R.

Racketcourt, Fleet street.

Ragalley, Golden lane, Redcross street.

Rag Fair, 1. East Smithfield. 2. Rosemary lane. Here old cloaths are sold every day, by multitudes of people standing in the streets; there is here a place called the ‘Change, where all the shopssell old cloaths: it is remarkable that many of the old cloaths shops in Rosemary lane, where this daily market is kept, deal for several thousand pounds a year.

Ragstreet, Hockley in the hole.

Ragdalecourt, Millman street, near Red Lion street, Holborn.

Raggedrow, Goswell street.‖

Ragged Staffalley, Fleet street.*

Ragged Staffcourt, Drury lane.*

Raindeercourt, in the Strand.*

Raine’sHospital, in Fowden Fields in the parish of St. George, Ratcliff Highway, a handsome building erected by Mr. Henry Raine, brewer, in the year 1737, who endowed it by a deed of gift with a perpetual annuity of 240l.per annum, and added the sum of 4000l.in South sea annuities, amounting to about 4400l.to be laid out in a purchase.

The children of this hospital, which contains forty-eight girls, are taken out of a parish school almost contiguous to it, erected in the year 1719, by the above Mr. Raine, at the expence of about 2000l.and he likewise endowed it with a perpetual annuity of 60l.

The children are supplied with all the necessaries of life, and taught to read, write, sew, and household work, to qualifythem for service, to which they are put, after having been three years upon the foundation.Maitland.

Ralph’skey, Thames street.

Ramalley, 1. Cock lane.* 2. Cow Cross, Smithfield.* 3. St. John’s street, Spitalfields.* 4. Rotherhith Wall.* 5. Wright street, Rotherhith.*

Ram’s Headcourt, Moor lane, Fore street, Moorgate.*

Ramsay’sAlmshouse, in Horns yard, Cloth Fair, was founded by Dame Mary Ramsey, relict of Mr. Thomas Ramsey, some time Lord Mayor, about the year 1596, for three poor women, who formerly received coals and cloaths; but at present only 2s.perweek each.Maitland.

Rampant Lionyard, Nightingale lane.*

Randalalley, Rotherhith Wall.†

View of Ranelagh.S. Wale delin.B. Green sc. Oxon.

Ranelagh Gardens, at Chelsea; so called from their formerly belonging to the Earl of Ranelagh. This is one of those public places of pleasure which is not to be equalled in Europe, and is the resort of people of the first quality. Though its gardens are beautiful, it is more to be admired for the amphitheatre. This is a circular building, the external diameter is 185 feet, round the whole is an arcade, and over that a gallery with a balustrade (to admit the company into the upperboxes) except where the entrances break the continuity. Over this are the windows (as may be seen in the print) and it terminates with the roof. The internal diameter is 150 feet, and the architecture of the inside corresponds with the outside, except that over every column, between the windows, termini support the roof. In the middle of the area, where the orchestra was at first designed, is a chimney having four faces. This makes it warm and comfortable in bad weather. The orchestra fills up the place of one of the entrances. The entertainment consists of a fine band of music with an organ, accompanied by the best voices. The regale is tea and coffee.

Ranger’syard, York street, Jermain street.†

Ratalley, Great Eastcheap.*

Ratcliff, by Upper Shadwell.

Ratcliff School, was founded by Nicholas Gibson, Sheriff of this city, in the year 1537, for the education of sixty poor children; the master had a salary of 10l.and the usher 6l.13s.4d.per annum, at that time very considerable sums: at present the master has 23l.6s.8d.and the usher 9l.13s.4d.a year. This house belonging to the adjoining almshouses, isunder the management of the Coopers company.Maitland.

Ratcliffcross, Ratcliff.

Ratcliffhighway, near Upper Shadwell.

Ratcliff Highwaystreet, Shadwell.

Ratcliffrow, near Old Street.†

Ratcliffsquare, Ratcliff.†

Rathboneplace, Oxford street.

Ray’scourt, Cross lane, Lukener’s lane.†

Read’srents, Long lane, Smithfield.†

Rebecca’syard, East Smithfield.

Rebel’srow, near St. George’s church, Southwark.

Reckman’srents, Limehouse bridge.†

Record Office, in the Tower, is kept in Wakefield’s Tower, which joins to the Bloody Tower, near Traitor’s Gate; and consists of three rooms one above another, and a large round room where the rolls are kept. These are all handsomely wainscoted, the wainscot being framed into presses round each room, within which are shelves, and repositories for the records; and for the easier finding of them, the year of each reign is inscribed on the inside of these presses, and the records placed accordingly.

Within these presses, which amount to fifty-six in number, are deposited all the rolls from the first year of the reign ofKing John, to the beginning of the reign of Richard III. but those after this last period are kept in the Rolls chapel. SeeRollsOffice.

