Well Street - West Fish Street

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

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'Well Street - West Fish Street', in A Dictionary of London, (London, 1918) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/dictionary-of-london/well-street-west-fish-street [accessed 19 April 2024]

In this section

Well Street

South out of Jewin Street to Nicholl Square (P.O. Directory). In Cripplegate Ward Without.

First mention: "Well Street, formerly Crowders' Well Alley" (Harrison, 1776, p.469).

Former name: "Crowders Well Alley" (O. and M. 1677-Chamberlain, 1770).

Numerous Roman coins, of date A.D. 68-161, found here just outside the portion of The wall in St. Giles' Cripplegate Churchyard. Urns also found, one containing bones.

Well Street

In Aldersgate Street (Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Well Yard

South out of Peter's Court, east of the Royal Mint (Rocque, 1746-O.S. 25 in. 1880).

Removed for the erection of the Artizans' Dwellings in Cartwright St., commenced 1884.

Well Yard

North-west out of Little Britain on the east side of St. Bartholomew's Hospital (O. and M. 1677-Elmes, 1831).

"Well Close " in Strype.

Site now covered by St. Bartholomew's Hospital.

Well Yard

South out of Fleet Lane, in Farringdon Ward Without (O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1755).

Site now covered by the London, Chatham and Dover Railway lines.

Well Yard

Within the precincts of the Bank of England, in Coleman Street Ward.

Shown in O.S. 1880.

In the older maps of the 17th and 18th centuries the site is partly occupied by Thapers' Court (q.v.).

Wellclose Square

At Nos. 71 and 72 St. George Street, in the Borough of Stepney, outside the City boundary (P.O. Directory).

Earliest mention: P.C. 1732.

Former names: "Weld Close," 1667 (L. and P. Chas. II. 1667-8, p.143). "Well Close," 1686 (Tomlinson's Hist. of the Minories, p.182). "Well Close," now known as "Marine Square," 1694 (L. and P. Wm. III. Dom. S. V.p. 91, and P.C. 1732).

The name of the close is thus perpetuated in the name of the Square at the present day.

Welleheus (le)

-A tenement so called in parish of St. Sepulchre without Neugate, 1353 (Ct H W. I. 671).

No later reference.

See Welhous (le).

Wellewarf

Regulations as to prices of carts going from Wellewarf to Chepe, 37 Ed. III (Cal L. Bk. G. p.149).

Sharpe says Wool Wharf (q.v.).

Wells (River of)

See River of Wells.

Wenches Yard

In the Minories (Strype, ed. 1755-Dodsley, 1761).

"Winches Yard " (P.C. 1732).

Not named in the maps.

Wendageynes Lane, Wendayenes Lane, Farringdon Street

See Turnagain Lane.

Wendegaynelane

In the parish of All Hallows the Great in the Ropery (Ct. H.W. II. 577, 1477-8).

Former names : "Wendegoslane," 1300-1 (Ct. H.W. I. 149), and 1339 (ib. 435). "Wyndegoslane," 1382 (Cal. P.R. Rich. II. 1381-5, p.164). "Wendegooslane," 1384 (ib. 463). "Wyndegoselane," 1456 (ib. H. VI. I452-61, p.286).

In the last reference the messuage with quay referred to is described as between thc quay called " Esterlyngeshall" west and the tenement late of Barth. Frestlyng east. The reference to Esterlyngeshall, which occupied part of the site of the Steelyard, suggests the identity of the lane with "Wancelineslane" (q.v.) or "All Hallows Lane" (q.v.).

Perhaps the name survived in "Wingoose alley" (q.v.).

The name in its later form suggests that it was a cul-de-sac and not a thoroughfare, to that when one gets to the end, one has to turn back again.

Wendegoslane

See Wendegaynelane.

Werhurgh (St.)

Land and houses of Galfridus de Frowic in parish of St. Margar' apud "Fridaistrete juxta terram Nichol de stanes versus aquilonem" and land and houses near in parish of St. Wereburge and in parish of St. Augustine "ex opposito Tabule ecclesie sancte Wereburge in corn'io sicut itur versus sanctum Paulum et extendit se usque ad terram Galfr' de sce Laur' versus occidentem," C. 1238 (Harl. Ch. 50, E. 32).

Messuage at the corner of Fridaystret opposite the door of the church of " St. Werburga" formerly of John Herlicun, 1249 (Cal. Charter Rolls, I. 339).

"Ecclesia sce Werburg de Frydnystrate," 1277 (515. D. and C. St. Paul's, Press A. Box 66, No.6).

Identified with St. John the Evangelist, Friday Street (q.v.).

John de Sabrichesworth gave a quit-rent of houses within Bisshopesgate in of St. Werburga, 1315 (Ct. H.W. I. 256). See Ethelburga (St.) Bishopsgate.

Dedication to the Mercian saint, Werburga, of the 8th century, at one time of Ely.

Wesleyan Centenary Hall and Missionary Sooiety

On the east side of Bishopsgate at No.24 (P.O. Directory). In Bishopsgate Ward Within. Erected 1839-40. Archt., W. F. Pocock (Welch, p.184). Old City Chambers and Crosby Hall Chambers seem to have occupied the site previously.

West (le)

Mentioned in early records as if there were a district so named in the City: Grant by Alan Bursar to Wm., son of Alice, of the moiety of his land towards "le West" in Queenhithe before St. Michael's church (Anc. Deeds, A. 2429).

In Add. MS. 14252, f. 93 (B.M.) in list of rentals belonging to the City: "De alano balun ii sol. de terra proxima versus West paruo vico medio."-" De johanne de Colemere iiij sol. and viijd. de terra proxima versus 'West' quodam vico media longitudo hs. terre e a tamisia usque ad magnum vicum. "-" Item de eodem xxviijd. de terra proxima versus 'West' a tamisia usque tymberhethe."-" De hospitali sancti Egidii vj sol. and iijd de terra quam asce de coleham tenet juxta predictas terras johannis et saeri versus 'occidentem' inter duas portas."-" De asce de Coleham x sol. de porta juxta terra hospitali iij sol. and de terra proxima versus 'West' xj sol. and de altera porta qua inclusa est xijd."

West Alley

In Shoe Lane (P.C. 1732). Not named in the maps.

West and Cove's Wharf

West of White Friers Dock on the Thames (Horwood, 1799)-Former names: "Lyme Wharf" (O. and M. 1677). "Dung Wharf," Whitefriars (Rocque, 1746).

Removed for the formation of the Thames Embankment.

West Fish Street

In parish of St. Nicholas Coldabbey, 14 Rich. II. (Anc. Deeds, A. 2488).

Probably the western portion of Old Fish Street (q.v.).