Curriers' Alley - Cutler Street

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

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

'Curriers' Alley - Cutler Street', in A Dictionary of London, (London, 1918) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/dictionary-of-london/curriers-alley-cutler-street [accessed 17 March 2024]

In this section

Curriers' Alley

East out of Shoe Lane, in Farringdon Ward Without (Leake, 1666-Boyle, 1799).

Mentioned in will of 1630 (Ct. H.W. II. 754).

The site is now occupied by Bride (St.) Street (q.v.).

Currier's Arms Inn Yard

In Fann's Alley, Aldersgate Street (Dodsley, 1761).

Not named in the maps.

Currier's Court, Currier's Row

South out of Ireland Yard, to Green Dragon Court, west of and parallel to St. Andrew's Hill, Blackfriars. In Farringdon Ward Within (L.C.C. List, 1912).

Former names : "Curriers Alley" (Rocque, 1746-Boyle, 1799). "Curriers Row" (Lockie, 1810, to Elmes, 1831).

Shown in Rocque extending to Bristol Street, which portion is now absorbed in Qeuen Victoria Street.

Curriers' Hall

On the south side of London Wall at No. 6 (P.O. Directory). Formerly further south at the southern end of Curriers' Hall Court, London Wall. In Cripplegate Ward Within.

First mention : S. ed. 1598, p. 237.

"Curryers Hall" (O. and M. 1677).

Stow describes it as against the Wall of the City (S. 299).

Burnt in the Great Fire 1666 and rebuilt 1670. New hall erected on a site nearer London Wall in 1874. Architects, Messrs. Belcher. The site of the old hall is now occupied by a warehouse.

Curriers incorporated 1605.

Curriers' Hall Court

South out of London Wall, west of Philip Lane (Lockie, 1810, to Elmes, 1831).

Former name : "Curriors Court" (Strype, ed. 1720, and P.C. 1732).

Named after the hall of the Company.

The site of the Court and the old Hall are now occupied by warehouses.

Curriers' Row

Named after the Curriers who lived here.

See London Wall ; also Currier's Court, Blackfriars.

Curriors' Court

See Curriers' Hall Court.

Cursitor Street

East out of Chancery Lane at No. 38. Only a small portion lies in Farringdon Ward Without, the rest is in the borough of Holborn and the city of Westminster (P.O. Directory).

First mention : Horwood, 1799.

Former name : "Cursitors Alley," 1671 (L. and P. Chas. II. XI. p. 483).

Named from the Cursitor's Office kept there.

Cursitor's Alley

See Cursitor Street.

Cushion Court

East out of Old Broad Street at No. 10, in Broad Street Ward (P.O Directory).

First mention : O. and M. 1677.

Only one house in it in Strype's time (ed. 1720, I. ii. 132).

On or near the site of the old inn or town house of the Abbots of St. Albans.

The name "cushion" was given to an old dance, formerly common at weddings, generally accompanied by kissing.

Perhaps this may be the origin of the name.

Custom House

On the south side of Lower Thames Street. In Tower Ward (P.O Directory).

Erected on this site 1814-17. Architect, David Laing, original centre taken down and present front erected, 1828. Architect, Rob. Smirke.

-The original Custom House further east, was on the site of the house erected by John Churchman in 1382, 6 Rich. II., on the key called "Wool wharf," between tenement of Paule Salisberie east and the lane called the watergate west, the King granting that the tronage of wools should be kept in this house and a counting place for customers, etc. (S. 137, and Cal. P.R. Rich. II. 1381-5, p. 149).

Burnt in the Fire and rebuilt by Wren, burnt again 1714-15 and rebuilt (Strype, 1755, I. 389). Another fire occurred in 1814, when the new building was erected on the present site (See above).

The present building occupies the site of a number of wharves and keys, etc.: Bear Key Stairs ; Bear Quay ; Crown Key ; Dice Key ; Horners Key.

See Custom House and Wool Quays.

Custom House and Wool Quays

South out of Lower Thames Street, east of the Custom House (P.O. Directory).

First mention : O.S. 1848-51.

Former names : "Customers Key" or "Woole wharfe" (S. 1598, ed. p. 37). "Custom House Quay." 1637 (Cal. L. and P. Chas. I. D.S. XI. p. 97, to Elmes, 1831). "New Key" (O. and M. 1677). "Custom House Key" (Rocque, 1746-Horwood, 1799).

In O. and M. 1677, and Strype, 1720 and 1755 eds. the lane running north and south, west of the Custom House is called Custom House Key.

The name has survived from early times, as Wool Wharf was the original designation of this key, on which the old Custom House afterwards stood, before the present building was erected further west.

See Custom House, Custom House Wharf, and Wool Quay.

Custom House Court

West out of Beer Lane. In Tower Ward (O. and M. 1677-Elmes, 1831).

Part of the site was occupied by the Ship Tavern in 1720, with a passage through into Water lane (Strype, I. ii. 53).

Site now occupied by the Custom House.

Custom House Quay

See Custom House and Wool Quays and Custom House Wharf.

Custom House Stairs, East and West

East and west of the Custom House, on the river (O.S. 1894-6). The Stairs East are in Tower Ward. The Stairs West in Billingsgate Ward.

First mention : O.S. 1848-51.

Former names : "Custom House Stairs" (Rocque, 1746-Horwood, 1799), corresponding to Custom House Stairs East.

There are no stairs mentioned on the west side, but Smart's key came down to the river there.

Custom House Wharf

In front of the Custom House, facing the Thames (O.S. 1894-6 ; and Bacon, 1912).

First mention : O.S. 1875.

Former names : Part of "New Key" (O. and M. 1677). "Custom House Quay" (Elmes, 1831-O.S. 1848-51).

Occupies the site of many old keys and wharfs.

See Custom House.

Customer's Key

See Custom House and Wool Quays.

Cusyn's (Peter) Wharf

See Cousin Lane.

Cutellar' Domum

See Cutlers' Hall.

Cutler Street

East out of Houndsditch, and south to Harrow Alley and Gravel Lane. In Portsoken Ward. (P.O. Directory).

Erected c. 1734.

Earliest mention : London Guide, 1758.

Former names : "Scummer Alley." "Woolpack Alley" (O. and M. 1677, to Boyle, 1799). "Woolsack Alley" (Strype, 1720, to Rev. of Lond. 1728).

But from about the middle of the 18th century this name is only given to the eastern end of the street, the western end being named : "Cutlers Street" (Rocque, 1746).

The portion running south to Harrow Alley and Gravel Lane was known as "White Street" from 1746 (Rocque) to July, 1906, when the name was abolished and the whole called Cutler Street.

Arms of the Cutlers' Company on a house in the street facing Houndsditch.

The Company probably owned the street or a great portion of it, hence the name.

Named after the Cutlers' Company.