The Ward of Cheap is one of the 25 Wards that make up the City of London, but its own unique attributes make it a particularly special community to be a part of.

Location, location

The geography of the Ward of Cheap is, in itself, both interesting and intrinsic to the Ward’s role within the City. It centres around Cheapside, which was historically one of the most important streets in early modern London.

Running east to west between the Great Conduit at the foot of Old Jewry to the Little Conduit by St. Paul’s churchyard, it spans King Edward Street and the border with Farringdon to Old Jewry, which adjoins Walbrook.

When the bishop of London, began rebuilding the Old St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1087 after it was destroyed by fire, the construction blocked traffic running from Aldgate to Ludgate. Cheapside became the free flowing alternative route, becoming busier and attracting more and more tradespeople.

Today, Cheapside is located in the heart of the City, containing part of the Guildhall, St Paul’s Cathedral and multiple Livery Halls.

What’s in a Name?

The name of the Ward is an insight into its heritage. ‘Cheapside’ comes from the Saxon term for ‘market’, as it was once the main street market for the City of London. To this day it’s one of the key shopping streets within the City, although it hasn’t really been a market since the Great Fire of London in 1666.

Over the years, Cheapside became doubly important – in the Middle Ages the most sacred segment of the coronation procession route was along Cheapside Street, hosting the most expensive and elaborate pageants, as can be seen in Thomas Dekker’s The Magnificent Entertainment (from 1604). In addition, the most extravagant portions of the Lord Mayor’s pageant took place here.

The other streets in Cheapside are also largely named for their purpose amidst that market heritage, although some are more cryptic than others:

Bread Street

Derived from its ancient history as the city’s bread market, this area was already referred to as Bredstrate as early as 1180. However, it seems in 1302 that purpose was formalised, when Edward I announced that the bakers of Bromley and Stratford-le-Bow, and ones already living on the street, were forbidden from selling bread from their own homes or bakeries, and could only do so from Bread Street.

Wood Street

Some say the name Wood Street came about because the houses in it were built from wood when they were supposed to be made of stone to prevent fire. The other reason is because it was the home of one Thomas Wood, who was sheriff in 1491 and was a benefactor to St. Peter, a church which once stood on the corner of Cheapside and Wood Street, but which was destroyed in the Great Fire.

Milk Street

Milk Street was named as such as early as 1140 because it was the place where milk was sold.

Poultry

So called because it’s where the poulterers sold their wares.

King Street and Queen Street

Following the Great Fire of 1666, numerous plans were proposed to reconfigure London’s street pattern. However, due to the urgency to rebuild and the difficulty of altering property lines, most of these grand plans were not implemented. One major exception was the creation of a direct link from Upper Thames Street to Cheapside and the Guildhall Yard, resulting in the formation of King Street (north of Cheapside) and Queen Street (south of Cheapside). Initially referred to as New King Street and New Queen Street, these names were dropped in the early 18th century. The new streets were built over existing lanes like Soper Lane and Brodelane, and further developments in the 19th century, such as the construction of Southwark Bridge and Queen Street Place.

Gutter Lane

Contrary to what it may initially seem, the name of Gutter Lane is most likely thought to have come from a merchant called ‘Guthrun’ or ‘Goderoune’, as in the 12th century it was recorded as ‘Godrun Lane’.

Foster Lane

The historian, John Stow, records Foster Lane as both Foster Lane and Faster Lane, and it’s thought the name is a corruption of ‘Vedast’ after the Church of St. Vedast on its south-eastern end. ‘Vaast’ is how the saint is known in continental Europe, and Foster is an Anglicisation of the name.

Connecting Past and Present

Although subject to boundary changes over the centuries, throughout the City’s history the Ward of Cheap has lain on the great East-West route connecting the Tower – a symbol of Royal power, with the Guildhall – the seat of civic government, as well as St Paul’s Cathedral – the City’s oldest place of worship. Within those boundaries, the Ward of Cheap contains a small part of the Guildhall buildings (the main entrance and the main hall itself) and the approaches to Guildhall.

Historic details include a plaque by Guildhall, commemorating the terminal point of the first public water supply system – The Great Conduit. The foundations of that particular building go back to 1400, although the site traces its roots to the Roman amphitheatre which was located there nearly 2,000 years ago.

Other features include two churches; the Corporation Church of St Lawrence Jewry and the Church of St Vedast alias Foster. The Ward is home to the Livery Halls of the Mercers, Goldsmiths, Wax Chandlers, and Saddlers. History also names two of the Ward of Cheap’s most famous sons, Thomas á Becket and Sir Thomas More – both were born here.

