Broken Wharf

Broken Wharf

South out of Upper Thames Street at No. 41a, to the Thames, in Queenhithe Ward (P.O. Directory). Opposite St. Mary Somerset Church.

First mention: "Kayum fractum."

"Vetus cayum dudum confractum subtus novam cameram...in parochia beate Marie de Sumset."

In an Inquisition 34 H. III. as to whether ships and boats had a right to draw up alongside the wharf, it was stated that the wharf used to be common to the Abbot of Chertsey and the Abbot of Hamme, and that they disputed 40 years before about the maintenance of the wharf, in consequence of which it was allowed to decay. It was decided that the boats had no right to put in at the wharf except by default of the abbots in not keeping it up" (Ch. I. p.m. 34 H. III. (46)).

Other forms: "Broken Wharfe Kaia," 43 H. III. (Ch. I. p.m.). "la Brokenewharf," 2 Ed. I. (Anc. Deeds, A. 1875). "la Brokene Werf," 35 Ed. I. (Ch. I. p.m. 35 Ed. I. m. 46).

In 1482, 21 Ed. IV., mention is made of the king's mansion called "Brokyn Wherf" (Cal. P.R. Ed. IV. 1476–85, p. 253).

It seems in 1477 to have been in possession of John, duke of Norfolk, in whose family it had been for some time (Rolls of Parlt. VI. 186b) (Anc. Deeds, A. 1875, etc.).

The Inquisition above mentioned gives the origin of the name.

A Forcier, Water-house and Water-works there, 1594 (L. and P. Ed. VI., etc., III 576), and 1692–3 (H. MSS. Com. 14th Rep. VI. 823).

Also called "Timberhithe": Tenements and wharves in Timberhythe, otherwise called "Broken wharf," in parish of St. Mary Somerset (H. MSS. Com. 9th Rep. 18).

So called of timber or boordes there taken up and wharffed (S. 363).

Broken-Wharf, Upper Thames-Street,—at 41, op. Old Fish-st. hill, about ⅓ of a mile E. from or below Blackfriars-bridge.

Broken-Wharf, Upper Thames-street, is between Nos. 40 and 41, opposite Old Fish-street-hill, about a third of a mile eastward of or below Blackfriars'-bridge.

Broken Wharf, No. 42, on the south side of Upper Thames Street, nearly opposite Old Fish Street Hill, and "so called," says Stow, "of being broken and fallen down into the Thames."¹ Here was the town mansion of the Bigods and Mowbrays, Earls and Dukes of Norfolk. About 1583 Sir Thomas Sutton, founder of the Charter House, purchased this mansion and here built up his gigantic fortune. On July 28, 1591, William Hacket, a noted fanatic, was hanged as a traitor near "one Walker's house by Broken Wharf." He was charged with defacing the royal arms and also a portrait of the Queen. Here, in 1594, Bevis Bulmer, who had been previously employed to work the silver and lead mines in different parts of England and Wales, erected his engine for supplying Cheapside and Fleet Street with water from the Thames, after the manner of our modern water-works. His water-house was built of brick—the engine worked by horses, and the water conveyed by pipes of lead.²

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¹ Stow, p. 135, so called as early as 20 Edw. II. See Historical MSS. Comm., Ninth Report, Appendix to p. 17.
²Act 22, Car. II., c. II; Stow, by Howes, ed. 1631, p. 769; and Strype, B. iii. p. 218.