Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1589-1975 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
8 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The City Lands Committee is the oldest standing committee of the Corporation of London. The City Lands formed an extensive estate and provided a major source of income for the City government. A Charter of 1444 formally granted to the City the ownership of the streets, ways, common soil and enclosures of the common soil. Finally the City Lands also included property purchased by the City or administered by the City in trust such as the Philpot, Carpenter and Reynwell estates.
Until the reign of Elizabeth I the City Lands were administered under the authority of the Court of Aldermen, although from the early-16th century the day to day leasing of the City Lands property was carried out by the Chamberlain until on 2 May 1559 the Court of Aldermen voted to resume this function. Thenceforth decisions over leasing were made by a body of senior aldermen called the Surveyors, assisted by the Chamberlain. The Surveyors ceased to meet after 23 December 1590. The successor body, the City Lands and Bridge House Committee, only met for the first time in May 1592. The most striking difference between the new committee and the Surveyors who had preceded it was that the committee included for the first time permanent membership of six Common Councilmen as well as four Alderman.
The City Lands and Bridge House Estates Committee is still responsible for the management of the lands and buildings under the City of London's aegis.
Repository
Archival history
CLA/008 1589-1975 Collection 8 linear metres Corporation of London
The City Lands Committee is the oldest standing committee of the Corporation of London. The City Lands formed an extensive estate and provided a major source of income for the City government. A Charter of 1444 formally granted to the City the ownership of the streets, ways, common soil and enclosures of the common soil. Finally the City Lands also included property purchased by the City or administered by the City in trust such as the Philpot, Carpenter and Reynwell estates.
Until the reign of Elizabeth I the City Lands were administered under the authority of the Court of Aldermen, although from the early-16th century the day to day leasing of the City Lands property was carried out by the Chamberlain until on 2 May 1559 the Court of Aldermen voted to resume this function. Thenceforth decisions over leasing were made by a body of senior aldermen called the Surveyors, assisted by the Chamberlain. The Surveyors ceased to meet after 23 December 1590. The successor body, the City Lands and Bridge House Committee, only met for the first time in May 1592. The most striking difference between the new committee and the Surveyors who had preceded it was that the committee included for the first time permanent membership of six Common Councilmen as well as four Alderman.
The City Lands and Bridge House Estates Committee is still responsible for the management of the lands and buildings under the City of London's aegis.
Corporation of London Records Office.
Papers of the City Lands Estates, including legal and financial papers, 1669-1758; contracts, 1779-1838; grant books, 1589-1923; leases and deeds, 1629-1842; papers relating to individual properties, and papers relating to the Conduit Mead estate; 1628-1988.
In sections according to the catalogue.
Available for general access.
Copyright: City of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
For Corporation of London records relating to City Lands Estates see: CLA/007: Bridge House Estates, COL/AC: Archives, COL/BR: Brokers, COL/CC/BHC: Court of Common Council Bridge House Committee, COL/CC/CLBH: Court of Common Council City Lands and Bridge House Estate Committee, COL/CC/CLC: Court of Common Council City Lands Committee, COL/CCS/CO: Comptroller and City Solicitor: Comptroller, COL/CCS/PL: Comptroller and City Solicitor: Plans, COL/CHD/CM: Chamberlain's Department: Chamber Accounts, COL/CHD/DM: Chamberlain's Department: Duties and Metage, COL/OF: Officers, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/RMD/CE: Remembrancer's Department: Ceremonial, COL/SJ: Subject Series: Subjects, COL/SP: Subject Series: Places, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans.
Neal R. Shipley, 'The City Lands Committee 1592-1642', Guildhall Studies in London History, vol. II No. 4.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. February 2009 City Lands Committee , Corporation of London x City Lands and Bridge House Estates Committee Property Law Civil law Legal systems Agricultural economics Property ownership Land economics Land management Estate management Construction engineering Building operations Building maintenance Europe City of London London England UK Western Europe Conduit Mead Estate Property law
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Corporation of London Records Office.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of the City Lands Estates, including legal and financial papers, 1669-1758; contracts, 1779-1838; grant books, 1589-1923; leases and deeds, 1629-1842; papers relating to individual properties, and papers relating to the Conduit Mead estate; 1628-1988.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
In sections according to the catalogue.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright: City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
For Corporation of London records relating to City Lands Estates see: CLA/007: Bridge House Estates, COL/AC: Archives, COL/BR: Brokers, COL/CC/BHC: Court of Common Council Bridge House Committee, COL/CC/CLBH: Court of Common Council City Lands and Bridge House Estate Committee, COL/CC/CLC: Court of Common Council City Lands Committee, COL/CCS/CO: Comptroller and City Solicitor: Comptroller, COL/CCS/PL: Comptroller and City Solicitor: Plans, COL/CHD/CM: Chamberlain's Department: Chamber Accounts, COL/CHD/DM: Chamberlain's Department: Duties and Metage, COL/OF: Officers, COL/PL: Plans, COL/PLD/PL: Planning Department Plans, COL/RMD/CE: Remembrancer's Department: Ceremonial, COL/SJ: Subject Series: Subjects, COL/SP: Subject Series: Places, COL/SVD/PL: Surveyor's Department Plans, COL/TSD/PL: Technical Services Department Plans.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English