Seven Gates to The City of London

The four original gates to the City of London were positioned on the North, South, East, and West walls of the city. They were Aldersgate to the north, Ludgate to the west, Aldgate to the east, and the Bridge Gate to the south, over London Bridge at the Southwark end. William Fitzstephen, who died around 1190, mentions the seven double-gated entrances but never named them. As some of the gates we speak of today were built after this there must have been others before them.
At the start of the 14th century, there were many more gates which had been added over the years. Some, like the one next to the Tower, had long since disappeared, leaving only crumbling stone and foundations. There were though, still seven main gates in the walls, with Newgate being the last addition. The others being Bishopsgate, Moorgate and Cripplegate. For some reason, the Bridgegate, the eighth, is not included with them. I can only assume that this is because it was across the Thames at the South end of the Bridge, therefore not actually within the square mile. These gates were, and still are, referred to collectively as the “Seven gates to the City of London” Unfortunately none have survived.

Originally called Aeldersgate, I immediately jumped to the conclusion that this was named after the elders of the city. I was mistaken. The name apparently comes from an abundance of Eldame trees that grew there. Also, because this gate and Aldgate are thought to be the oldest, many think that this is how the name came about - Old gate and Older gate. The gate was the only one to have a house built on top. The accommodation was two stories high and belonged to a wealthy printer and stationer, John Day.

Originally called Ealdgate, the name was probably derived from the word Ealth, (an owner or builder). Some historians believe that it is a deviation of ‘Old gate’. It comprised of two sets of double gates, and two portcullis'. After rebuilding in the 13th century, it was described as being strongly arched, with bulwarks of stone from Caen in Normandy. It also contained small bricks called Flanders tiles.
It was situated between Bevis Marks and Crutched Friars and could have been built during the reign of King Edgar. In 1215 the gate was able to be used by enemies of King John to enter the city, because by then it was in ruins. This event led to it being rebuilt with strong masonary and brick. This was just as well, because in 1471 the gates were stormed by 5,000 men led by Thomas Falconbridge. They were defeated after a bloody battle.

Built across Ermine Street by Erkenwold, Bishop of London, . It's purpose was to allow travelers a route to Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridge. Stow tells of the inconvenience before the gate was built. Until then, you would leave the city by Aldgate, travel east to Mile's End (Mile End) and turn left to Bethen Hall Green (Bethnal Green) via Cambridge Heath. Failing this, you could always use Aldersgate, off Aldersgate Street into Goswell Street. This took you on to Isledon (Islington) to the stone cross at the end of Golden Lane, left into Alder Street (Old Street?) to Sewers Ditch (Shoreditch) church. Then on to Tottenham, and End Field (Enfield).
The earliest recorded mention of the gate is dated 1210 where it appears on a document concerning the sale of a garden “in the parish of St. Botolphs without Bishopsgate”. A merchant group paid for it’s complete restoral in 1479.

This gate was said to have taken it’s name from the cripples who went there to beg. It was also thought to possess miraculous powers due to the fact that some cripples who passed through it, were made whole again. Ancient writings tell us that the body of the Martyr, King Edmond, was brought to London from Bury St. Edmonds to escape the marauding Danes who were running riot in East Anglia.
Around 1099 St. Giles church was built near the gate. The beggars came because of the body, which remained for three years. It also served as a prison for debtors and minor offenders.
The London Brewers paid for the gate to be rebuilt in 1244 and the Mayor, Edwin Shaw, on his deathbed in 1483, bequeathed the money for it to be rebuilt again in 1491. The name Cripplegate is more likely to have evolved from the Old English word Crepel, which means sunken, or narrow gate.

This gate is often thought to have a connection to King Lud. Another possibility was thought to have been a deviation of the word Fludgate. However, it is now believed that Ludgate is simply an old word meaning a postern. It is one of the oldest of the seven principle gates, and in the 14th century was made a free prison for debtors, trespassers, and showing contempt. For treason, felonies, and other criminal offenses, it was the infamous Newgate gaol you would be sent to.
It was demolished in 1190 along with part of the city wall to allow enlargement of the Tower of London. The new build only lasted for two centuries before totally collapsing in 1440.

Another entrance to the city was made in 1415 near Coleman Street. The Postern at Moregate. The then Mayor, Thomas Falconer ordered that the walls be breached and a gate added to allow the people access to the field, or moor, for recreational purposes.
It was modernised in 1472 and again in 1511. Due to the bad drainage of the area, bridges and dikes were built to allow easier access but the fields remained boggy. The level of the ground was gradually filled over the years to try to improve the drainage, and was eventually as high as the city wall. Demolished in 1761. There is now a mobile phone shop on the site.

Newgate was the last gate to be built, and, last to be demolished, in 1771. It was erected after the rebuilding of Saint Paul’s which burnt down in 1086. The gate itself became a necessity due to so much land around Paul’s cathedral being bought up by the church, and the graveyard being extended so far, it caused a bottleneck for people with large carts and carriages trying to use the other city gates. Yes, gridlock in ancient London! The new gate provided traders easier access to Smithfield, and Oldbourne (now Holborn) bridge.
There was a prison for hundreds of years at Newgate. Many were hanged there.

Legislation was passed in 1760 allowing the remaining gates of the City to be demolished. By the year 1771 they had all gone. Most had been in ruins long before this. If you can find out where they were situated you will see the blue plaques on the wall where the gate once stood. The sites of the ‘bars’, the limits of the City boundaries outside (without) the walls where travelers paid their tolls, are still marked today with statues of the City’s heraldic dragons.
One of the largest ‘bars’ was the one that separated the City of London from the City of Westminster, in Fleet Street. This was Temple Bar and can now be seen fully restored in Paternoster Square.

There were many other minor gates added over the years, mainly from the River. These were mainly for the use of traders. Billingsgate was one of these. Some distance from the gates were what are known as the bars. A renovation of the famous Temple Bar can be seen today at Paternoster Square. These bars were where travelers and traders stopped to pay any taxes or duty due before reaching the gates. I presume that this was to avoid congestion at the actual gate. The bars, or boundaries were marked by statues of griffins or dragons, and can still be seen in the City today.