The records in the Tower, among other things, contain, the foundation of abbies, and other religious houses; the ancient tenures of all the lands in England, with a survey of the manors; the original of our laws and statutes; proceedings of the courts of common law and equity; the rights of England to the dominion of the British seas; leagues and treaties with foreign Princes; the achievements of England in foreign wars; the settlement of Ireland, as to law and dominion; the forms of submission of the Scottish Kings; ancient grants of our Kings to their subjects; privileges and immunities granted to cities and corporations during the period abovementioned; enrollments of charters and deeds made before the conquest; the bounds of all the forests in England, with the several respective rights of the inhabitants to common of pasture, and many other important records, all regularly disposed, and referred to in near a thousand folio indexes.Chamberlain’s Present State.Strype’s Stowe.

This office is kept open, and attendanceconstantly given, from seven o’clock till one, except in the months of December, January, and February, when it is open only from eight to one, except on Sundays and holidays. A search here is half a guinea, for which you may peruse any one subject a year.

Recorderof London. This officer ought always to be a learned Lawyer, well versed in the customs of the city. He is not only the chief Assistant to the Lord Mayor in matters of law and justice; but takes place in councils and in courts before any man that hath not been Lord Mayor: he speaks in the name of the City upon extraordinary occasions; usually reads and presents their addresses to the King; and when seated upon the bench delivers the sentence of the court.Maitland.

Red Bullalley, 1. Kent street, Southwark.* 2. St. Olave’s street, Southwark.* 3. Thames street.*

Red Bullcourt, 1. Fore street, Cripplegate.* 2. Red Bull alley.*

Red Bullyard, 1. Ailesbury street, St. John’s street, Clerkenwell.* 2. Islington.*

Red Cowalley, 1. Church lane, Rag Fair.* 2. Old street.*

Red Cowcourt, 1. Church lane, Caple street.* 2. Rotherhithe Wall.*

Red Cowlane, Mile-end turnpike.*

Redcrossalley, 1. Jewin street, Redcross street. 2. By London Bridge. 3. Long Ditch, Westminster. 4. St. Margaret’s hill, Southwark. 5. Old street. 6. Redcross street, in the Mint.

Redcrosscourt, 1. Cow lane. 2. In the Minories. 3. Old Bailey. 4. Tower street.

Redcross Street Library.SeeDr.Williams’s Library.

Redcrosssquare, Jewin street.

Redcrossstreet, 1. Extends from Cripplegate to Barbican: at the upper end of this street, opposite the west end of Beach lane, stood a red cross, which gave name to this street.Maitland.2. Nightingale lane, East Smithfield. 3. In the Park, Southwark.

Redcross Street School, was founded in the year 1709, by Dame Eleanor Hollis, who endowed it with 62l.3s.per annum, in ground rents; for the education of fifty poor girls; but by additional benefactions the revenue is increased to 80l.2s.8d.a year.

This school being kept in the same house with that of the parish boys of St. Giles’s, Cripplegate, it is generally taken for the parish girls charity school.

Red Gatecourt, in the Minories.

Red Hartcourt, Fore street, Cripplegate.*

Redhill’srents, Vine street.†

Red Horseyard, Glasshouse yard.*

Red Lionalley, 1. Barnaby street, Southwark.* 2. St. Catharine’s, Tower hill.* 3. Cow Cross, Smithfield.* 4. St. John’s street, Smithfield.* 5. St. Margaret’s hill, Southwark.* 6. In the Minories.* 7. Peter’s street, St. John’s street, Westminster.* 8. Thames street.* 9. Tower Ditch.* 10. Whitechapel.*

Red Lionback court, Charterhouse lane.*

Red Lioncourt, 1. Addle hill, by Thames street.* 2. Barnaby street, Southwark.* 3. Bennet’s hill, Thames street.* 4. Bennet’s street, Southwark.* 5. Brick lane.* 6. St. Catharine’s lane.* 7. Castle yard, Holborn.* 8. Charterhouse lane, by Charterhouse square.* 9. Cock lane, Snow hill.* 10. Drury lane.* 11. Fleet street.* 12. Grub street.* 13. Holiwell lane.* 14. Kingsland road.* 15. London Wall.* 16. Long Acre.* 17. Red Lion alley, St. Margaret’s hill.* 18. Red Lion street, Spitalfields.* 19. Long alley, Moor fields.* 20. Silver street, Cripplegate.* 21. Watling street, St. Paul’s church yard.* 22. Wheeler street, Spitalfields.* 23. White Hart yard.* 24. Windmill hill.*

Red Lioninn yard, Bishopsgate street.*

Red Lionmarket, Whitecross street, Cripplegate.*

Red Lion Marketpassage, Whitecross street, Cripplegate.*

Red Lionmews, Cavendish street.*

Red Lionpassage, Fetter lane.*

Red Lionsquare, by Red Lion street, Holborn. A handsome square, adorned with a lofty obelisk placed upon a pedestal in the center.

