moorgate

Moorgate was one of the old minor gates of the old London Wall surrounding the City of London, the historic and financial centre of Greater London in the UK. It is named after Moorfields, one of the last pieces of open land in the City and the site of the first hot air balloon flight in England. A wooden gate was first built at the site in 1415, which was then rebuilt in 1472 and improved in 1511, before giving way to a stone gate in 1672. Although this latter gate was demolished in 1761, the name survives as the name of a major street in the heart of the City connecting it with Islington. Several major investment banks and commercial banks congregate in this area; other occupants include Moorhouse, a new office building by Foster and Partners at the corner of Moorgate and London Wall. Also named after Moorgate is Moorgate station, a major terminus for for mainline train services, interchanging with four London Underground lines. On February 28, 1975, a Northern Line tube train terminating at Moorgate failed to stop and crashed into a brick wall beyond a platform, killing 43 people. This resulted in automatic systems for stopping trains at dead-ends being installed on all dead-ends on the Underground. These systems are known as Moorgate control.

History

The earliest descriptions of Moorgate date from the early 15th century, where it was described as only a postern in the City Wall. Saddled between Bishopsgate and Cripplegate and leading to a moor, it was not one of the larger and more important of the City Gates. In 1415 it was enacted by ordinance that the postern be demolised in favour of a new and larger one built to the west of it, with a gate to be shut at night. The resulting wooden gate, which was completed in the same year, was subsequently rebuilt in 1472 and improved in 1511, before giving way to a stone gate in 1672. Damage after the Great Fire of London necessitated the move (Moorgate was rebuilt along with Ludgate, Newgate and Temple Bar), but the gates were by now decorative. Moorgate was demolished along with the other London Wall gates in 1761 and the materials were sold for 166. It was finally demolished in 1762 and the stones repurchased by the Corporation of London to be used, with the stones of the other gates, to support the starlings of the newly widened centre arch of London Bridge.

Moorfields

Main article: Moorfields

In London, the 'Moorfields were one of the last pieces of open land in the City of London. The fields wer (the world's oldest psychiatric hospital), and inside the City boundaries, and Middle and Upper Moorfields (both also open fields) to the north. Much of Moorfields was developed in 1777 and turned into present day Finsbury Square. Moorfields was the site of the first hot air balloon flight in England, when Italian Vincenzo Lunardi took off on 15 September 1784. Today the name survives in the names of a short street parallel with Moorgate (and containing some entrances to Moorgate station) as well as one of the pedestrian "streets" at high level in the Barbican Estate, a major housing estate in the neighbourhood incorporating the Barbican Centre and several major buildings, which is known as and Moorfields Highwalk. In addition, the London Dispensary for curing diseases of the Eye and Ear was founded on the Moorfields in 1805, and evolved to become the present Moorfields Eye Hospital, which is now located on City Road, and is close to Old Street station.

Little Moorgate

Little Moorgate was a postern or gate opposite Little Winchester Street leading into Moorfields. It was taken down by 1755.

Moorgate (street)

The present dual way street of Moorgate runs north from Lothbury near the Bank of England, past London Wall, where the old gate was, then continues north. It is located inside the postal district London EC2. Upon leaving the City and entering the London Borough of Islington it becomes City Road. The street was constructed at around 1846 for the formation of the new approaches to London Bridge. The street is lined with branches and offices of several major commercial banks and investment banks. A campus of London Metropolitan University (formerly belonging to London Guildhall University) is located at 84 Moorgate.

Moorhouse

Moorhouse is a new office building scheduled for opening in 2005, located at the corner of Moorgate with London Wall. Designed by Foster and Partners, the building provides 300,000 square feet of space in 19 storeys, and replaces a building built in the 1960s known as Moor House. The building incorporates part of Crossrail's new station and ticket hall serving Liverpool Street and Moorgate. The development is being undertaken by Moorhouse Property Developments Limited in association with The Moorhouse Limited Partnership - a partnership between Greycoat, Hammerson and Pearl Assurance, with Pearl Assurance advised by Henderson Global Investors. The partnership has entered into a new development agreement and lease with the freeholders, the Corporation of London, to permit the new scheme. In addition the Corporation has made the land available to Crossrail for the ticket hall.

Moorgate Place

Moorgate Place is a small side street branching east out of Moorgate at No. 40. It now connects to another side street known as Swan Alley, in turn connecting to Moorgate. The Chartered Accountants' Hall is located at Moorgate Place.

Moorgate station

Main article: Moorgate station

Moorgate station is a tube and mainline station located on Moorgate, the street of the same name. The tube station is on the Bank branch of the Northern Line between Old Street and Bank, and also on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines, between Barbican and Liverpool Street. The station was named at one time "Moorgate Street". The mainline station is served by Thameslink and WAGN. It is a terminus for suburban WAGN services to Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth.

Moorgate control

Main article: Moorgate control

On February 28, 1975 a Northern Line tube train (on the Northern City Line now used by WAGN) terminating at Moorgate station crashed into a brick wall at the end of the tunnel beyond the platform, killing 43 people, the greatest loss of life on the tube in peacetime. The cause of the incident was never determined. After the incident, automatic systems for stopping trains at dead-ends was introduced into all dead-ends on the tube, regardless of whether the driver gives instruction to halt a train. These are known as Moorgate control systems.

External links

BBC News account of the 1975 crash
Nightmare on Platform Nine, an account 1975 crash by the North London Transport Society
Moorgate station. Official homepage of the station from Metronet.
John Rocque's Map of London - 1746.
Streetmap.co.uk. The map is centred on the Moorgate campus of London Metropolitan University.
BBC nature walks - Roman London and a geological walk of the world.

Moorhouse

References

Books and articles

Lange, D. The Queen's London: A Pictorial and Descriptive Record of the Streets, Buildings, Parks and Scenery of the Great Metropolis. Cassell and Company, London, 1896.
Harris, C. M. What's in a name? The origins of the names of all stations in current use on the London Underground and Docklands Light rail with their opening dates. Midas Books and London Transport, fourth edition, 2001. ISBN 1854142410.
Mills, A. D. Dictionary of London Place Names. Oxford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0198609574.
Rocque, J. Rocque's Map of London. 1746 and 1763.
Harben, H. A. A Dictionary of London. 1918.
Stow, J. Survey of London. 1720 and 1755. 2 volumes.