Edward's reign

Previous page: The Old City

The first Edward was a man of strong character and governed with a strong hand, and did not spend so much time as his predecessors either at Westminster or the Tower.

Some little time before his reign the old Portreeve, or Portgrave, had blossomed out into a full-grown Lord Mayor, and the government of the city was in stronger hands and with more power at its back, but during the reign of his weak son, Edward, disturbances were frequent. The Tower was besieged and taken by the citizens, and the keys afterwards given to Isabella and the Mortimers.

Edward II. made one addition to the banks of the river, which for some time was a great ornament to it. King Stephen had built the chapel of the palace at Westminster, or rebuilt one on the site. Edward II. removed this, and began the very beautiful Chapel of St. Stephen, which was finished by his son.

There is little to record about the river during the third Edward's reign. He sometimes stayed in the Tower, and one of his children, Blanche de la Tour, was born there; and he kept on very good terms with the citizens.

During the reign of his father, the Knights Templars were suppressed and the Temple knew them no more. Although their suppression was not attended with the dreadful cruelties and burnings carried out by Philip of France, at Paris, at the head house of their order, it was severe enough : they were all imprisoned, and the principal charge was heresy; but the real cause, their riches and arrogance.

After having been held for a short time by private people, this beautiful place by the river-side, with its gardens and orchards, passed into the possession of the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem, who, having their own monastery at Clerkenwell, did not make much use of it, and let it out, with its hail and chapel, to the law students, who have ever since retained it.

Next page: Richard II