The City and Liberty of Westminster was a unit of local government in the
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
, England. It was located immediately to the west of the
City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
. Originally under the control of
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
, the local authority for the area was the
Westminster Court of Burgesses
The Westminster Court of Burgesses was established by Act of Parliament in 1585 and abolished in 1900. It formed part of the local government of the City and Liberty of Westminster in London, England.
The court was set up following the dissolu ...
from 1585 to 1900. The area now forms the southern part of the
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and London boroughs, borough in Inner London. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It occupies a large area of cent ...
in Greater London.
Governance
Following the
dissolution
Dissolution may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Books
* ''Dissolution'' (''Forgotten Realms'' novel), a 2002 fantasy novel by Richard Lee Byers
* ''Dissolution'' (Sansom novel), a 2003 historical novel by C. J. Sansom Music
* Dissolution, in mu ...
of
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
, a court of burgesses (the
Westminster Court of Burgesses
The Westminster Court of Burgesses was established by Act of Parliament in 1585 and abolished in 1900. It formed part of the local government of the City and Liberty of Westminster in London, England.
The court was set up following the dissolu ...
) was formed in 1585 to govern the Westminster area, previously under the Abbey's control. The City and Liberties of Westminster were further defined by
Letters Patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
in 1604, and the court of burgesses and
liberty
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
continued in existence until 1900, and the creation of the
Metropolitan Borough of Westminster
The Metropolitan Borough of Westminster was a metropolitan borough in the County of London, England, from 1900 to 1965.
City status
By royal charter dated 29 October 1900, the borough was granted the title City of Westminster. Westminster had o ...
.
The court of burgesses (or
court leet
The court leet was a historical court baron (a type of manorial court) of England and Wales and Ireland that exercised the "view of frankpledge" and its attendant police jurisdiction, which was normally restricted to the hundred courts.
Etym ...
) was headed by the High Steward of
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...
, who was usually a prominent national politician. He appointed a high
bailiff
A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...
, who served for life, and performed most of the functions usually exercised by a
high sheriff of a county. The city and liberty were divided into twelve wards, each with a
burgess __NOTOC__
Burgess may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Burgess (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Burgess (given name), a list of people
Places
* Burgess, Michigan, an unincorporated community
* Burgess, Missouri, U ...
and assistant burgess, this arrangement being adopted from the system then used in the
City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
. Eight wards were located in the parish of St Margaret, three in St Martin in the Fields, and one for St Clement Danes and the Strand area.
The burgesses chose two head burgesses, one for the city and one for the liberty, who ranked next after the high bailiff. A high constable was appointed by the court leet, under whom was a force of
constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
s. These were absorbed by the
Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
in 1829.
Following the dissolution of the court of burgesses in 1900, a link has been retained to the old corporation, as the
Lord Mayor of Westminster is ''
ex officio
An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by right ...
'' Deputy
High Steward of Westminster Abbey
The High Steward of Westminster Abbey is an honorary role at Westminster Abbey, London. He is appointed by the Dean and Chapter, and holds the office for life. Past holders have included Robert Cecil (in the 16th century) and Douglas Hurd ( fl. ...
.
Westminster
returned two members to parliament. Although outside the Liberty of Westminster, eligible inhabitants of the
Liberty of the Savoy
The Savoy was a manor and liberty sandwiched between the Liberty of Westminster, on two sides, the Inner and Middle Temple corner of City of London and a steep bank of the Tideway. It was in the county of Middlesex. It was all held by the Duchy ...
, which included part of the parishes of St Clement Danes and St Mary le Strand voted with Westminster.
The City and Liberty of Westminster was a franchise coroner's district until 1930, when it became part of the Central district of the County of London.
Constituent parishes and other areas
The City of Westminster consisted of:
*The main part of the parish of
St Margaret; after 1727 the combined parishes of St Margaret and St John.
*The extra-parochial
Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter
The Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter was an extra-parochial area, and later civil parish, in the metropolitan area of London, England. It corresponded to the area of Westminster Abbey and was an enclave between the parishes of St Marga ...
around Westminster Abbey
The Liberty of the City of Westminster consisted of:
*The detached part of the parish of St Margaret
*The parish of
St Martin in the Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England parish church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since at least the mediev ...
; later partly divided into
St Anne
According to Christian apocryphal and Islamic tradition, Saint Anne was the mother of Mary and the maternal grandmother of Jesus. Mary's mother is not named in the canonical gospels. In writing, Anne's name and that of her husband Joachim come o ...
(1687),
St George Hanover Square
St George Hanover Square was a civil parish created in 1724 in the Liberty of Westminster, Middlesex, which was later part of the metropolitan area of London, England.
The creation of the parish accompanied the building of St George's, Hanove ...
(1724),
St Paul Covent Garden (1645) and
St James Saint James or St. James may refer to:
People Saints
*James, brother of Jesus (died 62 or 69), also known as James the Just
*James the Great (died 44), Apostle, also known as James, son of Zebedee, or Saint James the Greater
**Saint James Matamoro ...
(1685)
*Part of the parish of
St Clement Danes
St Clement Danes is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London. It is situated outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. Although the first church on the site was reputedly founded in the 9th century by the Danes, the current ...
[Remainder in the ]Liberty of the Savoy
The Savoy was a manor and liberty sandwiched between the Liberty of Westminster, on two sides, the Inner and Middle Temple corner of City of London and a steep bank of the Tideway. It was in the county of Middlesex. It was all held by the Duchy ...
*Part of the parish of
St Mary-le-Strand
St Mary le Strand is a Church of England church at the eastern end of the Strand in the City of Westminster, London. It lies within the Deanery of Westminster (St Margaret) within the Diocese of London. The church stands on what was until rec ...
*The extra-parochial
St James's Palace
St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Altho ...
*
Privy Gardens
Privy is an old-fashioned term for an outdoor toilet, often known as an outhouse and by many other names. Privy may also refer to:
* Privy council, a body that advises the head of state
* Privy mark, a small mark in the design of a coin
* Privy Pu ...
(also known as
Whitehall Gardens
The Privy Garden of the Palace of Whitehall was a large enclosed space in Westminster, London, that was originally a pleasure garden used by the late Tudor dynasty, Tudor and House of Stuart, Stuart monarchs of England. It was created under Hen ...
)
*Verge of the Palaces of St James and Whitehall (also known as
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It is the main ...
)
Geography
The
Penny Cyclopaedia
''The Penny Cyclopædia'' published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge was a multi-volume encyclopedia edited by George Long and published by Charles Knight alongside the ''Penny Magazine''. Twenty-seven volumes and three supp ...
in 1843 describes the boundaries as:
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Westminster
History of the City of Westminster
Liberties of London
Hundreds and divisions of Middlesex