Black Dog Alley - Black Horse Yard

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

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'Black Dog Alley - Black Horse Yard', in A Dictionary of London, (London, 1918) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/dictionary-of-london/black-dog-alley-black-horse-yard [accessed 17 March 2024]

In this section

Black Dog Alley

In East Smithfield (P.C. 1732-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Black Dog Alley

East out of Seething Lane, between Green Arbour Court and Black Raven Court. In Tower Ward (Strype, 1720-55).

Former name : "Black Boy Alley" (O. and M. 1677-Review of London, 1728).

"Black Raven Court" (q.v.) seems to occupy part of the site in the O.S. etc.

The site is now covered by Mark Lane Station.

Name derived from the sign.

Black Friars

A house of Dominican Friars near Ludgate on the site known later as the precinct of Blackfriars.

Founded in 1221, by Hubert de Burgh, who gave the Friars land in Holborn for their house. Gift confirmed to the Canons of the Preaching Friars in 1224 by John Bokointe (Duchy of Lanc. Anc. Deeds, L.S. 59). In 46 Hen. III. licence was granted to them to enclose a lane for the enlargement of their house in Holborn (I. p.m. 42).

In 1278 the Friars received a grant of the site of Castle Baynard for the erection of a church and cloister and other buildings (Cal. Chart. R. II. 211), and the old site in Holborn was sold to Henry de Laci, earl of Lincoln (Cal. P.R. Ed. I. 1279-88, p. 428).

Permission was given to the Friars to pull down a portion of the City wall for the erection of their house, and in 1283-4 the King directed that the wall should be rebuilt by the City (Cal. L. Bk. B. p. 56) outside the Friars' precincts.

In 1294 a quay was in course of construction on the Thames at their house (Cal. Close R. 1288-96, p. 373).

By 1315 the City wall was still incomplete and customs were granted by the King in aid of the work, so that it might be completed, between the river Flete and the house of the Preaching Friars as far as the Thames, and also for the erection of a new turret adjoining the wall (Cal. L. Bk. E. 63).

The site of the monastery comprised the small parish church of St. Ann, the splendid coventual church, the churchyard and cloisters, the chapter house and priory buildings, and extended from the Wall of London and Bridewell Ditch west to Puddle Dock east and from the Thames north to the Wall of London, just south of Ludgate Hill.

It is frequently referred to in records as used for public purposes.

Divers Parliaments met there and the Emperor Charles V. was lodged there in 1522 (S. 341).

It was surrendered to the King 30 H. VIII. and portions of the site were granted by him to various persons. The site of the priory was given by Ed. VI. to Thomas Cawardine in 1549-50, and a description of the house and precinct with measurements is given in the Inquisition, 2 Eliz., taken at his death (Lond. I. p.m. I. 191).

There was an Anker's cell within the precincts.

The special privileges granted to the monastery continued to be enjoyed by the inhabitants living within the precincts of the Black Friars for many years after the dissolution of the monastery and the destruction of the conventual buildings, etc., and were abolished until 1735.

The famous Blackfriars theatre was erected on part of the site about 1596, in spite of protests from some of the inhabitants (L. and P. Ed. VI. iv. 310), but pulled down 1655, and the site converted into tenements.

The Times newspaper office now occupies a considerable portion of the site, besides numerous streets, as Printing House Square, Glasshouse Yard, Playhouse Yard, Ireland Yard.

There is an interesting Survey of the Blackfriars, made in 1548, amongst the Loseley MSS. catalogued in H. MSS. Com. 7th Rep. and printed in Gent. Mag. Lib. XV. pp. 48 et seq.

In 1900 some remains of the priory of 13th-century work were brought to light between Friar Street and St. Anne's churchyard (Lond. Topog. Rec. I. 1).

Black Horse Alley

East out of Golden Lane. In Cripplegate Ward Without (O. and M. 1677).

Site now occupied by offices and business houses.

Black Horse Alley

See Black Horse Court, Minories.

Black Horse Alley

North out of Fore Street. In Cripplegate Ward Without (O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1755).

The site is now occupied by offices and business houses.

In Rocque, 1746, the site seems to be occupied by Green Lettice Court.

Black Horse Alley, Aldersgate Street

See Black Horse Court.

Black Horse Alley, Barbican

South out of Barbican, in Cripplegate Ward Without (Rocque, 1746-Boyle, 1799).

The site seems now to be occupied by Jacob's Well. See Jacob's Well Passage.

Black Horse and Hare Inn

South out of Hart Street, with a passage into Fell Street (Strype, ed. 1720 and 1755). In O. and M. "Ship Yard" (q.v.).

Not named in the other maps.

Black Horse Court

West out of Aldersgate Street in Aldersgate Ward Without, south of Long Lane (Rocque, 1746-Boyle, 1799).

First mention : "Black Horse Alley" (O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1755).

Black Horse Court

West out of Old Change, in Castle Baynard Ward (O. and M. 1677-Boyle, 1799).

The site is now occupied by offices and business houses.

Black Horse Court, Minories

West out of the Minories about the middle. In Portsoken Ward (O. and M. 1677-Boyle, 1799).

In Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 28 and map of Portsoken Ward, Black Horse Alley is shown further south, on the site of Crown Alley, Minories (q.v.).

The western side of the Minories seems to have been largely rebuilt towards the end of the 18th century, and many small courts were removed at that time. See Nag's Head Alley, Minories.

Black Horse Inn

On the west side of Water Lane, Whitefriars, in Farringdon Ward Without (O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1755).

See Black Lion Inn.

Black Horse Inn

See Brushfield Street.

Black Horse Stables

West out of Minories, at its southern end (Rocque, 1746). In Portsoken Ward.

Site has been rebuilt.

Black Horse Yard

East out of Little Britain at No.30, four doors north of Cox's Court (Strype, ed. 1755-Lockie, 1816).

Not named in the maps.

Black Horse Yard

In Gravel Lane, Houndsditch (Strype, 1755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Black Horse Yard

East out of Crutched Friars. In Aldgate Ward (O. and M. 1677-1799).

seems to be called "Horse and Trumpet Yard," in Rocque, 1746.

Site occupied by warehouses, etc.

Black Horse Yard

On Tower Hill (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Black Horse Yard

See Black Horse Alley, Yard.

Black Horse Yard

In Pickaxe Street (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.