48-554: Finsbury Circus is a park in the Coleman Street Ward of the City of London , England . The 2 acre park is the largest public open space within the City's boundaries. It is not to be confused with Finsbury Square , just north of the City, or Finsbury Park , a few miles away. The circus was created in 1812 on the site of the former Lower Moorfields , an area which was originally part of
96-577: A circuit of lime trees , were developed by William Montague to the specifications of the architect George Dance the Younger in 1815. In 1819 the London Institution moved into "ingeniously planned and elegantly detailed" premises designed by William Brooks at the north end of the circus; it closed in 1912 and the buildings were used for the University of London until their demolition in 1936. Fronting onto
144-609: A one-storey garden pavilion constructed from natural materials. Coleman Street Ward Coleman Street is one of the 25 ancient wards of the City of London , England, and lies on the City's northern boundary with the London Borough of Islington . The ward, which includes land lying on either side of the former city wall , takes its name from a road linking Gresham Street with the London Wall road. Modern ward boundary changes, particularly those of 2003, have much altered
192-469: A private space for the use of the freeholders or lease-holders of the surrounding buildings, who objected to their compulsory purchase , fearing that their use by the public would create a nuisance which would lower the value of their property. The campaign to make them a public space was led by Alpheus Morton , deputy-Alderman for Farringdon Without and a member of the Corporations' Streets Committee, and
240-722: A railway station; public protests averted the loss, but in 1869 the oval was tunnelled for the Metropolitan Railway . From 2010 to 2020 the central section of the gardens were taken up for the construction of the Liverpool Street Crossrail station. This included the excavation of a 16m diameter, 42m depth shaft to allow the construction of the platform tunnels beneath. The project was due to be completed in September 2018, but due to mismanagement it missed that deadline, going over budget by £896,700 as of April 2019. The work
288-454: A significant reform of the business vote in the city, all the wards underwent a major boundary and electoral representation revision in 2003. The ward boundaries, and electoral representation at the Court of Common Council, were reviewed again in 2010 for change in 2013, though the change was less extensive this time. The reviews were conducted by senior officers of the corporation and senior judges of
336-527: Is Moorgate , 150 metres to the west, with Liverpool Street Station about 350 metres to the east. Finsbury Circus has been used as the finish point for the Miglia Quadrato each year. In recent years it has also played host to the start of the Miglia Quadrato since the event start was removed from Smithfield Market . During the years 1860–65 Finsbury Circus was threatened with demolition in favour of
384-522: Is also a 'United Wards Club' which was formed before many of the others as a joint association and is now additional to them. In recent times the ward clerk is a permanent position held by an official at the corporation, and based at the Guildhall , though wards can appoint (usually at the wardmote) an honorary ward clerk in addition. The ward clerk is a separate office to that of the Town Clerk of London , who
432-587: Is one of 25 wards in the City of London, each electing an alderman to the Court of Aldermen and commoners (the City equivalent of a councillor ) to the Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation . Only electors who are Freemen of the City are eligible to stand. The Alderman is Peter Estlin and the Common Councilmen are Michael Cassidy, Sophie Fernandes, Stuart Fraser and Andrew McMurtrie. Warren Stormes Hale , Lord Mayor of London in 1864,
480-486: Is the chief executive of the corporation. Particular churches, livery halls and other historic buildings, structures and institutions are associated with specific wards, such as St Paul's Cathedral with Castle Baynard ward , Vintners' Hall with Vintry ward , the insurance markets (especially Lloyd's ) with Lime Street ward, and London Bridge with Bridge ward. Boundary changes in 2003 removed some of these connected places from their wards, but that boundary review and
528-509: The London boroughs in 1978. Wards continue to have beadles , with most having just one, but the larger wards two or three. This is an ancient elected office that is now largely ceremonial, in that they accompany their alderman on the eight high ceremonial occasions in the city's civic calendar and in attending to call to order the wardmote , an annual meeting in each ward of electors, representatives and officials. These should not be confused with
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#1732845482736576-569: The Manor of Finsbury , a manor which had existed since the 12th century, on which the second Bethlem Royal Hospital had stood since 1675. The "circus" of the name reflects the elliptical shape of the space, similar to the circus venues of ancient Rome , in this case with a long axis lying west-east. The original houses, the last of which were demolished in 1921, were intended for merchants and gentlemen, but were soon broken up internally and leased for solicitors and other professions. The gardens, featuring
