The bridge had not indeed intirely re-
covered from its ruinous condition in
1666, whenit again suffered in the ge-
neral conflagration of the city, most of the
buildings being totally consumed, except
a few at the south end, erected in the reign
of King John; and the very stone work
of the bridge was so injured and weakened
by this melancholy event, that it cost the
bridge-house 1500l. to make good the
damage of the piers and arches.

The stone work was, however, no soon-
er secured, than a sufficient number of
tenants offered, who agreed with the
bridge-house for building leases of sixty-
one years, paying to the city the annual
rent of ten shillings per foot running, and
to build in such a form and manner as was
prescribed.  This was carried into execu-
tion with such dispatch, that within five
years the north end was completely fi-
nished, with houses four stories high, and
a street twenty feet broad between side
and side: after which all the old buildings
at the south end were rebuilt in the same
manner.

In the year 1722, the Lord Mayor,

Three years after this order, the gate at
the south end being greatly damaged by a
fire which broke out at a brush-maker's,
and destroyed several of the adjacent
houses, it was built with stone, with two
posterns for the convenience of foot passen-
gers.  This gate was finished at the ex-
pence of the city in the year 1728.

At length the building leases being ex-
pired, the city was sensible of the incon-
venience of not having a footway, which
had occasioned the loss of many lives,
from the number of carriages continually
passing and repassing, projected a plan for
rebuilding the street over the bridge with
colonades on each side, by which foot pas-
sengers might be both secured from the
horses and carriages, and sheltered from
the weather.  Part of this plan was a