Norton Folgate

Norton Folgate sits at a point in London that spent centuries existing outside the standard rules of the city. Starting in the sixteenth century, this small patch of land operated as an extra-parochial liberty, a status that granted its residents a surprising amount of autonomy. Because it was not beholden to the typical church or city authorities, the inhabitants governed their own affairs, appointed their own officials, and managed their own services, including their own watchmen and street lighting. This independence was so ingrained that some locals historically claimed the area never formally surrendered its autonomous political status to the wider government.