389 
SOUTHWARK. 
commonly called St. Mary Overy, originally belonged to a 
nunnery, founded by a female, at the time of the Norman con¬ 
quest, and endowed by her with the profits of the ferry 
across the river at this place, prior to the erection of London 
Bridge. This house was afterwards converted into a college 
for priests, by whom the first bridge over the Thames was 
built of wood, and kept in repair, till they were enabled, 
by the munificence of benefactors, to supply its place by 
another of stone. In 1106, the college was converted into 
a priory of canons; on the suppression of which, in 1539, 
the inhabitants of Southwark purchased the church belong¬ 
ing to it, which was by charter appropriated to the joint use 
of the parishioners of St. Mary Magdalen and St. Margaret, 
by the name of St. Saviour’s. This church is built on the 
plan of a cathedral, though of small dimensions. A part 
only of the original a r chitecture remains; and this is in the 
interior of the west front of the church, all the rest of the 
building exhibiting the styles in use between the 13th and 
16th centuries. The tower in the centre rises in three stories, 
the walls finishing with battlements, and being adorned at 
the angles with turrets and pinnacles. It was from this 
tower that Haller took his famous views of London, both 
before and after the great fire in 1666. This church has 
three chapels, viz., Our Lady’s, or the new chapel, at the east 
end of which is run out a small monumental chapel, which 
was let by the wardens, after the church became parochial, 
as a bake-house ; St. John’s, now the vestry on the north 
side of the choir; and St. Mary Magdalen’s on the south 
side. In Our Lady’s chapel is a grave stone, which is sup¬ 
posed to cover the remains of the celebrated William of 
Wykeham, bishop of Lincoln, and afterwards of Winches¬ 
ter, who died in 1395. There are also several other monu¬ 
ments and antiquities deserving of attention. In St. Saviour’s 
church-yard is a free grammar school, founded by the parish 
in 1562, under the authority of Queen Elizabeth; and 
adjoining to it is a free English school. Contiguous to the 
priory of St. Mary Overy, formerly stood Winchester house, 
the town residence of the prelates of that see. It was erected 
about the year 1107, by bishop Gifford, and was one of 
the most magnificent structures in the city or suburbs of 
London. It continued to be the abode of his successor, till 
the beginning of the 17th century, when it was forsaken for 
the more agreeable residence at Chelsea. During the civil 
wars in the reign of Charles I. it was for some time a prison 
for royalists, and among the rest, for the celebrated Sir 
Kenelm Digby. In 1649, it was sold by the parliament, 
to Thomas Walker, of Camberwell, for 4380/. Reverting 
at the Restoration to the rightful owner, the house was 
mostly demolished ; and its site, as well as the park, leased 
out to different persons, to the great emolument of the see 
of Winchester. From its present remains, which form 
parts of the various warehouses now occupying the site, no 
adequate idea can be formed of the former extent and 
arrangement of this magnificent palace. In the south front 
are many curious doorways and windows, in various styles 
of architecture, but greatly mutilated. At the west end of 
this range, is a large circular window, which for delicacy of 
form and beauty of workmanship, is surpassed by few. Its 
style shews it to be of the time of Edward III. What is now 
called Bankside was formerly a range of dwellings, licensed 
by the bishop of Winchester, “ for the repair of inconti¬ 
nent men to the like women,” and denominated the Bor¬ 
dello, or Stew Houses, which were subject to various laws 
and regulations enacted by parliament. These privileged 
houses were suppressed by Henry VIII. in 1546. On the 
Bankside was a gaol called the Clink, which still exists, 
and has been represented as a filthy noisome dungeon. 
The bishop of Winchester’s steward tries pleas of debt, 
damages, or trespass, within the Clink liberty, for any 
sum. On the Bankside was also situated the principal 
theatre of its time, called the Globe, where the plays 
of Shakspeare were first represented, and the memory 
of which is still retained in the name of the Globe 
Vox., xxm. No. 1578. 
