Westminster, had its name from its abbey or minster situated to the westward of the city of London; which according to several modern historians was thus denominated to distinguish it from the Abbey of Grace on Tower Hill, called Eastminster: but Maitland proves this to be a mistake, by shewing that the former is called Westminster in a charter of sanctuary granted by Edward the Confessor in the year 1066, and that the latter was not founded till 1359; he therefore supposes that the appellation of Westminster was given to distinguish it from St. Paul’s church in the city of London. In early times, this noble part of the great metropolis of the kingdom, was a little, mean, unhealthy place, with nothing worthy of notice but its minster or abbey, situated in a marshy island, surrounded on one side by the Thames, and on the others by what was called Long ditch; a branch of the river which began near the east end of the place, where Manchester court is now situated, intersected King street, and running along where Gardener’s lane now is, to the place called from thence Long ditch, crossed Tothill street, a little to the west of the Gatehouse, and continued its course along the south wall of the abbey garden, where a common sewer is erected over it. The island thus formed was in a manner a waste over grown with thorns and briars, and was thence called Thorny Island.
In this situation was the abbey, minster, or monastery founded; for the convenience of which a few houses were probably first erected, and these at length grew into a small town, in ancient books called the town of Westminster.
It was thus for many ages a place entirely distinct from London, and there was a large space between them. The Strand was the road which led from London to that town, and it was open on either side to the Thames and to the fields. In 1385 we find that this road was paved as far as the Savoy; and many years after Sir Robert Cecil building a house at Ivy bridge, his interest brought the pavement of the road to be extended thither; and many of the houses of the nobility were erected in the Strand.
Westminster owed its most distinguished privileges to Henry VIII. for in the 37th year of his reign an act was passed to authorize him by either letters patent or proclamation, to make it an honour, a title of distinction which he was impowered by the same act to confer upon Kingston upon Hull, St. Osyth’s in Essex, and Donnington in Berkshire; and after the dissolution of the monastery, he converted it into a bishoprick, in the year 1541, with a dean and twelve prebendaries, and appointed the whole county of Middlesex, except Fulham, which was still to belong to the bishoprick of London, as its diocese. Upon this occasion Westminster became a city, for the making of which, according to the Lord Chief Justice Coke, nothing more is required than the appellation of a bishop’s see. It had many years before been the seat of the royal palace, the high court of parliament, and of our law tribunals; most of our Sovereigns had been crowned, and had their sepulchres in the abbey church, and the ancient palace, being almost destroyed by fire, the last mentioned Prince had here his palace of Whitehall, which he purchased of Cardinal Wolsey. He also built the palace of St. James’s, inclosed a fine spot of ground which he converted into a park, for the accommodation of both palaces, and this was no sooner finished, than he erected the stately gate lately near the banquetting house, and added to it a magnificent gallery for the accommodation of the royal family, the nobility and gentry, to sit in, in order to see the justings and other military exercises in the tilt yard; and soon after the same Prince erected, contiguous to the said gate, a tennis-court, cock-pit, and places for bowling.
From that time the buildings about Westminster began to extend on every side; though it did not long enjoy the honour of being a city, and even the palace was some time after burnt; for it never had but one bishop, and he being translated to the see of Norwich, by Edward VI. in 1550, the new bishoprick was dissolved by that Prince; and its right to the epithet of city was thereby lost, though by public complaisance it has retained that name ever since: but yet Westminster had not any arms till the year 1601. For a more particular account of the antiquities of Westminster, see the articles Abbey, Westminster Hall, Whitehall, &c.
The city of Westminster at present consists but of two parishes, St. Margaret’s and St. John the Evangelist; but the liberties contain seven parishes, which are as follow: St. Martin’s in the fields, St. James’s, St. Anne’s, St. Paul’s Covent Garden, St. Mary le Strand, St. Clement’s Danes, and St. George’s Hanover square; and the precinct of the Savoy. Each of the above parishes is of such a prodigious extent, considering the number of houses they contain; that it would be impossible for one tenth part of the inhabitants to attend divine worship at one and the same time, there are therefore many chapels of ease for the convenience of those who could not be so well accommodated in their parish churches.
The government of both the city and liberties are under the jurisdiction of the dean and chapter of Westminster, in civil as well as ecclesiastical affairs, and their authority also extends to the precinct of St. Martin’s le Grand, by Newgate street, and in some towns of Essex, that are exempted from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, and the Archbishopric of Canterbury: but the management of the civil part has ever since the reformation been in the hands of laymen, elected from time to time, and confirmed by the dean and chapter.
Of these magistrates, the principal is the High Steward, who is usually one of the prime nobility: this great officer is chosen by the dean and chapter; his post is not unlike that of chancellor of an University, and he holds it during life: but upon his death or resignation, a chapter is called for the election of another, in which the dean sits as high steward, till the election be over.
The next great officer is the Deputy Steward, who is chosen by the high steward, and confirmed by the dean and chapter. This officer, who also holds his post during life, supplies the place of a sheriff, for he keeps the court leet, with the other magistrates, and is always chairman at the quarter sessions.
The High Bailiff, who is the next in rank, is nominated by the dean, and confirmed by the high steward. He likewise holds his office for life, and has the chief management in the election of members of parliament for Westminster, and all the other bailiffs are subordinate to him. He summons juries, and in the court leet sits next to the deputy steward. To him all fines, forfeitures and strays belong, which renders his place very beneficial; but it is commonly executed by a deputy well versed in the laws.