624-601: The Old Bailey . The wards are not reviewed by the Electoral Commission or a local government boundary commission under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 and (unlike other local government electoral reviews) the number and the names of the wards do not change. The final decision on changes to ward boundaries and representation was made by the Court of Common Council and an Act of Common Council
672-484: The 11th century, before the Norman conquest of England . Their administrative, judicial and militia purposes made them equivalent to hundreds in the shires. The primary purpose of wards that had a gate on the city wall appears to be the defence of that gate, as gates were the weakest points in any fortification. In 1322 it was settled that an assembly consisting of two people elected from each ward would create ordinances for
720-465: The 2003 boundary changes reinforced this. The majority of City residents are in the Barbican Estate which is split between Aldersgate and Cripplegate wards. There are a minimum of two common councilmen per ward and three specific wards have their number of councilmen capped: Farringdon Without at ten, Cripplegate at nine and Farringdon Within at eight. With boundary changes as well as changes in
768-518: The alderman of their ward during and after their term of office, though there is a period of purdah whilst in (and for a period after) office, and during this period their appointed deputy will usually take their role within the ward. The City of London is the only remaining local authority in Great Britain to have (non-honorary) aldermen, since their general abolition in England and Wales in 1974 and
816-481: The area. It appears that the area outside, the once very marshy Lower and Little Moorfields (now mostly occupied by Finsbury Circus and the surrounding buildings), previously part of the Soke of Cripplegate and then the Manor of Finsbury , was added in the 17th century, though it was not developed until 1817. The Walbrook , known at this point as Deepditch and running on the line of modern Blomfield Street , formed
864-481: The beadles of the livery companies of the city, who are employees of them. The ward's alderman presides over the wardmote and appoints one of the common councillors of the ward as a deputy (in some wards two are appointed) for the year ahead. Wardmotes at which an alderman is to be elected are presided over by the Lord Mayor. There are also ward clubs , which are similar to residents' associations found elsewhere in
912-486: The business vote) in the ward. Only electors who are freemen are eligible to stand. Instead of a conventional electoral register , each ward has a ward list. All common councilmen are elected every four years in one set of elections held citywide. A by-election in a particular ward can occur between scheduled elections if a vacancy arises, for example, by the resignation or death of a councilman. The elections of aldermen are held individually from one another and arise if
960-534: The bustle of business, the ward also contains the City’s "finest oasis of calm", Finsbury Circus , an elliptical square with its own bowling club, is located within the ward, as is Moorgate station . Wards of the City of London The City of London (also known simply as "the City") is divided into 25 wards . The city is the historic core of the much wider metropolis of Greater London , with an ancient and sui generis form of local government , which avoided
1008-630: The circus became known with the Corporation as "Morton's Park". Fronting the northwest quadrant of the oval, with fronts on roads entering the Circus from the west stands Edwin Lutyens 's massive Britannic House (1921–25, listed Grade II), designed for the Anglo-Persian Oil Company , which became BP ; its free-standing architectural sculptures are by Francis Derwent Wood . It was built on the site of
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#17328454827361056-421: The circus from the 1820s was the substantial South Place Unitarian Chapel, erected under the leadership of William Johnson Fox ; this evolved into Conway Hall Ethical Society . The circus was opened as a public park in the early 20th century, under powers granted to the City of London Corporation in the City of London (Various Powers) Act 1900 ( 63 & 64 Vict. c. ccxxviii). The gardens had previously been
1104-408: The city. The number of Commoners each ward returns to the Court of Common Council is given (for both before and after the 2013 election); being largely based on the size of the electorate, this gives some indication as to the present number of residents (with respect to the four residential wards) and the scale of business activity. (A † symbol is shown where the representation has been capped despite
1152-451: The country, but because these have membership open to those without an electoral qualification in the ward they have essentially become social clubs as part of the city's general civic social life along with the guilds, associations and liveries. There are twenty-two of these (Farringdon has always been an association of both wards of that name and Vintry and Dowgate the result of merger of the two clubs of each ward in 1957). Confusingly, there
1200-465: The current review do take into account of these historic/traditional connections. The City of London Police use the wards in their day-to-day neighbourhood policing, as well as in recording crime and other statistics, with each ward having a constable assigned, known as the Ward Constable, with the larger wards having Assistant Ward Constables in addition. The wards appear to have taken shape by
