stand.
Wards of the City of London
The City of London , in the United Kingdom, is constituted of 25 wards. The City is the historic core of the much wider metropolis of London, with an ancient and sui generis form of local government, which avoided the many reforms enacted to local government elsewhere in the country in the 19th and...
in the south-east of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, lying on the north bank of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
between London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
and Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name...
. It is found within the boundary defined by the river, Lovat Lane, Fenchurch Street
Fenchurch Street
Fenchurch Street is a street in the City of London home to a number of shops, pubs and offices. It links Aldgate at its eastern end with Lombard Street and Gracechurch Street to the west. To the south of Fenchurch Street and towards its eastern end is Fenchurch Street railway station...
, Mark Lane and Sugar Quay.
Origins
Billingsgate, as a water-gate to the city of TrinovantumTrinovantum
Trinovantum, in medieval British legend, is the name given to London in earliest times. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae it was founded by the exiled Trojan Brutus, who called it Troia Nova , which gradually corrupted to Trinovantum...
(the name given to London in medieval British legend), is mentioned the Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
(History of the Kings of Britain), written c.1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
. This work describes how Belinus
Belinus
Belinus the Great was a legendary king of the Britons, as recounted by Geoffrey of Monmouth. He was the son of Dunvallo Molmutius and brother of Brennius. He was probably named after the ancient god Belenus.- Earning the crown :...
, a legendary king of Britain said to have held the throne from about 390BCE, built a water-gate to the city of London with a tower above it:
Originally it was known as Blynesgate and Byllynsgate, and may indeed have originated with a water gate on the Thames, where goods were landed, becoming Billingsgate Wharf, part of the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
docks close to Lower Thames Street.
Stow
John Stow
John Stow was an English historian and antiquarian.-Early life:The son of Thomas Stow, a tallow-chandler, he was born about 1525 in London, in the parish of St Michael, Cornhill. His father's whole rent for his house and garden was only 6s. 6d. a year, and Stow in his youth fetched milk every...
records that Billingsgate Market was a general market for corn, coal, iron, wine, salt, pottery, fish and miscellaneous goods until the 16th century, when neighbouring streets became a specialist fish market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
. By the 16th century, most merchant vessels had become too large to pass London Bridge and Billingsgate, with its deeply recessed harbour, replaced Queenhithe as the most important landing-place in the City.
The ward includes Pudding Lane, where in 1666, the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
began. A sign was erected upon the house in which it began:
Fish market
Billingsgate Fish MarketBillingsgate Fish Market
Situated in East London, Billingsgate Fish Market is the United Kingdom's largest inland fish market. It takes its name from Billingsgate, a ward in the south-east of the City of London, where the riverside market was originally established...
was formally established by an Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
in 1699 to be "a free and open market for all sorts of fish whatsoever". Oranges, lemons, and Spanish onions were also landed there, alongside the other main commodities, coal and salt. In 1849, the fish market was moved off the streets into its own riverside building, which was subsequently demolished (c. 1873) and replaced by an arcaded market hall (designed by City architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Horace Jones, built by John Mowlem
John Mowlem
John Mowlem was an English stonemason, builder and founder of the quarrying and construction company "Mowlem, Burt and Freeman".-Career:Mowlem was born in Swanage, Dorset, the son of a quarryman...
) in 1875.
In 1982, the fish market was relocated to a new building close to Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
in east London. The original riverside market hall building
Old Billingsgate Market
Old Billingsgate Market is the name given to what is now a hospitality and events venue in the City of London, England, based in the Victorian building that was formerly Billingsgate Fish Market....
was then refurbished (by architect Lord Rogers
Richard Rogers
Richard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside CH Kt FRIBA FCSD is a British architect noted for his modernist and functionalist designs....
) to provide office accommodation.
The raucous cries of the fish vendors gave rise to "billingsgate" as a synonym for profanity or offensive language.
The ward contains the Customs House and the Watermen's Hall
Lightermen
Lightermen were workers who transferred goods between ships and quays, aboard flat-bottomed barges called lighters in the Port of London.-History:...
, built in 1780 and the only surviving Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
guild hall. Centennium House in Lower Thames Street has Roman baths within their basement foundations.
Churches
The ward contains two churches St Mary-at-HillSt Mary-at-Hill
St. Mary-at-Hill is a Church of England church on Lovat Lane, a cobbled street off Eastcheap in the ward of Billingsgate, London, England. Rebuilt many times, St Mary-at-Hill was originally founded in the 12th Century, where it was first known as "St. Mary de Hull" or " St...
and St Margaret Pattens
St Margaret Pattens
St Margaret Pattens is a Church of England church in the City of London, located on Eastcheap near the Monument. The dedication is to St. Margaret of Antioch.-History:...
, but another St George's Botolph Lane was demolished in 1904.
Politics
Billingsgate is one of 25 wardWards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
s in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, each electing an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
, to the Court of Aldermen
Court of Aldermen
The Court of Aldermen is an elected body forming part of the City of London Corporation. The Court of Aldermen is made up of the twenty five Aldermen of the City of London, presided over by the Lord Mayor...
and Commoners (the City equivalent of a Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
) to the Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation. Only electors who are Freeman of the City of London are eligible to stand.
In popular culture
- Edmund Blackadder, Lord Blackadder, the titular hero of Blackadder IIBlackadder IIBlackadder II is the second series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986...
, resided in Billingsgate.
- In Ch. 3 of ThackerayThackerayThackeray is the name of:*William Makepeace Thackeray, a novelist*Bal Thackeray, an Indian politician*Edward Talbot Thackeray, a recipient of the Victoria Cross*A David Thackeray, a South African astronomer...
's Vanity Fair (novel), Mr. Sedley has "brought home the best turbotTurbotThe turbot is a species of flatfish in the family Scophthalmidae. It is native to marine or brackish waters of the North Atlantic, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.-Etymology:...
in Billingsgate."
- Billingsgate is referenced in the song 'Sister Suffragette' in the 1964 version of Mary Poppins.
External links
- Ward Constable profile
- Ward Newsletter
- Ward map
- Ward Club
- Map of Early Modern London: Billingsgate Ward - Historical Map and Encyclopedia of Shakespeare's London (Scholarly)
