Topographical history of London : a classified collection of the chief contents of The gentleman's magazine, from 1731-1868 / [edited by George Laurence Gomme].

Date:
1904-1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Topographical history of London : a classified collection of the chief contents of The gentleman's magazine, from 1731-1868 / [edited by George Laurence Gomme]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [1832, Part II., p. 98.] The remains of a body were discovered a few days ago by the workmen in clearing away the remains of the chapel pier—viz., the ninth from the London shore. It may in all probability have been the body of Peter of Cole Church, the original architect, whom tradition tells us was here interred. The supposition is additionally strengthened by the fact that the place in which these bones were found was under the lower floor or story of the chapel, and an enclosure had evidently been built up in small courses of fire-stone, to contain a person of the middle stature. [1788, Part I.,p. 225.] The enclosed (Plate III., Fig. 2) is a drawing of a silver coin found near London Bridge. I take it to be a penny of Edward III., struck at the Bishop of Durham’s mint. It reads on the obverse side “6 DVS ELI,” which must be for Edwardus Rex Angli; and on the reverse “ ITAS DVR6CF6,” for Civitas Dureme. It has a cross pattee for a mint-mark, and on the reverse one part of the cross is formed into a crosier, to show it was struck at the Bishop’s mint. B. [1827, Part //., p. 69.] In excavating the foundation of the new London Bridge a con- siderable quantity of Roman coins—gold, silver, and brass—have been found, and one small silver statue, which has been deposited in the British Museum. A leaden figure of a horse was lately brought up, and is now in the possession of Mr. Knight, engineer. The execution of the head is admirable. The same gentleman has, amongst a considerable collection of remains, a curious specimen of ancient glazed tile, a number of rare Saxon coins, and a consider- able quantity of counters and gun-money. The workmen, who at first considered all the coins they met with as being merely old half- pence, which were worth nothing because they would no longer pass, soon discovered their error, and have now all become connoisseurs. Mr. R. L. Jones, the chairman of the Bridge Committee, has zealously obtained all he could, with the liberal intention of present- ing his set to the Corporation, to form the nucleus of a collection in the new City Library. He has, besides, amongst a number of in- different coins found some time since, one Roman coin, with the inscription “PLON ” (Pecunia Londini), which is supposed to have been struck in the Metropolis. The most frequent of the Roman coins are those of Antoninus Pius. Saxon and Old English coins have been found in great abundance, together with many ancient imple-