A Tradition of Business

Today, the Ward of Cheap is a thriving business community, rich in professionalism and skills, and complete with more than 20,000 workers within its boundaries. It also hosts a balance of the largest employing firms as well as small businesses, and is the most heavily liveried of all the 25 wards in the City.

In many ways, Cheap is a microcosm of the City of London as a whole, and that heritage is something that it does not take for granted. Organisations, including the Ward of Cheap Club, are proactive at seeking to encourage and enhance the experience and wellbeing of both individuals and organisations within the Ward and connected to it.

The Livery Halls of the Mercers, Goldsmiths, Wax Chandlers, and Saddlers’, which are located here, are all an essential representation of that breadth of business in the Ward – its past, its present and its ongoing evolution.

The Mercers’ Company

The Mercers’ Company is a livery company focused on being a philanthropic force for good.  Incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1394, the company’s aim was to act as a trade association for general merchants but more specifically for exporters of wool and importers of velvet, silk and other luxurious fabrics.  It is therefore named for the occupation of merchants, taken from the Old French ‘mercier’. Today, their focus is philanthropy, distributing around £10 million annually to charitable causes to improve people’s lives, strengthen organisations and contribute to societal change.

The Goldsmiths’ Company

The Goldsmiths’ Company trains and supports jewellers and silversmiths and their allied trades, while also protecting consumers by testing and hallmarking precious metals. Furthermore, they work with charitable, educational and cultural partners to help improve life chances. Their home is, unsurprisingly, at the magnificent Goldsmiths’ Hall – a building completed in 1835, but on a site that has housed the Goldsmiths’ Company since 1339. Its history spans more than 700 years with references to it as early as the 1100s, although the first legal recognition of the Company appears in 1300 and in many ways its purpose is unchanged.

The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers

The Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers is an ancient City Livery Company that was originally based on the beeswax trade. Today, it continues its connections with the modern wax industry and the beekeeping profession, extending its mission to promote environmental sustainability through the encouragement of good practice and governance. It is located in Gresham Street, on a site that the Company has owned since 1501, although previous iterations of the building were lost in the Great Fire. Charity is a pivotal part of their work, supporting community boosting projects, and helping young people become responsible citizens by raising aspirations, attainment, standards and skills.

The Worshipful Company of Saddlers

The Worshipful Company of Saddlers was founded in the 11th-century, for the regulation of the saddlery trade, craft and standards in the City of London and the United Kingdom. The earliest surviving record dates to 1160, but it’s thought a Saddlers’ guild may have existed in Anglo-Saxon times, before the Norman Conquest. Today, the Company’s activities are based on charitable foundations that support and encourage the development of saddlery, equestrianism and education; and in particular where they coincide with disability and youth. They are committed to opening up opportunities and championing the craft of saddlery to make it a successful modern industry.

The Wards and What They Do

The City’s Wards were established in medieval times for the purpose of government and today they participate in the governance of the City through the election of the City’s Aldermen and Common Councilmen.

Ward Representatives

Each Ward is represented on the Court of Aldermen and the Court of Common Council by one Alderman and a number of Common Councilmen (the number ranging between two and 10, depending on the size of the Ward). One of the Common Councilmen will be designated the Ward Alderman’s Deputy.

Currently the Ward of Cheap is represented by three Common Councilmen. Candidates, men or women, must be Freemen of the City and they must be on the electoral roll of the City of London. Common Council members are also known as Common Councilmen.

Ward Elections

Wardmotes take place annually, on the second Friday in March, chaired by the Ward’s Alderman. Outside election years they allow voters to meet their elected representatives to raise concerns and ask questions of them. The elected members also give an update to voters regarding the work they have undertaken during the previous year, as well as on issues affecting the City in general and the Ward in particular.

Aldermen and Common Councilmen are elected by the electors of the Ward who are registered to vote on the Ward List. Registration occurs annually when forms are sent to all residents and businesses in the Ward. Since 2013 elections for Common Councilmen are held every four years on either the third Wednesday in March, or the fourth Wednesday in March, although in certain rare circumstances ordinary elections will instead be held on another date to be determined by the Town Clerk in consultation with the Lord Mayor. Aldermen, also elected by the voters, are appointed for a six year term.

Learn More About the Ward of Cheap

For those who are interested, a short history of the Ward of Cheap, written by architectural historian Hermione Hobhouse MBE, was published in 1963. It traces the Ward’s history, from mediaeval times to the 20th-century, examining the way in which the shape of the streets has changed over time, the different buildings which successively occupied sites in the Ward, providing accounts of the lives of the people who lived here, and recording the great institutions connected with the Ward.

You can find out more about the City Wards and of the organisation of the City by visiting the City of London Corporation.