Red Lionstreet, 1. In the Borough.* 2. A very neat well-built street, leading to Clerkenwell.* 3. St. George’s Fields.* 4. High Holborn.* 5. Spitalfields market.* 6. Wapping.* 7. Whitechapel.*

Red Lionyard, 1. Cavendish street.* 2. Church street, Lambeth.* 3. Great Warner’s street.* 4. Houndsditch.* 5. Long lane, Smithfield.* 6. Long Acre.* 7. Lower Shadwell.* 8. Red Lion street.* 9. Star street, Clerkenwell.*

Red Maidlane, near the Hermitage.*

Red Rosealley, Whitecross street, Old street.*

Red Woodalley, near Skinner’s street, Bishopsgate street without.

Reddishrow, Red Maid lane, Wapping.

Reeve’smews, Audley street.†

CityRemembrancer, an officer who on certain days attends the Lord Mayor. His business is to put his Lordship in mind of the select days when he is to go abroad with the Aldermen, &c. and to attend the parliament house during the sessions, in order to make a report to the Lord Mayor of what passes there.

The King’sRemembrancer’s Office, in the Inner Temple. An office belonging to the court of Exchequer, in which there are eight sworn Clerks, two of whom are Secondaries.

Here are entered the state of all the accounts relating to the King’s revenue, for customs, excise, subsidies: all aids granted to the King in Parliament; and every thing relating to his Majesty’s revenue, whether certain or casual: all securities, either by bonds or recognizances, given to the King by accountants and officers: all proceedings upon any statute by information for customs, excise, or any other penal law: all proceedings upon the said bonds or recognizances, or any other bonds taken in the King’s name, by officers appointed for that purpose under the great seal of England, and transmitted hither for recovery thereof, are properly in this office,from whence issue forth process to cause all accountants to come in and account; For there being a court of equity in the court of Exchequer, all proceedings relating to it are in this office.Chamberlain’s Present State.

The Lord TreasurersRemembrancer’s Office, also belongs to the court of Exchequer. In this office process is made against all Sheriffs, Receivers, Bailiffs, &c. for their accounts, and many other things of moment, as estreats, rules, &c. All charters and letters patent, upon which any rents are referred to the King, are transcribed, and sent into this office by the Clerk of the petty bag, in order to be transmitted to the Clerk of the pipe, that process may be made to recover the money by the Comptroller of the pipe. Out of this office process is likewise made to levy the King’s fee farm rents, &c.

In short, when the Auditors of the revenue have made schedules of such arrears, and transmitted them to the Remembrancer, the state of all imprest accounts, and all other accounts whatsoever, are entered in this office, as well as in that of the King’s Remembrancer. Both this and the other office are in the King’s gift.Chamberlain’s Present State.

Court ofRequests. SeeCourt ofConscience.

Reygate, a large market town in Surry, situated in the valley of Holmsdale, twenty-four miles from London, and surrounded on each side with hills. It is an ancient borough, and had a castle, built by the Saxons, on the east side of the town, some ruins of which are still to be seen, particularly a long vault with a room at the end, large enough to hold 500 persons, where the Barons who took up arms against King John are said to have had their private meetings. Its market house was once a chapel dedicated to Thomas Becket. The neighbourhood abounds with fullers earth and medicinal plants.

On the south side of the town is a large house, formerly a priory: it belongs to the late Mr. Parsons’s family, and is beautified with plantations, and a large piece of water. It has two rooms, each fifty feet long, and of a proportionable breadth; but the ceilings are much too low. The house and gardens are on every side surrounded with hills, so as to render the prospect very romantic.

In this town the late celebrated Lord Shaftesbury had an house, to which he retired to seclude himself from company.It is now in the possession of a private gentleman, who has laid out and planted a small spot of ground, in so many parts, as to comprise whatever can be supposed in the most noble seats. It may properly be called a model, and is called by the inhabitants of Reygate,The world in one acre.

Rhodesyard, Bishopsgate street.†

Richard’scourt, Lime street, Leadenhall street.†

Richbellcourt, Red Lion street, Holborn.†

Richmond, a village in Surry, twelve miles from London. This is reckoned the finest village in the British dominions, and has therefore been termed theFrescatiof England. It was anciently the seat of our Monarchs, and the palace from its splendor was calledShene, which in the Saxon tongue signifies bright or shining; Here King Edward III. died of grief for the loss of his heroic son Edward the Black Prince; and here died Anne the wife of Richard II. who first taught the English women the use of the side saddle; for before her time they were used to ride astride; Richard, however, was so afflicted at her death, that it gave him such a dislike to the place where it happened, that he defaced the fine palace; but it wasrepaired and beautified afresh by King Henry V. who also founded near it three religious houses. In the year 1497, this palace was destroyed by fire, when King Henry VII. was there; but in 1501 that Prince caused it to be new built, and commanded that the village should be called Richmond; he having borne the title of Earl of Richmond, before he obtained the crown by the defeat and death of Richard III. Henry VII. died here; and here also his grand-daughter Queen Elizabeth breathed her last. On the ground where formerly stood a part of the old palace, the Earl of Cholmondeley has a seat, as has also Mr. Wray.

