Stepney Areas

 

Shadwell

A major status stone building with marble floor and underfloor heating from the Roman period was discovered in late 2002 by archaeologists in Shadwell. Shadwell is a about 1 mile from the City walls and one quarter of a mile north of the Thames. The stone building had 5 foot high walls and covered 10 rooms.

The whole site includes timber framed buildings, clay and plaster walls and traces of wall paintings. Finds include pottery, coins and hairpins. (Extracted from the Daily Telegraph dated 23 March 2003.)

By the 17th century Shadwell was providing a variety of industries concerned with marine and river life. Roperies, breweries tanning yards, taverns and wharves supplied the ships and watermen and mariners lived there.

In 1684 Lady Ivy, the widow of Sir Thomas Ivy, made claim on 7 acres of land in Shadwell. She claimed the deeds were drawn in about 1555-6. Judge Jeffreys treid the case and it was proved to a jury that the deeds were forged. The error made in drawing them up were not in the style of the time they were supposed to have been written. (Details extracted from The Mammoth Book of Historical Whodunnits, foreward by Ellis Peters, Edited by Mike Ashley. Published by Robinson, London. Printed by Harper Collins.1993 ISBN I-85487-229-X)

Thomas Jefferson, one of America's Presidents, was born in Shadwell.

In 1885 Shadwell Fish Market opened. It covered a four and a half acres site and was one and a half miles from Billinsgate.

See also Edward Bradway   of Shadwell.