1248-569: The eastern boundary of Lower Moorfields and the line continues to form the eastern boundary of the part of the ward lying north of the former wall, with the extra-mural ward of Bishopsgate Without lying east of the brook, and the road which now covers it. This section of the Walbrook, around Blomfield Street, was the focus of the phenomena of the Walbrook Skulls , resulting from the immense quantities of Roman-era human heads that were deposited in
1296-490: The electorate, the elections in 2013 and 2017 elected a revised number of common councilmen in a number of wards. The present and altered representation is shown in the main ward summary table below; the total number of common councilmen (one hundred) will not change. The cap on Farringdon Without is maintained; the wards of Farringdon Within and Castle Baynard each have eight councilmen by normal allocation. Some wards were, or are, divided into two divisions (these are given in
1344-407: The extent of city wards, so that many no longer closely correlate to their historic areas. Coleman Street is a very busy ward, it has its own long established ward club and newsletter. The ward takes its name from Coleman Street, which took its name from the charcoal burners who occupied the area in medieval times. The first mention of the ward appears to have been in 1130, but at that time it
1392-480: The king's failed attempt to arrest them, five MPs , Pym , Hampden , Haselrig , Strode and Holles , hid on Coleman Street utilising the support for parliament that tended to be afforded by sympathisers in the City of London. At the northern end of the street stands the livery hall of the Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers , and the pineapple-shaped headquarters of Legal & General . Despite
1440-425: The last remaining original houses, and is now home to international law firm Stephenson Harwood . Until renovation of the park in 2024, it had a Lawn Bowls club in the centre, which had existed in the gardens since 1925. A bandstand , built in 1955, was located nearby. The gardens are closed to the public from Monday 20th November 2023 until late 2024, for renovation work to take place. The nearest Tube station
1488-463: The main ward list of this article) and where this happens a Deputy is appointed by the Alderman for each division, instead of the one for the whole ward. Additionally, all wards were further divided into precincts. The numbers and names of these precincts changed gradually over the centuries; precincts were named in various manners across the city's wards. In some wards they were named after localities or
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1536-410: The many local government reforms elsewhere in the country in the 19th and 20th centuries. Unlike other modern English local authorities, the City of London Corporation has two council bodies: the now largely ceremonial Court of Aldermen , and the Court of Common Council . The wards are a survival of the medieval governmental system that allowed very small areas to exist as self-governing units within
1584-484: The modern era put themselves up for re-election at least every six years. They also now customarily retire at 70, the same retirement age as a justice of the peace . Each ward (irrespective of its size) returns one alderman to the Court of Aldermen. One of the aldermen is elected (by the senior liverymen ) as Lord Mayor of London for a period of one year. The Lord Mayor performs many functions and holds many ancient positions and privileges. The Lord Mayor continues to be
1632-415: The number of precincts grew over time, the number of councilmen elected therefore also increased. The precincts have now been abolished. The wards are ancient and their number has only changed three times since their creation in time immemorial . Their number was stated as 24 in the year 1206. In 1394 Farringdon was divided into Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without. In 1550 the ward of Bridge Without
1680-578: The numbers of precincts for each division in two further wards: Dowgate (4 West and 4 East), and Langbourn (7 West and 5 East). This made a total of 220 precincts in 1715. Each precinct elected a Common Councilman. In 1831 there were a total of 236 Common Councilmen (including Deputies, some of whom were elected in their wards in addition to the Councilmen elected by precincts). The ward of Bridge Without had no precincts and did not elect any Common Councilmen throughout its history. Precincts no longer exist in
1728-887: The numerous parishes (on which many precincts were based), in other wards they were simply given numbers. In those wards which were divided into divisions, the precincts were allocated to one division or another. As of around 1800, the numbers of precincts in each ward (and for each division in brackets) were: Aldersgate 8 (4 Within and 4 Without), Aldgate 7, Bassishaw 2, Billingsgate 12, Bishopsgate 9 (5 Within and 4 Without), Bread Street 13, Bridge Within 14, Broad Street 10, Candlewick 7, Castle Baynard 10, Cheap 9, Coleman Street 6, Cordwainer 8, Cornhill 4, Cripplegate 13 (9 Within and 4 Without), Dowgate 8, Farringdon Within 17, Farringdon Without 16, Langbourn 12, Lime Street 4, Portsoken 5, Queenhithe 6, Tower 12, Vintry 9, and Walbrook 7. This amounted to 228 precincts, making each precinct on average around 3 acres (1.2 ha) in size. The City of London