The present palace, which is finely situated, is a very plain edifice built by the Duke of Ormond, who received a grant of a considerable space of land about Richmond, from King William III. as a reward for his military services; but it devolved to the Crown on that Duke’s attainder, in the beginning of the reign of King George I. and this house was by his present Majesty confirmed to the late Queen Caroline, in case she became Queen Dowager of England.

His Majesty took great delight here, and made several improvements in the palace, while her Majesty amused herselfat her royal dairy house, Merlin’s cave, the Hermitage, and the other improvements which she made in the park and gardens of this delightful retreat.

Though the palace is unsuitable to the dignity of a King of England, the gardens are extremely fine, without offering a violence to nature; and Pope’s advice with respect to planting, may be considered as a very accurate description of the beauties to be found here.

To build, to plant, whatever you intend,To rear the column, or the arch to bend;To swell the terrace, or to sink the grot,In all let Nature never be forgot:Consult the genius of the place in all,That tells the waters or to rise or fall;Or helps th’ ambitious hill the heav’ns to scale,Or scoops in circling theatres the vale;Calls in the country, catches op’ning glades,Joins willing woods, and varies shades from shades;Now breaks, or now directs th’intending lines;Paints as you plant, and as you work, designs.

To build, to plant, whatever you intend,

To rear the column, or the arch to bend;

To swell the terrace, or to sink the grot,

In all let Nature never be forgot:

Consult the genius of the place in all,

That tells the waters or to rise or fall;

Or helps th’ ambitious hill the heav’ns to scale,

Or scoops in circling theatres the vale;

Calls in the country, catches op’ning glades,

Joins willing woods, and varies shades from shades;

Now breaks, or now directs th’intending lines;

Paints as you plant, and as you work, designs.

In short, almost every thing here has an agreeable wildness, and a pleasing irregularity, that cannot fail to charm all who are in love with nature, and afford a much higher and more lasting satisfaction than the stiff decorations of art, where theartist loses sight of nature which alone ought to direct his hand.

On entering these rural walks, you are conducted to the dairy, a neat but low brick building, to which there is an ascent by a flight of steps; in the front is a handsome angular pediment. The walls on the inside are covered with stucco, and the house is furnished suitably to a royal dairy, the utensils for the milk being of the most beautiful china.

Passing by the side of a canal, and thro’ a grove of trees, the temple presents itself to view, situated on a mount. It is a circular dome crowned with a ball, and supported by Tuscan columns, with a circular altar in the middle, and to this temple there is an ascent by very steep slopes.

Returning by the dairy, and crossing the gravel walk, which leads from the palace to the river, you come to a wood, which you enter by a walk terminated by the Queen’s pavilion, a neat elegant structure, wherein is seen a beautiful chimney-piece, taken from a design in the addition to Palladio, and a model of a palace intended to be built in this place.

In another part of the wood is the Duke’s summer house, which has a lofty arched entrance, and the roof rising to a point is terminated by a ball.

On leaving the wood you come to the summer house on the terrace, a light small building with very large and lofty windows, to give a better view of the country, and particularly of that noble seat called Sion house. In this edifice are two good pictures, representing the taking of Vigo by the Duke of Ormond.

Passing through a labyrinth, you see, near a pond, Merlin’s cave, a Gothic building thatched; within which are the following figures in wax, Merlin, an ancient British enchanter; the excellent and learned Queen Elizabeth, and a Queen of the Amazons; here is also a library consisting of a well chosen collection of the works of modern authors neatly bound in vellum.

On leaving this edifice, which has an antique and venerable appearance, you come to a large oval of above 500 feet in diameter, called the Forest oval, and turning from hence you have a view of the Hermitage, a grotesque building, which seems as if it had stood many hundred years, though it was built by order of her late Majesty. It has three arched doors, and the middle part which projects forward, is adorned with a kind of ruinous angular pediment; the stones of the whole edifice appear as if rudely laid together,and the venerable look of the whole is improved by the thickness of the solemn grove behind, and the little turret on the top with a bell, to which you may ascend by a winding walk. The inside is in the form of an octagon with niches, in which are the busts of the following truly great men, who by their writings were an honour not only to their country, but to human nature. The first on the right hand is the incomparable Sir Isaac Newton, and next to him the justly celebrated Mr. John Locke. The first on the left hand is Mr. Woolaston, the author of The Religion of Nature displayed; next to him is the reverend and learned Dr. Samuel Clarke, and in a kind of alcove is the truly honourable Mr. Robert Boyle.

Leaving this seat of contemplation, you pass through fields cloathed with grass; through corn fields, and a wild ground interspersed with broom and furze, which afford excellent shelter for hares and pheasants, and here there are great numbers of the latter very tame. From this pleasing variety, in which nature appears in all her forms of cultivation and barren wildness, you come to an amphitheatre formed by young elms, and a diagonal wilderness, through which you pass to the forest walk, which extends about half a mile, andthen passing through a small wilderness, you leave the gardens.

