Custom House

Custom House

On the south side of Lower Thames Street. In Tower Ward (P.O Directory).

Erected on this site 1814–17. Architect, David Laing, original centre taken down and present front erected, 1828. Architect, Rob. Smirke.

The original Custom House further east, was on the site of the house erected by John Churchman in 1382, 6 Rich. II., on the key called "Wool wharf," between tenement of Paule Salisberie east and the lane called the watergate west, the King granting that the tronage of wools should be kept in this house and a counting place for customers, etc. (S. 137, and Cal. P.R. Rich. II. 1381–5, p. 149).

Burnt in the Fire and rebuilt by Wren, burnt again 1714–15 and rebuilt (Strype, 1755, I. 389). Another fire occurred in 1814, when the new building was erected on the present site (See above).

The present building occupies the site of a number of wharves and keys, etc.: Bear Key Stairs; Bear Quay; Crown Key; Dice Key; Horners Key.

See Custom House and Wool Quays.

Custom-House, Lower Thames-Street,—is op. 60, about ¼ of a mile on the R. from London-bridge.

Custom House, Lower Thames-street, is about a quarter of a mile on the right hand from London-bridge, and is insulated, having its northern front next Thames-street, its southern front next the river, its western end next Billingsgate, and its eastern end towards Tower-hill.

The earliest building known to have been erected on this spot, for business like that of the present, was in the reign of Elizabeth, but it was destroyed by the great fire of 1666. It was rebuilt on a more extensive scale in the reign of Charles II. by Sir Christopher Wren. This building was also destroyed by fire in 1718, and rebuilt upon almost a similar plan. It was again consumed by fire in February 1814, and rebuilt upon a yet larger and more extensive scale by David Laing, Esq., the architect to the Board of Customs.

In consequence of some defects in the piling, the long room and front next the river were taken down, and the present elevation next the river, which differs much from the preceding, was erected by Mr. Smirke. It is four hundred and eighty-eight feet in length, and one hundred and seven in depth. The building is all faced with Portland stone, and the water front is embellished with columns of the Ionic order. The interior is commodious and well adapted to the nature of the business that is carried on within its walls.

The present department of the customs consist of thirteen commissioners, of whom Dean Richard Betenson, Esq. is Chairman; the Hon. Edward R. Stewart is Deputy; Thomas Whitmore, Esq., Secretary; Charles A. Scovell, Esq., Assistant Secretary; various clerks, a comptroller-general of the coast guard, superintendant of quarantine, law officers, cashiers and paymasters, inspectors, and a little army of officers, for which I must refer my readers to Burke's Official Kalendar, or either of the Court Kalendars of the year.

Custom House (The), in Lower Thames Street, for the collection of the customs, one of the three great branches of the revenue of this country, was erected 1814–1817, from the designs of David Laing, but in consequence of some defects in the piling, the original centre was taken down, and the present front, to the Thames, erected from the designs of Sir Robert Smirke, R.A., architect.

The first Custom House of which we have any account was "new built" by John Churchman, Sheriff of London in 1385,¹ and stood on "Customers'-key," to the east of the present building, and therefore much nearer Tower Wharf. In Strype's Map the site of the present building is taken up by a series of small quays, called respectively (commencing at the east) Porters, Great Bear, Little Bear, Young's, Wiggin's, Ralph's, Temple, Little Dice, Great Dice, and Smart's. Another and larger edifice on the same site, erected in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was burnt in the Great Fire of 1666. The new house designed by Wren in its place was "a commodious and substantial building of brick and Portland stone."—Elmes. It was completed in 1671.

September 22, 1671.—Returning home I went on shore to see the Custome House, now nearly rebuilt since the dreadful conflagration.—Evelyn's Diary.

Wren's Custom House was destroyed by fire in 1718, and Ripley's, which succeeded Wren's, was destroyed in the same way on February 12, 1814. It was the practice formerly to let the customs of the kingdom to certain persons who farmed them.

The Farmers of the Customs have been very liberal in their New-year's gift to the King; besides their ordinary gift of 2000 pieces, they gave him a diamond unset, that cost them 5000^li., and also 5000^li. in pieces.—Garrard to Lord Strafford, January 11, 1634, p. 395.

The "Long Room," is 185 feet long by 66 broad, and 55 feet high.

In the long room it's a pretty pleasure to see the multitude of payments that are made there in a morning. I heard Count Tallard say, that nothing gave him so true and great an idea of the richness and grandeur of this nation as this, when he saw it after the peace of Ryswick.—Macky, A Journey through England, 8vo, 1722, vol. i. p. 237.

The quay is a broad and pleasant walk fronting the Thames. Here Cowper, the poet, came intending to make away with himself.²

---

¹ Stow, p. 109.
² Southey's Cowper, vol. i. p. 124.