Pile Structures in the Walbrook Near London Wall

city.The course whereof to prosecute it particularly, was and is from the said wall to St. Margaret's in Lothbury, from thence beneath the lower part of the Grocers' Hall, about the east part of their kitchen, under St. Mildred's Church somewhat west from the said Stocks Market.From thence through Bucklersbury, by one great house built of stone and timber called the Old Barge, because barges out of the River of Thames were rowed up as far into this brook, on the back side of the houses of Walbrook Street, which street taketh name of the said brook, by the west end of St. John's Church upon Walbrooke, under Horseshoe Bridge by the west side of Tallow-chandler's Hall, and of the Skinner's Hall, and so far behind the other houses to Elbow Lane and by a part thereof down Greenwich Lane, into the River of Thames." This is the course of the Walbrook, which was of old time bridged over in divers places for passage of horses and men as need required; but since by means of incroachments on the bank thereof, the channel being greatly straightened, and other annoyances done thereunto at length the same by common consent, was arched over with brick and paved with stone, equal with the ground where through it passed, and is now in most places built upon, that 110 man may by the eye discern it.And therefore the trace thereof is hardly known to the common people." Maitland says:" The rivulet or running water denominated Wallbrook, ran through the middle of the city above ground, till about the middle of the fourteenth century, when it was arched over, since which time it has served as a common sower, wherein, at a depth of sixteen feet, under St. Mildred's Church steeple, runs a great and rapid stream."This covering over of the stream according to Hughson 1 took place in 1440, when the church of St. Margaret Lothbury was rebuilt." At which time Robert Langc, lord mayor, contributed to the vaulting over of the water of Walbrook, running close to the said church."" The loss of this rivulet was owing to the many bridges covered with houses built over it, which increased to such a degree as to be formed into streets, so that the channel having been used as a common sewer was arched over and totally obscured by those streets."It seems, however, that only a portion of the stream was covered in 1440, for Stow says :From the top of Dowgate, where stood a conduit, an

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