At the extremity of the garden on the north east, is another house that belonged to her Majesty, and near it the house of his late Royal Highness Frederic Prince of Wales, which is on the inside adorned with stucco. Opposite the Prince’s house is the Princess Amelia’s, built by a Dutch architect, the outside of which is painted.

To the west of the gardens are seen the fine houses of several of the nobility and gentry, particularly the Lady Buckworth’s, and Mr. Geoffrey’s, and extending the view across the Thames, there appears Isleworth.

But to return to the village of Richmond. The Green is extremely pleasant, it being levelled and enclosed in a handsome manner; it is also surrounded with lofty elms, and adorned on each side with the houses of persons of distinction. A sun dial is here affixed in a pretty taste, encompassed with seats: this, and the railing in of the Green, were at the sole charge of her late Majesty.

Among the pretty seats on this spacious Green, is a handsome edifice that formerly belonged to Sir Charles Hedges, and since to Sir Matthew Decker, in the gardens of which is said to be the longest and highesthedge of holly that was ever seen, with several other hedges of evergreens; there are here also vistas cut through woods, grottos, fountains, a fine canal, a decoy, summer house and stove houses, in which the anana, or pine-apple, was first brought to maturity in this kingdom.

On the north east side of the Green is a fine house, which belonged to the late Mr. Heydigger, and a little beyond it that of the Duke of Cumberland; passing by which, you come to a small park belonging to his Majesty, well stocked with deer, and opposite to it is the entrance into the gardens.

The town runs up the hill above a mile from the village of East Shene, to the New Park, with the royal gardens sloping all the way towards the Thames; whose tide reaches to this village, though it is sixty miles from the sea; which is a greater distance than the tide is carried by any other river in Europe.

On the ascent of the hill are wells of a purging mineral water, frequented during the summer by a great deal of good company. On the top there is a most extensive and beautiful prospect of the country, interspersed with villages and inclosures; the Thames is seen running beneath, and the landscape is improved by the manyfine seats that are scattered along its banks.

There is here an almshouse built by Dr. Duppa, Bishop of Winchester in the reign of King Charles II. for the support of ten poor widows, pursuant to a vow made by that Prelate during that Prince’s exile. There is another almshouse endowed with above 100l.a year, which, since its foundation, has been considerably increased by John Mitchell, Esq; Here are also two charity schools, one for fifty boys, and the other for fifty girls.

New Park, in Surry, is situated between Kingston and Richmond. This is one of the best parks in England; it was made in the reign of King Charles I. and inclosed with a brick wall, said to be eleven miles in compass. In this park there is a little hill cast up, called King Henry’s Mount, from which is a prospect of six counties, with a distant view of the city of London, and of Windsor Castle.

The new lodge in this park, built by the late Sir Robert Walpole Earl of Orford, is a very elegant edifice. It is built of stone in a square form, with wings on each side of brick. It stands on a rising ground, and commands a very good prospect of the park, especially of that fine piece of water which is in it, and whichmight be enlarged and brought across the vista which is in the front of the house, through a wood. This park is the largest of any within the environs of London, except that of Windsor, and the finest too; for though it has little more than a wild variety of natural beauties to shew, yet these are such as cannot fail to please those who are as much delighted with views in their rudest appearance, as in all the elegance of art and design. The Princess Amelia resides in the old lodge; the new lodge is not inhabited.

Richmondbuildings, Dean street, Soho.†

Richmond’sAlmshouse, in Goose alley, Sea coal lane, was erected by the company of Armourers, in the year 1559, pursuant to the will of Mr. John Richmond, for eight poor old men and women, who, according to the discretion of the company, receive from five to fifteen shillingsper annumeach.Maitland.

Richmondstreet, 1. Old Soho.† 2. Prince’s street, Soho.†

Rickington’scourt, Coleman street.†

Rickman’srents, Narrow street, Limehouse.†

Rickmansworth, a town in Hertfordshire, 22 miles from London, is situated in a low moorish soil on the borders of Buckinghamshire, near the river Coln.It has a market on Saturday, and is governed by a Constable and two Headboroughs. The several mills on the streams near this town cause a great quantity of wheat to be brought to it. Here is a charity school for twenty boys and ten girls, with an almshouse for five widows, and another for four. In the neighbourhood is a warren hill, where the sound of the trumpet is repeated twelve times by the echo.

Rider’scourt, 1. Little Newport street.† 2. Rider’s street.†

Rider’sstreet, St. James’s street, Westminster.†

Rider’syard, Kent street, Southwark.†

Riseby’swalk, Limehouse.†

Rising Sunalley, St. John’s street, Smithfield.*

Rising Suncourt, St. John’s street, Smithfield.*

Rising Sunpassage, Clement’s lane.*

Riversstreet, Savage Gardens; so called from the Lord Savage, Earl Rivers.

