Liberties of the Tower of London
Encyclopedia
The Liberties of the Tower, or the Tower Liberty was an area adjoining the Tower of London
, which was outside the jurisdiction of either the City of London
or the County of Middlesex
.
The liberty
originally consisted of the area inside the walls of the Tower and immediately outside it, including Tower Hill
. The limits were set out in the sixteenth century.
In 1686 letters patent
granted by James II
added three further areas to the Liberties:
These extraparochial areas had come into the possession of the crown when the religious houses that formerly administered them were dissolved
. They had subsequently been used for the storing of ordnance.
The liberties had an administration separate from the neighbouring county and city, headed by the Constable of the Tower of London, and appointed their own coroner, and had their own courthouse with general and quarter sessions
and gaol. A force of constables was appointed for the area. The inhabitants had certain other privileges such as being able to claim any beast that fell from, and any swans under London Bridge
.
From 1855 the area was administered by the Whitechapel District Board of Works, and it became part of the County of London
in 1889. The liberty was abolished on 25 June 1894 following a petition by the justices of the peace of the County of London under the Liberties Act 1850
The area of the former liberty was included in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney
in 1900. It now forms part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
.
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, which was outside the jurisdiction of either 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...
or the County of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.
The liberty
Liberty (division)
Originating in the Middle Ages, a liberty was traditionally defined as an area in which regalian rights were revoked and where land was held by a mesne lord...
originally consisted of the area inside the walls of the Tower and immediately outside it, including Tower Hill
Tower Hill
Tower Hill is an elevated spot northwest of the Tower of London, just outside the limits of the City of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Formerly it was part of the Tower Liberty under the direct administrative control of Tower...
. The limits were set out in the sixteenth century.
In 1686 letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
granted by James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
added three further areas to the Liberties:
- The Old Artillery GroundOld Artillery GroundThe Old Artillery Ground is an area of land in Spitalfields, London formerly designated one of the Liberties of the Tower of London and Crown Land....
- Little MinoriesMinoriesThe Minories is the name of both an area and street in the City of London close to the Tower of London. The street called Minories runs north-south between Aldgate and Tower Hill underground stations...
- The liberty of Well CloseWellclose SquareWellclose Square lies in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, between Cable Street to the north and The Highway to the south.The western edge, now called Ensign Street, was previously called Well Street. The southern edge was called Neptune street. On the north side is Graces Alley, home to...
These extraparochial areas had come into the possession of the crown when the religious houses that formerly administered them were dissolved
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. They had subsequently been used for the storing of ordnance.
The liberties had an administration separate from the neighbouring county and city, headed by the Constable of the Tower of London, and appointed their own coroner, and had their own courthouse with general and quarter sessions
Quarter Sessions
The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the United Kingdom and other countries in the former British Empire...
and gaol. A force of constables was appointed for the area. The inhabitants had certain other privileges such as being able to claim any beast that fell from, and any swans under 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...
.
From 1855 the area was administered by the Whitechapel District Board of Works, and it became part of the County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
in 1889. The liberty was abolished on 25 June 1894 following a petition by the justices of the peace of the County of London under the Liberties Act 1850
Liberties Act 1850
The Liberties Act 1850 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that provided a mechanism to enable the various liberties or independent jurisdictions in England and Wales to be merged into the geographical counties in which they lay.-Background:Throughout England and Wales there were...
The area of the former liberty was included in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney
Metropolitan Borough of Stepney
The Metropolitan Borough of Stepney was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London created in 1900. In 1965 it became part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.-Boundaries:...
in 1900. It now forms part of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
.
External links
- Map of the Tower Liberties, 1720
- Tower Liberties East of London Family History Society