Page images
PDF
EPUB
[graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small][subsumed]

for the minister. The body of the church is enlightened by two ranges of windows, with a Venetian one in the centre. The tower rises square, with a balustrade on the top; from whence rises a spire, in form of a Corinthian pillar, which is well wrought and very properly diminished. In the tower are ten good bells. The church is handsomely and neatly ornamented, and is graced with a good organ.

Returning westwardly we arrive at Bermondsey Street, at the south end of which was a priory, dedicated to St. Saviour, founded by Alwin Child, a citizen of London in the year 1081.

[ocr errors]

In 1094, William Rufus endowed it with the manor of Bermond's Eye, which was confirmed by Henry I. in 1127, who at the same time gave unto this priory the manor of Rotherhithe and Dulwich: and William Maminot gave them a moiety of the manor of Greenwich. In 1159 king Henry II. confirmed to them the donation of the church of Camberwell, and others. And Henry III. granted these monks a market every Monday at their manor of Charlton, in the county of Kent; and a fair on Trinity Sunday yearly. The manor of Bermond's Eye was an antient demesne of the crown, and all the lands and tenements belonging to it, among which were Camberwell, Rotherhithe, the hide of Southwark, Dulwich, Waddon, and Reyham, with their appurtenances, and were impleadable in the court of this manor only, and not at the common law: this house was, however, no more than a cell to the priory of Charity in France; and therefore accounted a priory alien till the year 1380, when Richard II. in consideration of two hundred marks paid into his exchequer, made it a denizen; when it was also made an abbey. After its dissolution it was valued at 474l. 14s. 4d. and was granted by king Henry VIII. to Sir Thomas Pope, who pulled down the church and built a large house upon its site, which afterwards became the possession and residence of the earls of Sussex, who were obliged to build a place for public worship, which was done in or near the place where the church now stands.

[blocks in formation]

It received the addition of Bermondsey from its situation in or near the royal manor, called Bermond's Eye, corruptly Bermondsey; on which there stood a royal mansion Extra in the reign of Henry VIII. the remains of which are still to plates be seen in the gateway that leads into a court at the south P.62 end of the church-yard. The parish church of

[merged small][graphic][ocr errors][ocr errors]

was built in 1680, at the charge of the parish; and is a plain
structure, seventy-six feet long, sixty-one feet broad, thirty
feet high to the roof, and eighty-seven feet to the top of the
steeple. The walls are brick, covered with stucco, and the
door cases and arched windows are cased with stone. The
advowson of this church is in lay hands; and the rectory
valued at 2001. per annum in lieu of tythes.
Here is an organ and eight bells.

Bermondsey Street is mostly inhabited by fellmongers, hat manufacturers, and other respectable tradesmen whose businesses require extensive premises.

Here is a very old inn, called Christopher's Inn, on which is a rude emblem in stucco of St. Christopher. Chris

topher's

is

topher's (vulgarly Crucifix) Lane, leads to Snow's Fields, and the Maze, before mentioned, whence there is an avenue to St. Thomas's Street, in which is situated

GUY'S HOSPITAL;

a foundation, perhaps, with the greatest endowment that ra ever was made by one person, especially one in privateplates life. The expence of erecting and furnishing this hospital2 amounted to the sum of 18,7931. 16s. and the endowment to 219,499/. It is situate in a very narrow street, which deprives the spectator of a proper view of this building, into which we enter by a very elegant and noble iron gate, hung on very handsome piers, which open into a square in the middle of which is a brazen statue of the founder in his li very gown, very well executed. In the front of the destal is this inscription:

THOMAS GUY, SOLE FOUNDER OF THIS HOSPITAL IN

HIS LIFE-TIME,

A. D. MDCCXXI.

pe

On the west side is represented, in relievo, the parable of the good Samaritan; on the south Mr. Guy's arms; and ou the east our Saviour healing the impotent man.

The superstructure of this hospital contains three stories, besides garrets, divided into twelve wards, in which are four hundred and thirty-five beds; and the whole building is so well planned and executed, that it does honour to the architect, and well accommodates both the patients and those who attend them. Soon after Mr. Guy's decease, his executors applied to parliament for an act of incorporation, and obtained their petition; by which an act was obtained to make sixty governors a body corporate, who have power to chuse new governors, as the old ones decease, and officers and servants. This' noble charity has been conducted in such a manner as to restore health and case to a great many thousands, exclusive of out-patients.

It may not be improper, in addition to what we have already said in our second volume, p. 118. to mention some other particulars relating to Mr. Guy, in order to do justice

5

to the character of that great benefactor to the public, in opposition to the general but ill-founded opinion of his being remarkable only for his parsimony and avarice.

He was a patron of liberty and of the rights of his fellow-subjects, which, to his great honour, he strenuously asserted in the several parliaments, of which he was a member for the borough of Tamworth, in Staffordshire, the place of his birth. To this town he was a general benefactor; and early in his life he not only contributed towards the relief of private families in 'distress, but erected an alms house, with a library, in that borough, for the reception of fourteen poor men and women, to whom he allowed a certain pension during his life, and at his death he bequeathed the annual sum of 1257. towards their future support, and for putting out children apprentices, &c.

In the year 1701 Mr. Guy built and furnished, at his own expence, three wards on the north side of the outer court of St. Thomas's Hospital, and gave to those wards 100%. a year, for eleven years immediately preceding the foundation of his hospital. Some time before his death he removed the frontispiece of St. Thomas's Hospital, which stood over the gateway in the Borough, and erected it in the place where it now stands, fronting the street: he also enlarged the gateway; rebuilt the two large houses on its sides, and erected the fine iron gate between them, at the expence of 3000l. At his death, he left to his poor aged relations the sum of 870l. a year during their lives; and among his younger relations, who were very numerous, and his executors, be left the sum of 75,5897. He bequeathed to the governors of Christ's Hospital, a perpetual annuity of 4001. for taking in four children annually, at the nomination of the governors; and 1000l. for discharging poor prisoners within the city of London, and the counties of Middlesex and Surrey, who could be released for the sum of 51. by which sum, and the good management of his executors, there were above six hundred poor persons set at liberty from the several prisons within the bills of mortality.

On

« PreviousContinue »