Robert’sdock, Rotherhith Wall.†

Robert’srents, Brick lane.†

Robin Hoodalley, Blackman street, Southwark.*

Robin Hoodcourt, 1. Bell alley.* 2. Bow lane, Cheapside.* 3. Grub street, Fore street* 4. Near Morgan’s lane.* 5. Shoelane.* 6. In the Strand.* 7. Thames street.* 8. Tooley street, Southwark.*

Robin Hoodlane, Poplar.*

Robin Hoodyard, 1. Charles street.* 2. Leather lane.*

Robinson’syard, Friday street, Cheapside.†

Rochesterrow, Tothill fields.

Rochesteryard, 1. Dirty lane. 2. Stony street.

Roebuckalley, Turnmill street.*

Roehampton, in Surry, is situated between Putney Heath and East Shene, and is one of the pleasantest villages near London, having many fine houses of merchants scattered about, so as not to resemble a street or regular town.

Rogers’sAlmshouse, in Hart street, near Cripplegate, was erected by the Lord Mayor and citizens of London, in the year 1612, pursuant to the will of Mr. Robert Rogers, citizen and leatherseller, for six poor men and their wives, who have an annual allowance of 4l.each couple.Maitland.

Rogues Well, Stepney fields.

Rolls Office and Chapel, in Chancery lane, a house founded by King Henry III. in the place where stood a Jew’s house forfeited to that Prince in the year 1233. In this chapel all such Jews and infidelsas were converted to the Christian faith, were ordained, and in the buildings belonging to it, were appointed a sufficient maintenance: by which means a great number of converts were baptized, instructed in the doctrines of Christianity, and lived under a learned Christian appointed to govern them: but in the year 1290, all the Jews being banished, the number of converts decreased, and in the year 1377, the house with its chapel was annexed by patent to the Keeper of the Rolls of Chancery.

The chapel, which is of brick, pebbles and some freestone, is sixty feet long, and thirty-three in breadth; the doors and windows are Gothic, and the roof covered with slate. In this chapel the rolls are kept in presses fixed to the sides, and ornamented with columns and pilasters of the Ionic and Composite orders.

These rolls contain all the records, as charters, patents, &c. since the beginning of the reign of Richard III. those before that time being deposited in the Record Office in the Tower: and these being made up in rolls of parchment gave occasion to the name.

At the north west angle of this chapel is a bench, where the Master of the Rolls hears causes in Chancery. And attendanceis daily given in this chapel from ten o’clock till twelve, for taking in and paying out money, according to order of court, and for giving an opportunity to those who come for that purpose to search the rolls.

The Minister of the chapel is appointed by the Master of the Rolls, and divine service is performed there on Sundays and holidays at about eleven and three.

On the walls are several old monuments, particularly at the East end is that of Dr. Young Master of the Rolls, who died in the year 1516. In a well wrought stone coffin lies the effigies of Dr. Young, in a scarlet gown; his hands lie across upon his breast, and a cap with corners covers his ears. On the wall just above him, our Saviour is looking down upon him, his head and shoulders appearing out of the clouds, accompanied by two angels.

The office of the Rolls is under the government of the Master of the Rolls, whose house is by the chapel, and has been lately rebuilt in a handsome manner at the public expence.

The place of Master of the Rolls is an office of great dignity, and is in the gift of the King, either for life, or during pleasure. He is always the principalMaster in Chancery, and has in his gift the offices of the Six Clerks in Chancery; of the Two Examiners of the same court, and of the Clerk of the Chapel of the Rolls, who acts immediately under him in that office. He has several revenues belonging to the office of the Rolls, and by act of Parliament receives a salary of 1200l.per annumout of the hanaper.Stowe.Maitland.Chamberlain’s Present State.

Rollsbuildings, Fetter lane; so called from their belonging to the Rolls office.

Rolls Liberty, a small district out of the government of the city. It begins at the corner of Cursitor’s alley, next to Chancery lane, taking in the south side to the Rose tavern, where it crosses into White’s alley, which it takes all in except two or three houses on each side, next to Fetter lane; and there it crosses into the Rolls garden, which it likewise takes in; and from thence running into Chancery lane, by Serjeant’s Inn, extends into Jack-a-napes lane, about the middle of which it crosses into Pope’s Head court, which it takes all in, as it does the east side of Bell yard, almost to the end next Temple Bar, except a few houses on the back side of Crown court, which is in the city liberty; and then crossing Bell yard, nearTemple Bar, runs cross the houses into Sheer lane, taking in all the east side; and again crossing over to Lincoln’s Inn New Court, runs up to the pump by the iron rails, where it crosses over into Chancery lane, and thence to the corner of Cursitor’s alley.Stowe.

Roodlane, Fenchurch street; thus named from a holy rood or cross there.

Roomlandlane, Thames street.

Ropemakersalley, Little Moorfields.

Ropemakersfield, Limehouse.

Roperlane, Crucifix lane, Barnaby street, Southwark.