Alley. Near this was the Bear Garden, wherein, says Stowe, 
“ were kept bears, bulls, and other beastes to be baited.” 
Bear baiting was in that age an amusement of persons of the 
highest rank.—In this district of the Borough several im¬ 
provements have been lately planned and executed, which 
add greatly both to the appearance and beauty of the 
place. Of these are the very elegant bridge over the Thames, 
called Southwark Bridge, which crosses the river from Bank- 
side to Queen-street, and a handsome street from this to St. 
Margaret’s Hill. A road is in contemplation to extend from 
the bridge to the Mansion House. Not far from St. Saviour’s 
church is the Borough Market, surrounded with stalls and 
other conveniences for the sale of provisions. In Deadmau’s- 
place, on the west side of this market, is an hospital or col¬ 
lege, founded in the reign of Elizabeth, by Thomas Cure. 
At the end of the High-street is St. Margaret’s Hill, the site 
of the ancient church of the same name, which being for¬ 
saken on the union of the parish with St. Saviour’s, was 
converted into a Sessions-house and prison, since removed to 
Mill-lane, and denominated the Borough Compter. The 
whole has lately been rebuilt. In the front, facing Black- 
man-street, the hustings for the election of representatives 
for the Borough are usually erected. On the opposite side 
of the street was the Tabard-inn, which was the residence of 
the abbots of Hyde, in Hampshire, when called to the metro¬ 
polis on business. This house is celebrated by Chaucer as 
the place of rendezvous for pilgrims repairing to Becket’s 
shrine, at Canterbury. On the east side of Blackman-street 
is the Marshalsea, a court of law and a prison, originally 
intended for the determination of differences between the 
king’s menial servants, and under the control of the knight 
marshal of the royal household. It had particular cogni¬ 
zance of murders and other offences committed within the 
king’s court. Persons guilty of piracies and other offences 
on the high seas are now committed here, though the offen¬ 
ders are tried at the Old Bailey. The jurisdiction of the 
Marshalsea extends to the distance of 12 miles round White¬ 
hall, excepting the City of London, for actions of debt, 
damages, &c. When the subject of litigation exceeds the 
value of 51., the suit is removeable to a higher tribunal. 
The prison contains about 60 rooms; it is too small, and 
much out of repair. Southward of the Marshalsea, and on 
the same side of the street, is the Church of St, George the 
Martyr. The original building was a very ancient foundation, 
and belonged to the abbey of Bermondsey, to which it was 
given in 1112, by Thomas Arderne. The present structure 
was erected in 1736, in consequence of an act of parliament 
obtained by the parishioners, to pull down the old church, 
which had fallen into a ruinous condition. The principal 
entrance is at the west end, which faces the street. Above 
the door is a circular pediment, supported by Ionic columns; 
and on the east side the front is adorned with a balustrade 
and vases. From this part rises the tower, which is strength¬ 
ened with rustic coins. The base of the spire rests on a 
series of Ionic columns raised on the tower. In the old 
church was interred Edward Cocker, the celebrated arithme¬ 
tician, and also the noted Bishop Bonner, who died miser¬ 
ably in the Marshalsea, in 1569. Opposite St. George’s 
church formerly stood Suffolk-place, a magnificent mansion, 
erected in the reign of Henry VIII., by Charles Brandon, 
Duke of Suffolk. Its name was afterwards altered to South- 
wark-place, and it was used as a royal mint. After this the 
mansion was pulled down, and the site was converted into 
streets, which still retain the name of the Mint. The inha¬ 
bitants assumed a privilege of protection from arrests, and 
the place became, for many years, the retreat of bankrupts 
and fraudulent debtors, until the privilege was abolished in 
the reign of George I. In Union-street, northward of the 
Mint, is the public office of Union Hall, a handsome building; 
and at the south-east end of Blackman-street, in Horsemon- 
ger-lane, is the County Gaol and House of Correction for 
Surrey. This spacious building was erected on the sugges¬ 
tion of the benevolent Howard, and contains a good court- 
5 G hall. 
