Lord Orford has in one of his letters projected a curious work to be
written in a walk through the streets of the metropolis, similar to a
French work, entitled "Anecdotes des Rues de Paris." I know of no such
work, and suspect the vivacious writer alluded in his mind to Saint
Foix's "Essais Historiques sur Paris," a very entertaining work, of
which the plan is that projected by his lordship. We have had Pennant's
"London," a work of this description; but, on the whole, this is a
superficial performance, as it regards manners, characters, and events.
That antiquary skimmed everything, and grasped scarcely anything; he
wanted the patience of research, and the keen spirit which revivifies
the past. Should Lord Orford's project be carried into execution, or
rather should Pennant be hereafter improved, it would be first necessary
to obtain the original names, or the meanings, of our streets, free from
the disguise in which time has concealed them. We shall otherwise lose
many characters of persons, and many remarkable events, of which their
original denominations would remind the historian of our streets.
I have noted down a few of these modern misnomers, that this future
historian may be excited to discover more.
_Mincing-lane_ was _Mincheon-lane_; from tenements pertaining to the
Mincheons, or nuns of St. Helen's, in Bishopsgate-street.
_Gutter-lane_, corrupted from _Guthurun's-lane_; from its first owner, a
citizen of great trade.
_Blackwall-hall_ was _Bakewell's-hall_, from one Thomas Bakewell; and
originally called _Basing's-haugh_, from a considerable family of that
name, whose arms were once seen on the ancient building, and whose name
is still perpetuated in _Basing's-lane_.
_Finch-lane_ was _Finke's-lane_, from a whole family of this name.
_Thread-needle-street_ was originally _Thrid-needle-street_, as Samuel
Clarke dates it from his study there.
_Billiter-lane_ is a corruption of _Bellzetter's-lane_, from the first
builder or owner.
_Crutched-friars_ was _Crowched_ or _Crossed-friars_.
_Lothbury_ was so named from the noise of founders at their work; and,
as Howell pretends, this place was called _Lothbury_, "disdainedly."
_Garlick-hill_ was _Garlicke-hithe_, or _hive_, where garlick was sold.
_Fetter-lane_ has been erroneously supposed to have some connexion with
the _fetters_ of criminals. It was in Charles the First's time written
_Fewtor-lane_, and is so in Howell's "Londinopolis," who explains it
from "_Fewtors_ (or idle people) lying there as in a way leading to
gardens." It was the haunt of these _Faitors_, or "mighty beggars." The
_Faitour_, that is, a _defaytor_, or _defaulter_, became _Fewtor_; and
in the rapid pronunciation, or conception, of names, _Fewtor_ has ended
in _Fetter-lane_.
_Gracechurch-street_, sometimes called _Gracious-street_, was originally
_Grass-street_, from a herb-market there.
_Fenchurch-street_, from a fenny or moorish ground by a river side.
_Galley-key_ has preserved its name, but its origin may have been lost.
Howell, in his "Londinopolis," says, "here dwelt strangers called
_Galley-men_, who brought wines, &c. in _Galleys_."
"_Greek-street_," says Pennant, "I am sorry to degrade into
_Grig-street_;" whether it alludes to the little vivacious eel, or to
the merry character of its tenants, he does not resolve.
_Bridewell_ was _St. Bridget's-well_, from one dedicated to Saint Bride,
or Bridget.
_Marybone_ was _St. Mary-on-the-Bourne_, corrupted to _Marybone_; as
_Holborn_ was _Old Bourn_, or the Old River; _Bourne_ being the ancient
English for _river_; hence the Scottish _Burn_.
_Newington_ was _New-town_.
_Maiden-lane_ was so called from an image of the Virgin, which, in
Catholic days, had stood there, as Bagford writes to Hearne; and he
says, that the frequent sign of the _Maiden-head_ was derived from "our
Lady's head."
_Lad-lane_ was originally _Lady's-lane_, from the same personage.
_Rood-lane_ was so denominated from a Rood, or Jesus on the cross, there
placed, which was held in great regard.
_Piccadilly_ was named after a hall called _Piccadilla-hall_, a place of
sale for _Piccadillies_, or _turn-overs_; a part of the fashionable
dress which appeared about 1614. It has preserved its name uncorrupted;
for Barnabe Rice, in his "Honestie of the Age," has this passage on "the
body-makers that do swarm through all parts, both of London and about
London. The body is still pampered up in the very dropsy of excess. He
that some fortie years sithens should have asked after a _Pickadilly_, I
wonder who would have understood him; or could have told what a
_Pickcadilly_ had been, either fish or flesh."[120]
Strype notices that in the liberties of Saint Catharine is a place
called _Hangmen's-gains_; the traders of _Hammes_ and _Guynes_, in
France, anciently resorted there; thence the strange corruption.
_Smithfield_ is a corruption of _Smoothfield_; smith signifies smooth,
from the Saxon ʃmeð. An antiquarian friend has seen it designated in a
deed as _campus planus_, which confirms the original meaning. It is
described in Fitz Stephen's account of London, written before the
twelfth century, as a plain field, both in reality and name, where
"every Friday there is a celebrated rendezvous of fine horses, brought
hither to be sold. Thither come to look or buy a great number of earls,
barons, knights, and a swarm of citizens. It is a pleasing sight to
behold the ambling nags and generous colts, proudly prancing." This
ancient writer continues a minute description, and, perhaps, gives the
earliest one of a horse-race in this country. It is remarkable that
_Smithfield_ should have continued as a market for cattle for more than
six centuries, with only the change of its vowels.
This is sufficient to show how the names of our streets require either
to be corrected, or explained by their historian. The French, among the
numerous projects for the moral improvement of civilised man, had one,
which, had it not been polluted by a horrid faction, might have been
directed to a noble end. It was to name streets after eminent men. This
would at least preserve them from the corruption of the people, and
exhibit a perpetual monument of moral feeling and of glory, to the
rising genius of every age. With what excitement and delight may the
young contemplatist, who first studies at Gray's Inn, be reminded of
_Verulam_-buildings!
The names of streets will often be found connected with some singular
event, or the character of some person; and _anecdotes of our streets_
might occupy an entertaining antiquary. Not long ago, a Hebrew, who had
a quarrel with his community about the manner of celebrating the Jewish
festival in commemoration of the fate of Haman, called _Purim_, built a
neighbourhood at Bethnal-green, and retained the subject of his anger in
the name which the houses bear, of _Purim_-place. This may startle some
theological antiquary at a remote period, who may idly lose himself in
abstruse conjectures on the sanctity of a name, derived from a
well-known Hebrew festival; and, perhaps, in his imagination be induced
to colonise the spot with an ancient horde of Israelites!