Ropewalk, 1. Near Cut throat lane, Upper Shadwell. 2. Near Elm row, Sun tavern fields. 3. Goswell street. 4. St. John street, Smithfield. 5. King David’s lane. 6. Knockfergus, near Rosemary lane. 7. Near Nightingale lane. 8. Petticoat lane. 9. Rotherhith. 10. Near Shad Thames. 11. Sun tavern fields. 12. Near Whitechapel.

Rosealley, 1. Bank side, Southwark.* 2. Bishopsgate street without.* 3. East Smithfield.* 4. Fleet lane, Fleet market.* 5. Golden lane, Barbican.* 6. High Holborn.* 7. St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.* 8. Rose street, Long Acre.* 9. Saffron hill.* 10. Shoreditch.* 11. Sugarbaker’s lane, Duke’s Place.* 12.Tooley street, Southwark.* 13. Turnmill street.* 14. Widegate alley, Bishopsgate street without.*

Rose and Ballcourt, Addle hill, by Great Carter lane.*

Rose and Crownalley, near Whitechapel.*

Rose and Crowncourt, 1. Church lane.* 2. St. Catharine’s lane.* 3. Cock lane, Shoreditch.* 4. Fashion street, Artillery lane, Spitalfields.* 5. Foster lane, Cheapside.* 6. Gray’s Inn lane.* 7. Holiwell street.* 8. Houndsditch.* 9. Moorfields.* 10. Rosemary lane.* 11. Shoe lane, Fleet street.* 12. Sutton street.* 13. Whitechapel.*

Rose and Crownyard, 1. St. Giles’s street.* 2. King street, St. James’s square.* 3. Long alley, Moorfields.* 4. Rotherhith.*

Rose and Rainbowcourt, Aldersgate street.*

Rosecourt, 1. Aldermanbury.* 2. Beer lane, Tower street.* 3. Bishopsgate street.* 4. Goddard’s rents.* 5. Rochester street.* 6. Thieving lane.* 7. Tower street.* 8. Bow lane.* 9. Wheeler street.*

Roselane, 1. Spitalfields.* 2. Whitehorse street.*

Rosestreet, 1. Brick lane.* 2. Gravel lane.* 3. Hog lane, Shoreditch.* 4.Long Acre.* 5. St. Martin’s lane.* 6. Newgate street.* 7. Newport market.* 8. Spitalfields.*

Roseyard, 1. Catharine wheel alley.* 2. Newington Butts.* 3. Whitehorse street.*

Rosemary Branchalley, Rosemary lane.*

Rosemarylane, extends from the bottom of the Minories to Wellclose square, and is chiefly taken up with old cloaths shops.

Rosewell’scourt, Great White Lion street, Seven Dials.†

Rosewell’syard, Barnaby street, Southwark.†

Rotherhith, vulgarly called Rederiff, was anciently a village on the south east of London, though it is now joined to Southwark, and as it is situated along the south bank of the Thames, is chiefly inhabited by masters of ships, and other seafaring people.

RotherhithSchoolwas founded in the year 1612, by Mr. Peter Hills and Mr. Robert Bell, who endowed it with 3l.a year, for the education of eight poor seamens children.Maitland.

Rotherhithwall, Jacob street, Rotherhith.

Rotherhith Water Works, situated at the upper end of Rotherhith Wall, and the lower end of Mill street, where theengine is wrought by water from the river Thames, which being brought in by the tide is contained in the canals in the neighbouring streets. By this engine a sufficient quantity of water is raised to supply two main pipes of a six inch bore, whereby the neighbourhood is plentifully supplied with Thames water.

Rottenrow, Goswell street.

Roundcourt, 1. Black Friars. 2. Black Lion yard. 3. Blue Boar’s Head court, Barbican. 4. Butler’s alley. 5. Jewin street. 6. St. Martin’s le Grand. 7. Moses and Aaron alley, Whitechapel. 8. Old Bethlem. 9. Onslow street, Vine street, Hatton Wall. 10. Sharp’s alley, Cow Cross. 11. In the Strand.

Round Aboutalley, Wapping dock.

Round Hoopcourt, Whitecross street, Cripplegate.*

Royal Exchange, Cornhill. This edifice, which is dedicated to the service of commerce, was founded by Sir Thomas Gresham, a merchant distinguished by his abilities and great success in trade, who proposed, that if the city would prepare a proper spot, he would erect the building at his own expence. This proposal was accepted by the Lord Mayor and citizens, who purchased some houses between Cornhill and Threadneedle street,and having caused them to be pulled down and cleared away, the foundation of the new building was laid on the 7th of June 1566, and carried on with such expedition, that it was finished in November 1567.

This edifice was called the Bourse, but it soon after changed its name; for on the 23d of January 1570, Queen Elizabeth, attended by a great number of the nobility, came from Somerset house, her palace in the Strand, and passing through Threadneedle street, dined with Sir Thomas Gresham at his house in Bishopsgate street, and after dinner returning through Cornhill, entered the Bourse on the south side, where having viewed every part except the vaults, especially the gallery above stairs, which extended round the whole building, and was furnished with shops, in which were sold all sorts of the finest wares in the city, her Majesty caused this edifice to be proclaimed in her presence, by a herald and trumpet,The Royal Exchange.

