Biggin Street and Biggin Gate
The ancient history of Biggin Street is mainly associated with the Maison Dieu at the one end, and Biggin Gate at the other, both built about the same period – in the early part of the 13th century,. Incidental references to the Gate are made in several documents in the possession of the Dover Corporation, and, from one of them, it appears that Biggin Gate was a little down Cannon Street than is usually supposed, the site of the Rose Inn being outside it. This is made clear by a deed signed by Mr Thomas Pepper, the Mayor, on behalf of the Corporation on the 15th June 1566, letting to Thomas Challice, blacksmith, on lease, part of the lane, (namely New Street) next Biggin Gate, with power to build on the town wall and on the lane to a width of 12ft., and to the length of 48ft., from the house Thomas Challice, it being stipulated that a sufficient cartway of 7ft,. should be left open. From the bearings, which the deed minutely gives, it appears that the house and forge of Challice stood where the Rose Inn was located – on the corner of New Street. The site is now occupied by the offices of a building society.
The forge projected further into the street than the Rose Inn, the street being much narrower than it is today. This forge under the town wall, being the first house on the south-west side of Biggin Street, formed a curious link in a succession of town forges. There was, in 1342, the forge of William of Kenartone, adjoining the cemetery of St. Peter in the Market Place; then, in 1566 there was Challice’s forge adjoining Biggin Gate; about 220 years later we hear of Hatton’s forge, which remained at Priory Street corner until 1876. Later there was another town forge, that of Isaacson and Mason, in the little wayside chapel of St. Edmond in Priory Road.
No one ever thought it worthwhile to preserve any pictorial representation of Biggin Gate; but several isolated bits of information may be culled from the Dover records concerning it. In May, 1613, the following entry appears in the Corporation minutes: “Yt is now thought mette that the gatehouse over the Biggin Gate shall be converted to a prison wherein some of the better fforreyners to be committed as in the discretion of the Major and Jarrett’s for the time being shall be thought mette. Ad the present order is taken for the making of a pair of steares to the same, with such other necessaryes as shall be needful.” It appears that there were no better sort of “fforreyners” to occupy the gate-house, for, in the year of 1636, there was a Corporation minute, dated November 14th, granting the use of the gate-house to a Dover company of shoemakers, glovers, saddlers, collar-makers, and cobblers.
This company of workers in leather, of whom James Cullen was the Master, granted a lease of the gate-house for 21 years at a rent of one shilling a year, for their meetings on all occasions, and for no other purpose, and they were given liberty to dig down part of the town wall to make a pair of stairs up to the room, hence it appears that the Corporation’s order for a “pair of steares” to be made, in the year 1613, had never been carried out. It also seems doubtful whether the Company of Leatherworkers ever thought it worth their while to dig down the town wall and make a pair of stairs, for in 1653, five years before their lease would have run out, the gate was restored by order of Mr. Edward Prescott, the Mayor. Thirty-six years later, the Corporation were in financial difficulties owing to their having to pay to the Crown £141 19s 8d for the renewal of their Charter; and to meet the liabilities. In 1686, they had “a sale by the candle” – 1 17th century form of auction – and, among other lots offered for sale, was the loft over Biggin Gate. Money was generally scarce in Dover during the dismal reign of James II, and it is probable that the candle burnt out before a bid was obtained for the gate-house, for it appears to have continued to be the property of the Corporation, who ordered it to be taken down in the year 1762.
There have been many suggestions as to the derivation of the name of this street which runs from the Maison Dieu to the site of the old Biggin Gate near St. Mary’s Church. The Rev. Canon Puckle ventured the opinion that the name derived from the Beguines, a Sisterhood originated in Germany, who are supposed to have associated with the Master and Brethren of the Maison Dieu. Seeing that there is no record of the Beguines having ever existed in England, the suggestion does not seem to meet the case. It is not necessary to go abroad for a derivation, for in our own country, and even in our own county, the name Biggin is fairly common. In Kent, there is Biggin Heath at Lenham, and Biggin Hill at Wrotham. In the north of England there are four places called Biggin, and eight called New Biggin, as well as a street in York called Biggin Gate. Possibly, the origin of the name of all these places is the word “biggin,” from a Saxon root, meaning “to build.” Dover’s Biggin Ward was mentioned in documents as early as 1286. Biggin Street, when first named according to the deeds now extant, was margined more by land than houses, therefore, the idea intended to be conveyed might have been that that was the district where building was in progress, not only in the street, but also at the two great establishments in the Priory and Maison Dieu.
The Maison Dieu.
The remaining part of ancient Biggin Street to be noticed is the Maison Dieu, or, to adopt the style of ancient times, the Domus Dei, for the great establishment at the head of Biggin Street, was always referred to under the Latin name until after the dissolution of the confraternity of Master and Brethern by Henry VIII, after which it was referred to as the Maison Dieu.