Our flat is ideally placed to see planes as they cross London towards Buckingham Palace. Here are images from this year’s display.
Four Chinooks in a box formation …
A World War Two Lancaster bomber …
An A 400 Airbus …
One Voyager and two Typhoons …
One P8 …
Four Typhoons …
And finally, of course, The Red Arrows …
‘Goodbye’ …
You can read more about the flypast and see more images here.
I was delighted to see that there is a new exhibition at the Guildhall Heritage Gallery dedicated to the City Bridge Foundation, a historic charity whose origins date back to the twelfth century …
Originally known as Bridge House Estates, a name which reflected the use of the term ‘Bridge House’ for the administrative headquarters on Tooley Street, Southwark. These were the offices, gardens and warehouses which were used to keep the huge quantities of supplies needed to maintain the first stone London Bridge. The charity acquired funds for its work from bequests by pious Londoners, gifts of land and property as well as from rental income from the houses that were built on London Bridge.
Today the charity is responsible for the upkeep of not only London Bridge but also Blackfriars Bridge, Southwark Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Millennium Bridge. Since 1995 they have also invested income into charitable causes across London.
The management of land and estates was formalised by a charter of 1319 which declared that ‘custody of the London Bridge and the rents and profits belonging thereto, were committed to be kept by two honest and sufficient men of the City’. These men would seal any deeds or agreements with the seal of the Bridge House, seen here in its third form …
This seal was only in use between 1542 and 1592. In 1592 the City Lands and Bridge House Estates Committee was established to manage the land, property and the revenue from rentals and tolls from the bridge; thereafter the Bridgemasters used the Common Seal of the City.
There is a fantastic model of the old London Bridge, with its houses, on display at St Magnus the Martyr Church on Lower Thames Street (EC3R 6DN) …
You can read more about it here in the excellent Look up London blog. And click here for a very interesting interactive exploration of the old bridge based on a painting by Claude de Jonge – highly recommended.
The Bridgemasters kept meticulous accounts and the volume on display is particularly ornate and includes the accounts from 1484 to 1509. It was compiled by John Normanvyle, Clerk of the Works of Bridge House Estates – obviously a man with artistic flair …
On display is a small document granting a shop to the Bridge House Estates in circa 1215 by a lady called Alice …
Attached is the seal of Alice which depicts a lady wearing a long flowing dress and mantle along with a bird …
I have tried very hard to find out more about her but have not been successful.
Also to be seen are trade cards from individuals who were amongst the last tenants of houses situated on London Bridge. They were demolished in the 1760s in order to widen the road …
You can view a pen and wash map on parchment surveyed and made by William Leybourn …
This highly decorative item is notable not only for its clear depiction of an area known as Battle Bridge Mills (Southwark) but also for the drawing of the ‘Bridge House’ mark. This is believed to be the first depiction of the mark in its modern form.
You’ll see the Mark being deployed on a plan of St. George’s Fields where it is used to show which plots of land in the area were property of the Bridge House …
In close up …
I love the field names ‘Little Clanger’ and ‘Greate Clanger’ …
On 1 June 2023 the charity obtained a supplemental Royal Charter. This is the fourth charter granted to the charity and will allow for the modernisation of the charity’s governance as well as enabling them to maximise the impact of the funds it manages …
This charter is decorated with images of the five city bridges and was signed by King Charles III. However, as the charter was granted to the charity by Queen Elizabeth II, it is her image which is depicted on the seal
It’s always a pleasure to visit the Guildhall Gallery. Remember that the beautiful Evelyn De Morgan exhibition is still on and admission is ‘Pay What You Can’. You can pay as much or as little as you like for your ticket or visit for free.
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