Sir Thomas Gresham, at his death, left the building to his Lady, and after her decease to the Lord Mayor and citizens, and to the Mercers company, directing the rents to support, under their inspection, lectures on the sciences, at his dwellinghouse, now Gresham College, and some charities to the prisons.

The original building stood till the fire of London in 1666, when it perished amidst the general havoc: but it soon arose with greater splendor than before. The model of the present structure was first shewn to King Charles II. who was well pleased with it, it was however debated whether they should build after that model or not; for fear of launching out into too great an expence: but the majority desiring to have it a magnificent structure, and imagining, that the shops above and below stairs would in time reimburse them, had the present edifice erected at the expence of 80,000l.

The ground plat of this building is 203 feet in length; 171 feet in breadth, and the area in the middle is 61 square perches. This area is surrounded with a substantial and regular stone building, wrought in rustic. In each of the principal fronts is a piazza, and in the center are the grand entrances into the area, under an arch which is extremely lofty and noble; on each side that of the principal front which is in Cornhill, are Corinthian demi-columns supporting a compass pediment; and in the intercolumniation on each side, in the front nextthe street, is a niche with the figures of King Charles I. and his son Charles II. in Roman habits, and well executed. Over the aperture on the cornice between the two pediments are the King’s arms in relievo. On each side of this entrance is a range of windows placed between demi-columns and pilasters of the Composite order, above which runs a balustrade. The height of the building is fifty-six feet, and from the center of this side rises a lantern and turret, 178 feet high, on the top of which is a fane in the form of a grasshopper of polished brass, esteemed a very fine piece of workmanship: a grasshopper being the crest of Sir Thomas Gresham’s arms.

The north front of the Royal Exchange is adorned with pilasters of the Composite order, but has neither columns nor statues on the outside, and instead of the two compass pediments has a triangular one.

Within the piazzas of these two fronts are two spacious stair cases with iron rails, and black marble steps; these lead into a kind of gallery that extends round the four sides of the building, and in which were about two hundred shops, that have been let from 20l.to 60l.a year each; and a very considerable trade wascarried on here; but it has long declined, and all the shops are deserted.

One side of this gallery is employed as auction rooms for furniture, and in other apartments above stairs are the Royal Exchange Assurance office, &c. and in the vaults are the pepper warehouse of the East India company.

The inside of the area is surrounded with piazzas like those of the south and north fronts; forming ambulatories for the merchants to shelter themselves from the weather. Above the arches of these piazzas is an entablature with curious enrichments; and on the cornice a range of pilasters with an entablature extending round, and a compass pediment in the middle of the cornice of each of the four sides. Under that on the north are the King’s arms; on the south those of the city; on the east those of Sir Thomas Gresham; and under the pediment on the west side the arms of the company of Mercers, with their respective enrichments.

In these intercolumns are twenty-four niches, nineteen of which are filled with the statues of the Kings and Queens of England, standing erect, drafted in their robes and with their regalia, except the statues of Charles II. and George II. which are dressed like the Cæsars.

These statues are, on the south side; Edward I. Edward III. Henry V. Henry VI. On the west side, Edward IV. Edward V. with the crown hanging over his head; Henry VII. and Henry VIII. On the north side, Edward VI. Mary, Elizabeth, James I. Charles I. Charles II. and James II. And on the east side are William and Mary in one niche, Queen Anne, George I. and George II. All these statues were painted and gilt, by a voluntary subscription, in the year 1754.

The four niches that are vacant, are those where Edward II. Richard II. Henry IV. and Richard III. should have been: upon which Maitland says, that hence it seems that the city had no mind to shew any respect to the said Kings, two of whom took away their charters, and the other two were usurpers. But why Henry IV. should be excluded as an usurper, and his brave son Henry V. and Henry VI. be placed there, who only enjoyed the crown in consequence of his usurpation, is not easily accounted for. Richard III. was indeed a monster of cruelty: but Mary was no less cruel, and yet a statue is here erected to her honour. Though Edward II. and Richard II. took away the charter of the city, King Charles II. did so too, and yet has three statues atthe Royal Exchange; and his brother James II. who has also a statue, followed his brother’s steps, and not only humbled the city, but caused an Alderman to be hanged at his own door, without being allowed on his trial the time necessary to send for his witnesses.

Under the piazzas within the Exchange are twenty-eight niches, all vacant except two; one in the north west angle, where is the statue of Sir Thomas Gresham, and another at the south west, of Sir John Barnard, who is perhaps the only citizen of London, that has had the honour of having his statue erected in his life-time merely on account of his merit.

In short, in the center of the area is erected, on a marble pedestal about eight feet high, another statue of King Charles II. in a Roman habit, executed by Mr. Gibbon, and encompassed with iron rails. On the south side of the pedestal, under an imperial crown, a scepter, sword, palm branches, and other decorations, is the following inscription:

Back to Index Next