London Family History Guide

London is situated on the banks of the river Thames, about sixty miles from the sea, and lies in four counties; in Middlesex and Essex to the north of the Thames, and in Kent and Surrey to the south of the Thames.

The limits of London, as defined by Act of Parliament for Parliamentary purposes, are “the circumference of a circle, the radius of which is of the length of three miles from the General Post Office.” This would make London about twenty miles in circumference; it is generally said to be about thirty. The City was included with the walls and gates, (such as Ludgate, Newgate, Moorgate, Aldersgate, Cripplegate, Bishopsgate, and Aldgate), and within certain liberties without the wall, marked by bars, – such as Holborn Bars, Whitechapel Bars, Temple Bar, &c.
Source: A Handbook for London, Past and Present. Peter Cunningham. Published by John Murray 1849.

See also Churches in London before the Fire

London Index

The Wards of London

The Wards of London bear the same relation to the City that the Hundred anciently did to the shire. The Wards are twenty-six in number, and are divided into several precincts, each of which returns one common councilman. The common councilmen and Ward officers are elected annually, and the meetings of the aldermen and common council are called Wardmotes.
The wards are: –

• Aldersgate Within
• Aldersgate Without
• Aldgate
• Bassishaw
• Billingsgate
• Bishopsgate Within
• Bishopsgate Without
• Bread-street
• Bridge
• Broad-street
• Candlewick
• Castle Baynard
• Cheap
• Coleman-street
• Cordwainer
• Cornhill
• Cripplegate Within
• Cripplegate Without
• Dowgate
• Farringdon Within (North)
• Farringdon Within (south)
• Farringdon Without
• Langbourn
• Lime Street
• Portsoken
• Queenhithe
• Tower
• Vintry
• Walbrook

Source: A Handbook for London, Past and Present. Peter Cunningham. Published by John Murray 1849.