Liberty of the Rolls
Encyclopedia
The Liberty of the Rolls was a liberty
, and civil parish
from 1866, in the metropolitan area of London
, England.
It consisted of the part of the ancient parish of St Dunstan-in-the-West
that was in the Ossulstone
hundred of Middlesex
, the rest was within the City of London
. It became a separate civil parish in 1866.
Named perhaps for the ancient Rolls House upon Chancery Lane
where the rolls of the Court of Chancery
of England were kept, or perhaps, like other parishes, the chapel. The site of the house and chapel became the nucleus of the Public Record Office
, now the Maugham Library and Provost's Lodgings of King's College London
.
It was grouped into the Strand District in 1855 when it came within the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works
.
In 1889 the parish became part of the County of London
and in 1900 it became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster
. It was abolished as a civil parish in 1922. However, its boundary could be readily seen as that area of Westminster which was the conjunction between the City of London
and the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn
(and later the London Borough of Camden
). This apparent territorial anomaly disappeared in 1994 when the Boundary Commission
altered the border to place all of the area east of Chancery Lane into the City.
Liberty (division)
Originating in the Middle Ages, a liberty was traditionally defined as an area in which regalian rights were revoked and where land was held by a mesne lord...
, and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
from 1866, in the metropolitan area of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England.
It consisted of the part of the ancient parish of St Dunstan-in-the-West
St Dunstan-in-the-West
The Guild Church of St Dunstan-in-the-West is in Fleet Street in London, England. An octagonal-shaped building, it is dedicated to a former bishop of London and archbishop of Canterbury.-History:...
that was in the Ossulstone
Ossulstone
Ossulstone was an ancient hundred in the south east of the county of Middlesex, England. Its area has been entirely absorbed by the growth of London; and now corresponds to the part of Inner London that is north of the River Thames and, from Outer London, parts of the London boroughs of Barnet,...
hundred of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, the rest was within the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. It became a separate civil parish in 1866.
Named perhaps for the ancient Rolls House upon Chancery Lane
Chancery Lane
Chancery Lane is the street which has been the western boundary of the City of London since 1994 having previously been divided between Westminster and Camden...
where the rolls of the Court of Chancery
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
of England were kept, or perhaps, like other parishes, the chapel. The site of the house and chapel became the nucleus of the Public Record Office
Public Record Office
The Public Record Office of the United Kingdom is one of the three organisations that make up the National Archives...
, now the Maugham Library and Provost's Lodgings of King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
.
It was grouped into the Strand District in 1855 when it came within the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works
Metropolitan Board of Works
The Metropolitan Board of Works was the principal instrument of London-wide government from 1855 until the establishment of the London County Council in 1889. Its principal responsibility was to provide infrastructure to cope with London's rapid growth, which it successfully accomplished. The MBW...
.
In 1889 the parish became part of the County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
and in 1900 it became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster
Metropolitan Borough of Westminster
The Metropolitan Borough of Westminster was a metropolitan borough in the County of London, England, from 1900 to 1965.-City Status:By royal charter dated 29 October 1900 the borough was granted the title City of Westminster. Westminster had originally been created a city and seat of the...
. It was abolished as a civil parish in 1922. However, its boundary could be readily seen as that area of Westminster which was the conjunction between the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and the Metropolitan Borough of Holborn
Metropolitan Borough of Holborn
The Metropolitan Borough of Holborn was a Metropolitan borough in the County of London between 1900 and 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras and the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead to form the London Borough of Camden....
(and later the London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
). This apparent territorial anomaly disappeared in 1994 when the Boundary Commission
Boundary Commission
Boundary Commission may refer to:* Boundary Commissions of the United Kingdom* Boundary Commission between the United Kingdom and Ireland* Boundary Commission of the Pacific Northwest* Boundary Commission of Maine...
altered the border to place all of the area east of Chancery Lane into the City.
External links
- 'Book 5, Ch. 2: The suburbs of the City', A New History of London: Including Westminster and Southwark (1773), pp. 747-68. Date accessed: 7 June 2007.
- 'London, past and present; its history, associations, and traditions, by Henry B. Wheatley, F.S.A. Based upon the Handbook of London, by the late Peter Cunningham.' (1891) as quoted in White, David E. "Joseph Butler: Places Associated". Date accessed: 7 June 2007.