Cole Harbour Stairs - College Hill

A Dictionary of London. Originally published by H Jenkins LTD, London, 1918.

This free content was digitised by double rekeying. All rights reserved.

'Cole Harbour Stairs - College Hill', in A Dictionary of London, (London, 1918) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/dictionary-of-london/cole-harbour-stairs-college-hill [accessed 17 March 2024]

In this section

Cole Harbour Stairs

At the south end of Coleharbour in Dowgate Ward (Horwood, 1799-Elmes, 1831).

The wharf seems to have been in existence in the time of Ed. II., as in the earliest references to the estate of Coldharbour, 17 Ed. II., mention is made of the wharf there of Rob. de Hereford to whom the estate then belonged (Cal. L. Bk. E. p. 108).

Colebarbour

See Coldharbour.

Colebrewous (Le)

A void place called "le Colebrewous" to be sold with tenements of John de Westwyk in parish of St. Bartholomew the Less in Bradstret, 1348-9 (Ct. H.W. I. 522).

No later reference.

Colechurch

See Mary (St.) Colechurch.

Colechurch Lane, Colechurch Street

In parish of St. Olave in the Jewry.

Earliest mention : "Colechurch Street," 1246, H. III. (Cal. Charter Rolls, I. 307). "Colechirchelane," 9 Ed. I. 1280 (ib. II. 246).

Stow identifies it with Old Jewry (q.v.), giving in a marginal note the names "Cole-church street or Olde Jury" (p. 279).

Cole-Harbour Lane

See Coldharbour.

Coleman Street

South from Fore Street crossing London Wall to Gresham Street (P.O. Directory). In Coleman Street Ward.

Earliest mention : "Colemnannestrate," (sic.) 1227 (Cal. Charter Rolls, H. III. Vol. I. p. 55.)

Other forms : "Colemanestrat," 1235 (ib. p. 202). "Colemanstrete," 1259 (ib. II. p. 23). "Collemannestrate," 1290 (Ct. H.W. I. 95). "Colmanstrete," 1309-10 (Ct. H.W. I. 211).

In 1666 the street only extended north to London Wall, the northern end to Fore Street being called Moor Court.

In the 13th century it seems to have formed one street with Old Jewry, and to have been called "Colechurch Lane," "Colechurchstrete," or "Colemanstrete," interchangeably.

House at the south-west corner to be pulled down 1760 to widen the thoroughfare (Gent. Mag. Lib. XV. 227).

Kingsford suggests that the name is derived from "Ceolmundingehaga," or farm of Ceolmund near the Westgate mentioned in a charter of Burhred of Mercia, c. 857 (Thorpe, Dip. 118). But this street seems to be too far distant from the Westgate to make this derivation likely.

Riley's suggestion is that the name was derived from the "coalmen" or charcoal burners, who settled there near the Moor (Mem. p. xix.).

The earliest forms suggest an owner's name.

Near the Swan's Nest Public-house, a pit or well full of vessels was found, having an entire depth of 30 ft. (R. Smith, 142). Also a brick pavement at a depth of 20 feet.

Coleman Street Buildings

East out of Coleman Street at No. 72 (P.O. Directory) across Moorgate Street east and then south to Great Swan Alley. In Coleman Street Ward.

First mention : Horwood, 1799, but only the northern portion out of Great Swan Alley, not the western portion to Coleman Street.

Former names : "Bricklington Court" (q.v.). "Coleman's Buildings" (Lockie, 1810-Elmes, 1831).

Coleman Street Ward

One of the twenty-six wards of the City, adjoining Broad Street Ward east and south, Bassishaw Ward west, and Cheap Ward south, extending north to the City boundary.

Earliest mention : "Warda de Colemannestte," 3 Ed. I. (Rot. Hund. I. 411).

Also called "Ward of Robert de Meldeburn" (ib.). See Haconis (Warda).

Named after the street of Coleman Street, which intersects the ward north and south (S. 278).

Churches in the ward : St. Stephen ; St. Olave, Old Jewry ; part of St. Margaret Lothbury.

