CHAP. I. OLD BKIlx.Ks. 243 



died, for interment in London. It appears that many 

 lives were afterwards lost in crossing the Old Ford, 

 and amongst those who narrowly escaped drowning 

 was Matilda, Queen-Consort of Henry I. To prevent 

 tin's great danger to travellers, the good Queen directed 

 two bridges to be built over the two branches of the 

 Lea one at Bow, the other at Channelsea, connected by 

 a gravel causeway ; and she bequeathed certain manors 

 and a mill to the abbess of Barking for their main- 

 tenance and repair. The bridges were erected some time 

 between the years 1100, when Matilda became Queen, 

 and 1118, the year of her death; and they are sup- 

 posed to have been named " de Arcubus," or the Bows, 

 because of their arched form. Stowe says, "the bridge 

 (of Stratford-le-Bow) was arched like a bow ; a rare 

 piece of work, for before that the like had never been 

 seen in England." 



Notwithstanding the ample endowment of the bridges, 

 and the additions made to it by successive benefactors, 

 their repairs seem to have been sadly neglected, and the 

 approaches were often found impassable. The crowns 

 of the arches became worn into deep ruts, and they 

 must shortly have fallen in, had not one Hugh Pratt, 

 who lived in the neighbourhood in the time of King- 

 John, contrived, by begging aid from the passers by, 

 to keep the structures in repair. His son continued the 

 practice, and even obtained leave to levy tolls, amongst 

 which we find the following : " For every cart carrying 

 corn, wood, coal, &c., one penny; of one carrying tasel, 

 two pence; and of one carrying a dead Jew, eight 

 pence." ' At a still later period, we find collections made 

 in all the churches throughout the City, for the purpose 

 of repairing Bow Bridge, as " a work of great necessity for 

 the passage of victual unto the inhabitants;" and in the 



1 IVoltalily the last toll was ini- .lewisli burying-ground situated to 

 posed on the bodies of .lews in jr<- the eastward <>f the bridge. 

 of removal for interment in a 



R 2 



