Liberty of Westminster

The City and Liberty of Westminster was an independent liberty, located to the west of the City of London in the county of Middlesex.

Following the dissolution of Westminster Abbey, a court of burgesses (the Westminster Court of Burgesses) was formed in 1585 to govern the Westminster area, previously under the Abbey's control. The City and Liberties of Westminster were further defined by Letters Patent in 1604, and the court of burgesses and liberty continued in existence until 1900, and the creation of the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster. The court of burgesses (or court leet) was headed by the High Steward of Westminster Abbey, who was usually a prominent national politician. He appointed a high bailiff, who served for life, and performed most of the functions usually exercised by a high sheriff of a county. The city and liberty were divided into wards, each with a burgess and assistant burgess, this arrangement being adopted from the system then used in the City of London. The burgesses chose two head burgesses, one for the city and one for the liberty, who ranked next after the high bailiff. A high constable was appointed by the court leet, under whom was a force of constables. These were absorbed by the Metropolitan Police in 1829.

Following the dissolution of the court of burgesses in 1900, a link has been retained to the old corporation, as the Lord Mayor of Westminster is ex officio Deputy High Steward of Westminster Abbey.[5]

The Liberty returned two members to parliament.

Constituent parishes and other areas
The borough and city of Westminster consisted of:


 * The combined parishes of Westminster St Margaret and St John
 * The extra-parochial Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter
 * The liberty consisted of:


 * The parish of St Martin in the Fields; later divided into St Anne Within the Liberty of Westminster, St George Hanover Square, St Paul Covent Garden and St James
 * The parish of St Clement Danes (part)
 * The parish of St Mary-le-Strand
 * The Precinct of the Savoy
 * The extra-parochial St James's Palace
 * Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster
 * Privy Gardens (also known as Whitehall Gardens)
 * Verge of the Palaces of St James and Whitehall (also known as Whitehall)