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BILLINGSGATE

To the lover of our City there are few districts more interesting than that of Billingsgate, the great London fish-market, which from early times has been the headquarters of an important and picturesque industry, and is noted alike for the pungency of its smells and the strength of its language. Gate in this connection implies a landing-stage or water-gate, and hard by is Botolph Wharf, marking, as some believe, the Middlesex end of a bridge earlier than that of the undoubtedly Roman structure preceding old London Bridge.

The Church of St. Botolph, Billingsgate, which stood on the south side of Thames Street near the end of Botolph Lane, was destroyed in the Great Fire and not rebuilt, the parish being united with that of St. George, Botolph Lane. The shred of disused burial ground belonging to it is on the north side of Thames street, and was known as the "upper ground"; the site of the "lower ground" is covered by a warehouse. Stow describes St. Botolph's as a "proper church," and it seems that in 1656 John Wardall left a rent-charge of £4 a year for a lantern which was to be affixed to it " for the lighting of passengers all night long, to and from the waterside, from the feast day of St. Bartholomew to Lady Day." It is worthy of note that no fewer than four London churches were dedicated in honour of the Saxon Saint who gave his name to Boston in Lincolnshire. All the others were near city gates and without the walls. St. Botolph seems to have been especially popular in the

eastern counties, and was regarded as the patron saint of travellers and seafaring folk, who when they started or returned from a voyage or journey might conveniently pray at a church so placed. Some hold him also to have protected beggars, who might naturally have congregated near the gates of a city.

The wayfarer proceeding up Botolph Lane in the direction of Eastcheap will find on his right, at number 32, a gateway leading to a rather spacious courtyard, where on each side are old-fashioned buildings occupied, I think, by fruit merchants, who abound in this neighbourhood. To the east until 1906 stood the stately brick mansion depicted by Mr. Fletcher, which was latterly used as a ward school, its back entrance being in Love Lane. The part facing the courtyard was plain, but had that quality of fine proportion in which modern architects so often fail. The doorway was approached by a double flight of steps; beneath them an opening had been left: originally a dog kennel to judge from the little hollow for water scooped out in front. Entering a hall which extended right through the house and was paved with alternate chequers of black and white marble, one came upon the chief staircase, dating from 1670, which also forms the subject of an illustration. Upstairs the house had been mutilated, the greater part of the landings on the first and second floors being included in the schoolrooms, but a marble chimneypiece, fine cornices, and other decorative work evinced the taste of former possessors. Perhaps the most interesting room was that immediately to the left of the main entrance. It was panelled throughout, and painted from ceiling to floor with strange designs, among which one could dimly discern the figures of Indians, a rhinoceros, antelopes, palm trees, and other signs of tropical life as it presented itself to the imagination or memory of the artist. According to some