Interesting localities and buildings : Old Jewry ; Moorfields ; Bank of England. See Wards.

Coleman Street Ward Schools

On the south side of London Wall, at 17 Copthall Avenue and Crosskey Court, London Wall (P.O. Directory). In Broad Street Ward.

Formerly at the northern end of Little Swan Alley (O.S. 1880), facing the back gate of Old Bethlehem Hospital (Maitland, ed. 1775, II. 853).

Served also for Broad Street Ward.

Colemanchurch

It is a little difficult to identify this church with certainty. But the documentary evidence is strongly in favour of identification with All Hallows Coleman-church and St. Katherine Colman, which seem to have been one and the same.

See Katherine (St.) Colman and All Hallows Colemanchurch.

It was in Aldgate Ward, and part of the parish lay in the present Billiter Street, 12 Ed. II. (Anc. Deeds, A. 1993).

Constant references are made to it during the 12th and 13th centuries, as "Colemaneschirche," H. II. (Anc. Deeds, A. 1900), "Colemanchurch," etc., and the latest reference seems to occur in 12 Ed. II., being a grant of shops and garden in "Colemancherch parish" (ib. 1993). From this deed it appears that Belieters lane (Billiter Street) lay to the west of the property with the highway, "que ducit versus Fancherche ad portam que vocatur Alegate" to the south. This would place the property in the parish of St. Katherine Colman. This highway, which must be Fenchurch Street (q.v.), was apparently also known as Colemanstrete.

Colemanhawe

A garden so called in the parish of Holy Trinity the Great belonging to the Convent of Holy Trinity adjoining the tenement of the Master of Hornchurch, 1308 (Anc. Deeds, A. 1495).

Stow says it was from this garden that the church of St. Katherine took the appellation "Colman" (S. 151).

See Katherine (St.) Colman.

Hawe=O.E. "haza"=hedge or encompassing fence-a piece of ground enclosed or fenced in, generally "a yard," " close," or "enclosure" (N.E.D.).

Colemannes

Payments of corn, etc., bound on certain land called Le Grenes C...and "Colemannes" London, 17 Ed. II. (Anc. Deeds, C. 3202).

Not further identified.

Coleman's Buildings

See Coleman Street Buildings.

Coleman's Yard

See Harrow Alley, Houndsditch.

Cole's Buildings

North out of Long Lane, west of Charterhouse Street, in Farringdon Ward Without (Horwood, 1799-L.C.C. List, 1901).

The site has been rebuilt.

Named after the owner or builder.

Cole's Rents

South out of Half Moon Alley, Bishopsgate Street. In Bishopsgate Ward Without (Hatton, 1708-Boyle, 1799).

The site is now occupied by Broad Street Station.

Cole's Yard

East out of Houndsditch, near the middle, with a passage into Petticoat Lane (Middlesex Street).

So called in O. and M. 1677.

The site seems to be covered by "Angel Alley," Houndsditch, in Rocque, 1746.

College Court

In Warwick Lane (Strype, ed. i755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

College Hill

South out of Cannon Street, at No. 60, to Upper Thames Street (P.O. Directory). In Vintry and Cordwainer Wards.

First mention : Leake, 1666.

Former names : "Whytyngton Colledge," Agas, 1570. "La Riole" (q.v.) (1303-4). "Paternosterchurchstreet," 1232 (Cal. Charter Rolls, H. III. I. 167). "Paternosterstret," 1265 (Cal. P.R. H. III. 1258-66, p. 468).

It is interesting to note the various changes of name above set out, forming as it were a chronicle in brief of this street.

Its earliest name Paternosterchurch street commemorated the church, then in all probability its distinguishing feature.

The subsequent name "La Riole" recalls the memory of the foreign merchants assembled there for the purposes of their trade, of whom a great number are said to have imported wine from the town of "La Reole," near Bordeaux (Cal. L. Bk. A. p. 49), and to have named the street in which they resided after their native town. The name appears to have been given in the first instance to one principal messuage or tenement, and only later extended to the whole street.

The present name commemorates the great foundation of Whittington College in the Church of St. Michael Paternoster Royal, 3 H. VI.