1776-445: The river. These are still regularly uncovered during building work. Coleman Street borders six other wards and occupies an irregular shape of land bounded to the north by Chiswell Street and Eldon Street; to the east by Blomfield Street, Copthall Avenue and a section of Moorgate ; to the south by Lothbury and Gresham Street; and to the west by Basinghall Street , Coleman Street itself, Moor Lane and Silk Street . Coleman Street
1824-421: The sitting alderman dies, resigns or (after the six-year term) puts themselves up for re-election. Since the 2003 review (and confirmed by the 2013 review process ) the four residential wards elect twenty of the hundred common councilmen, and the remaining, "business-dominated" wards elect the remaining eighty councilmen. The four residential wards are Portsoken , Queenhithe , Aldersgate and Cripplegate , and
1872-419: The terms "intramural" and "extramural" had the same meaning. Changes were made in 1994 to the City of London's external boundary with several London boroughs , which meant consequential changes to boundaries of several wards, where areas were transferred either to or from the city – the wards affected were: Farringdon Without, Cripplegate, Coleman Street, Bishopsgate, Aldgate, Portsoken, and Tower. Following
1920-523: The whole city; in 1346 the number of representatives from each ward was formally linked to the size of the ward. The Common Council as we know it today, as a representative body of the wards, was realised in 1384 when the city's guilds no longer elected members. The number of members of the Common Council grew to 240 by the mid-nineteenth century, but is today fixed at 100. Each ward was divided into precincts, each of which elected one common councilman. As
1968-452: The wider city. They are both electoral/political sub-divisions and permanent ceremonial, geographic and administrative entities within the city. They had their boundaries changed in 2003, and to a lesser extent in 2013, though the number of wards and their names did not change. Each ward, or aldermanry , has its own alderman , who is the most senior official or representative in the ward. The aldermen traditionally held office for life but in
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2016-500: Was very densely populated until the mid-19th century, giving each precinct in the region of 500 residents on average. A record of the wards, their divisions and precincts (including the names of the precincts) in 1715 give the following differences from the above figures: Aldersgate Within 5, Billingsgate 6, Broad Street 8 (4 Upper and 4 Lower), Castle Baynard 7 (4 First and 3 Second), Farringdon Without 15 (Fleet Street Side 8 and Holborn Side 7), and Queenhithe 9. This record also states
2064-456: Was beyond the gates on London Bridge ). Some wards—Aldersgate, Bishopsgate and Cripplegate—cover an area that was both within and without the Wall and, although not split into separate wards, often the part (or division ) within the Wall is denoted (on maps, in documents, etc.) as being "Within" and the part outside the Wall as being "Without". Archaically "Infra" (within) and "Extra" (without) and
2112-457: Was common practice to use the name of the ward Alderman to refer to the ward. In the 1130 survey, Coleman Street Ward is thought to correspond to Warda Haconis . The ward contains areas both outside and inside the line of the City's former defensive walls . There was no local gate through the wall until Moorgate , previously a small postern, was built in 1511. Abraham Cowley 's 1661 Restoration comedy The Cutter of Coleman Street refers to
2160-493: Was created south of the river , with the ward of Bridge becoming Bridge Within. These two wards were merged in 1978, into the present-day Bridge ward. Thus the number of wards was 24 prior to 1394, 25 from 1394 to 1550, then 26 from 1550 to 1978, and has been 25 since 1978. The words "Without" and "Within" indicate whether the ward fell outside or within the London Wall , though only Farringdon and (formerly) Bridge have been split into separate wards in this way (Bridge Without
2208-567: Was finally completed in 2020. In July 2020, the City of London Corporation announced the park would reopen to the public in August 2020, after a call in June for design proposals to transform the gardens into a sustainable multipurpose space. The winner of the design competition was announced in October 2020 as Architecture00 + Studio Weave, with Realm (previously called ReardonSmith Landscape), whose plan includes
2256-458: Was passed on 4 November 2010 to give effect to the changes from 8 March 2013. Under the current arrangements, each ward is an electoral district , electing one alderman to the Court of Aldermen , and between two and ten common councilmen (the city's equivalent of a councillor ) to the Court of Common Council . The number of common councilmen elected by a ward depends inter alia on the number of electors (which comprises both of residents and
2304-466: Was the ward's most notable civic dignitary. Coleman Street is a one-way road that runs from Gresham Street to London Wall . The church of St Stephen Coleman Street used to stand at the southern end of the street, on the western side, until it was completely destroyed in the Blitz and was not rebuilt. In the 17th century, St. Stephen's became a Puritan stronghold. On the night of 5 January 1642, after
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