Primrose Court - Prisons

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

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'Primrose Court - Prisons', in A Dictionary of London, (London, 1918) pp. . British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/dictionary-of-london/primrose-court-prisons [accessed 18 March 2024]

In this section

Primrose Court

North out of Primrose Street, in Bishopsgate Ward Without (Lockie, 1816).

Not named in the maps.

Primrose Hill

South out of the south-west corner of Salisbury Square at No.17 and west to Whitefriars Street (P.O. Directory). In Farringdon Ward Without.

First mention: Horwood, 1799.

Former name : " Salisbury Court" (q.v.) (Rocque, 1746).

Primrose Street

West out of Bishopsgate (P.O. Directory) In Bishopsgate Ward Without, extending beyond the City boundary into Shoreditch.

Not many houses, the greater part of the street being taken up with the bridge over the North London Railway lines.

First mention: Rocque, 1746.

Former names: " Primrose Alley" (O. and M. 1677-Strype, 1720).

In 1562 the site consisted of a great messuage and 22 gardens formerly belonging to Sir Martin Bowes and devised to the Goldsmiths' Company for the relief of the Ward of Langbourne from payment. of the fifteenths to the King. Some of the property, then Nos. 25 to 35 Primrose Streor, was sold in 1870 and the money invested in Consols (Ct. H.W. II. 679).

Probably named after the owner or builder.

Prince's Court

West out of Coleman Street, then north-west, south of Green Court. In Coleman Street Ward (Horwood, 1799-Elmes, 1831).

It is described in Lockie, 1810, as about fifteen doors from London Wall. This would make it on or adjoining the site of White Horse Yard, now at Nos. 14 and 15, but described in Lockie as at No. 17.

Prince's Court

South out of Throgmorton Street, in Broad Street Ward (O. and M. 1677-Boyle, 1799).

Near Princes Street (Hatton, 1708).

The site is now occupied by the Bank of England.

Prince's Court

On Little Tower Hill (W. Stow, 1722-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Prince's Street

In Blackfriars (Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps and not further identified.

Prince's Street

North out of Barbican to Bridgwater Square (P. C. 1732-1885).

In Strype's maps only just formed and called "Passage to ye Square."

Name changed to Bridgewater Street (q.v.) in 1885.

Prince's Street

On the west side of the Bank of England, south from No. I Bank Buildings, Lothbury, to No. 1 Threadneedle Street (P.O. Directory). In Broad Street, Cheap and Coleman Street Wards.

First mention: Leake, 1666.

Sir Nathaniel Herne's house occupied part of the site in 1677.

The original course of this street as shown in the maps of the 17th and 18th centuries was not straight as now, but zigzag, and it ran first north-west and then turned north-east, so that it entered Lothbury further east than at present.

Its course was altered for the enlargement and extension of the Bank of England in the early part of the 19th century

Dodsley, 1761, says it was built after the Fire by Act of Parliament and was called by this name before it was erected.

Wooden piles have been found under this street, apparently belonging to the ancient embankment of Walbrook, also pottery, etc. (Arch. XXVII. 143, and R. Smith, Illus. p. 141). The soil at a depth of 30 ft. was black, impregnated with animal and vegetable matter, similar to that found under London Wall at Finsbury, but not so deep.

Prince's Street, Rosemary Lane

North out of Rosemary Lane (Royal Mint Street), near the eastern boundary of the Ward (Horwood, 1799-Elmes, 1831).

Former name: "Blue Boar Court " (P.C. 1732-Boyle, 1799).

Site occupied before 1848 by the goods' depot of the Great Northern Railway (O.S. 1848-51).

Prince's Wardrobe (The)

Messuage and orchards, etc., in parish of St. Olave in the Old " Jure," called the " Prynces Wardrobe," 6 Eliz. (1564) (Lond. I. p.m. II. 25).

It seems to have occupied the site of houses formerly belonging to the Jews at the north-west corner of Old Jewry and to have been called "the King's palace in the olde Jewrie," 16 H. VI., and in Stow's youth, "the old Wardrope" (S. 284).

Perhaps it was identical with the palace of the principality (of Wales) in the Old Jewry, mentioned 1 H. VI. 1423 (Cal. P.R. H. VI. 1422-9, p.64).

The site is now occupied by offices and chambers.

Printer's Square

See Printing House Square.

Printer's Street

North out of East Harding Street, in Farringdon Ward Without (L.C.C. List, 1912, and Bacon, 1912).

First mention: Horwood, 1799.

Printing House Lane

East out of Water Lane, Blackfriars, in Farringdon Ward Within (P.O. Directory).

First mention: O. and M. 1677.

Called " Printing House Street" in Rocque, 1746.

A passage to the Queen's Printing House" (Hatton, 1708). Or Printer's Street (P.C. 1732).

Printing House Square

At the east end of Printing House Lane, Water Lane, Blackfriars (P.O. Directory). In Farringdon Ward Within. Within the precinct of the Blackfriars.

First mention : Lockie, 1810.

Former names: "Printers Square" (Horwood, 1799). "Printing House Yard" (Rocque, 1746, and Strype).

The King's Printing House " occupied the site in O. and M.1677, and hence the name.

"Times Printing House" and Offices here now.

A portion of the Roman Wall was found under the Times' Office in 1849 (Journal Brit. Arch. Assoc. V.155).

Printing House Street

East out of Water Lane and north to Printing House Square (Strype, ed. 1720 and 1755).

The northern portion so named in Rocque, 1746.

Seems to be called " Charles Street" in O. and M.1677.

See Earl Street.

The greater part of the site is now occupied by Queen Victoria Street.

Printing House Yard

By White's Alley, Coleman Street.

Named from a large printing house for woollens there (Dodsley, 1761).

Not named in the maps.

Printing House Yard, Blackfriars

See Printing House Square.

Printing Street

South from Huish Court and Bristow Street to Earl Street. In Farringdon Ward Within (Horwood, 1799).

" Printing House Street " in Strype.

Removed for the formation of Queen Victoria Street.

Prisons

Eight enumerated by Strype: "The Gate House" (q.v.), "The Fleet," Compters of the Poultry and Wood Street," "Ludgate," "The Marshalsea," " Kings Bench," " White Lion " (I. 269).

"The Marshalsea" was in Southwark, See "Francheprison."

Many of the City Gates were also used as prisons.