CHAPTER VI. Description of the town, its extent and public buildings-the Bridge-All Saints Church-St. Mary's Church-Town Hall -County Gaol County BridewellWorkhouse-Miscellaneous information relative to the town. On commencing our first Chapter we adverted to the general appearance of Huntingdon; its cleanness, neatness, and regularity: but a more particular description is called for in a local history, on the same principle that in our intercourse with the world, we do not content ourselves with knowing the form and figure of a man, but seek to learn something of his manners, his character, his friends, and pursuits. The town of Huntingdon is chiefly comprised in one street, denominated HighStreet, of generally ample breadth, which extends in a north-westerly direction from the river Ouse. From the Bridge to the National School, the two extremities of the town, is about a mile in length. The houses, though built with little or no attention to uniformity, have a respectable appearance; many of the private houses are modern and handsome, and several of the shops have been lately new-fronted, and are tastefully fitted up. By these and other judicious alterations, the general appearance of the town has been considerably improved within the last twenty years. Branching off at right angles from High Street are several populous lanes, inhabited chiefly by individuals in the humbler walks of life: the principal of these are Priory Lane, Bridewell Lane, and Mutton Lane. Extending from the Market Place is Prince's Street, which, though small, consists of neat and handsome houses. The principal public edifices are the Bridge, the Churches, the Town Hall, (which is also the Court House,) the County Gaol, and Bridewell, and the Workhouse. These we shall now describe in the order of their erection, or appropriation to their present purposes. The Bridge. The Bridge which connects Huntingdon with Godmanchester is an ancient and still a substantial structure, built of stone, and consists of six arches, four of which are of sufficient magnitude to admit the passage of the barges which bring coals, &c. up the river to this town, from Lynn in Norfolk. If the present is, as is presumed, the original Bridge, it must be a structure of remote antiquity from the following it appears to have been erected some time previous to the year 1259. Pleas at Westminster, 43 Henry III. The whole County of Huntingdon complains of the BB Burgesses of Huntingdon, for that repairs of the Bridge at Huntingdon falls upon the same County, and that the Burgesses, by carrying dung over the said br.e to certain lands which they have purchased,, and which they lead through the town to Gumecester, and to other places in those parts: and also the corn off the same lands into their Granaries, in the town of Huntingdon, by which means the aforesaid Bridge (to the reparation of which they afford no assistance) is shaken and impaired. And the Burgesses appear and say that they have a right to carry dung, and have been wont to do so in all past times, at their own pleasure, to their lands in Gumecester and in those parts, and their corn and compost from the same parts of Huntingdon. They say, moreover, that the whole county of Huntingdon is free from the toll given in the town of Huntingdon, for the repairs of the aforesaid Bridge. And the county well know that the aforesaid Burgesses have been wont to pass and repass along the aforesaid bridge at their own pleasure, with merchandize and all sorts of goods, as well as the aforesaid corn and dung produced in Gumecester and in the parts adjacent. And because the Burgesses are unable to shew why they should be free from the reparation of the bridge, by reason of the toll from which the county is free, on account of the repairs of the bridge: it is considered that the Burgesses should be free of the bridge for such merchandize only as they should carry beyond the bridge. And it is ordered that the sheriff bind all those who carry dung beyond the bridge to contribute to the support thereof. Plea of Quo Warranto, County of Huntingdon, 14 Edward I. Henry de Gidding, William de Stivicle, Robert, son of Henry, and William, bailiffs of Huntingdon, claim to hold the town of Huntingdon with its appurtenances. And they claim the toll which is called thurth toll through the whole county of Huntingdon at all times, and they answer without brief, and they say that they take thurth toll of all merchants passing through, and not of others, nor of any other merchant of the county of Huntingdon, nor of any other person: that the whole county shall be held liable to repair the bridge at Huntingdon : and they say that they take for each sack of wool, four pence, &c. (Here follows a list of tolls.) And they shew the Charter of King John and the Charter of the Lord Henry, Kings of this country, which witness that they hold the town of Huntingdon in fee, and also the toll, for £80. per annum. And they produce the Charter of King John and of our Lord the King who now is, which witness that the same King hath granted and confirmed to his burgesses at Huntingdon, the borough of Huntingdon with its appurtenances, rendering £10 of increasing rent to be holden by them peaceably and quietly with all the privileges and free cus toms which other burgesses of England have. Given under the hand of Hugo de Welles, at Havering, the 7th day of August, in the 7th year of the reign of our King.* *Exchequer Records in the Chapel House. Printed |