Middle Temple Hall - Miles's Lane

Middle Temple Hall

On the west side of Middle Temple Lane, within the Temple precincts (P.O. Directory). Great Hall new built 1572 (S. 404).

One of the largest and most magnificent in England (Strype. ed. 1755, I. 751).

Contains beautiful carved oak screen, etc.

The old Hall stood between Pump Court and Elm Court.

Middle Temple Lane

South out of Fleet Street at No. 3 through the Temple precincts (P.O. Directory). In Farringdon Ward Without. Divides the Middle from the Inner Temple.

First mention : O. and M. 1677.

Middlesex Court

At the north-east corner of Bartholomew Close leading to Little Bartholomew Close, in Farringdon Ward Without (Rocque, 1746-Elmes, 1831).

A narrow dark passage behind No. 61 (Lockie, 1810).

See Middlesex Passage.

Middlesex House

See Middlesex Passage.

Middlesex Passage

From No. 61 to No. 49 Bartholomew Close (P.O. Directory). In Farringdon Ward Without.

First mention : O.S. 1875.

Former name : "Middlesex Court" (Rocque, 1746-Elmes, 1831).

"Middlesex House" formerly stood on the site, described by Strype as an old large building, inclosed within a wall (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 284).

Middlesex Street

North out of Aldgate High Street to Bishopsgate, the northern end of Widegate Street having been absorbed into it. The western side is in Portsoken Ward, the eastern in the parish of St. Mary Whitechapel (P.O. Directory).

Former names : "Hog Lane" (Stow, p. 128), 1603 ed. Forty years previously had hedge rows of elms on both sides. "Pettycoatelane" (2 Chas. I. Midd. Sessions Rolls, III. 13). "Peticote Lane" (Ryther's map. 1608). "Petticoat Lane" (O. and M. 1677. to Lockie, 1810).

Extended as far as Widegate Street only in these maps, etc.

Seems to have been first named Middlesex Street about 1830. Elmes, writing in 1831, says it is now called Middlesex Street, but it is still known as Petticoat Lane in the neighbourhood.

The French weavers settled in this part when they came over in the 17th century owing to the religious persecutions, but their place has been gradually filled by Jews, many of whom are sellers of old clothes, etc., and the street has a low reputation. It has been greatly improved by modern rebuilding and widening.

Widened to 40 ft. between Whitechapel High Street and Wentworth Street in 1883 in connection with clearances made under the Artisans and Labourers' Dwellings' Improvement Acts.

It is interesting to note in connection with the changes that have taken place in London streets and localities that the Spanish ambassador had his house in Middlesex Street in James I.'s reign.

Derivation of names : Hog Lane, Strype suggests, may have been named from the hogs that ran in the fields there (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 22). Bakers were allowed to keep bogs in streets without the City (ib.). The name was probably changed to Petticoat lane as the buildings became more numerous from the sellers of old clothes, etc.

See Sandy's Row.

Mighell's (St.) Lane

See Miles's Lane.

Milborne's Almshouses

See Drapers' Almshouses, Cooper's Row.

Mildmay Chambers

On the west side of Bishopsgate at No. 65, adjoining Union Court (P.O. Directory).

First mention : L.C.C. List, 1912.

Mildred (St.) de Walebroc, upon Walebroke

See Mildred (St.) Poultry.

Mildred (St.) near Conhop

See Mildred (St.) Poultry.

Mildred (St.) Poultry

On the north side of the Poultry at its junction with Mansion House Street (O.S.). In Cheap Ward. The parish extends into Broad Street Ward.

Earliest mention found in records : "Sce Mildrithe," 1175 (Cott. Ch. XI. 52).

Other names and forms : St. Mildred de Walebroc," temp. H. III. (H. MSS. Com. 9th Rep. 22). "S. Miltheldrede upon Walebroc," 1279-80 (Ct. H.W. I. 43). "St. Mildred near Conhop," 1292 (Ct. H.W. I. 107). "Sancta Mildreda in Poletria," 31 Ed. I. (Lib. Cust. I. 229). "St. Mildred upon Walebroke," 1306 (Ct. H.W. I. 182).

So named on account of its situation in the Poultry. The chapel of St. Mary de Coneyhope was annexed to this church.

See Mary (St.) de Coneyhope (Chapel of).

A piece of land lying within the gate of the Scaldynghous and extending to the ditch called "Walbrookdyk" was demised to St. Mildred's for a churchyard, 1420, adjoining the church north, and containing in length from the course of the Walbrook west 45 ft. and in breadth from the church north 35 ft. (Milbourne, p. 4) (Ct. H.W. II. 422).

New built 1457 (S. 264), the new choir standing on the course of Walbrook. Repaired and beautified 1626 (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 30).

Burnt in the Fire and rebuilt 1676, St. Mary Colechurch being united to it. Designed by Sir C. Wren. Cost £4654 (Milbourne, p. 88).

Repaired and beautified 1701 (Strype, ib. 33).

Taken down 1872 and the parish united to St. Olave Jewry.

Stones purchased by Mr. Flytche, taken to Lincolnshire and placed in a field called St. Katherine's Garth near Thorpe Hall, Louth, where had stood an old priory of St. Katherine's. Mr. Flytche's intention was to rebuild on the site a domestic chapel to his house (N. and Q. 5 S. VIII. 105).

A Rectory. Patrons : The Canons of Southwark until the dissolution of the monasteries, temp. H. VIII., then the Crown.

In 1175 Ric. Bishop of Winchester granted to the Canons of Holy Trinity and of St. Mary Southwark annual payments "in ecclesia sancte Mildrithe in capella sancte Marie" (Cott. Ch. XI. 52, B.M.).

St. Mildred was daughter of Merwald of Mercia, son of King Penda, and was consecrated first abbess of Minstre, a monastery founded by her mother in the Isle of Thanet on land given by her father as wergeld for the murder of his wife's brothers. St. Mildred died towards the close of the seventh century, and in 1033 her remains were translated to Canterbury (Milbourne, p. 3).

Mildred (St.), Bread Street

On the east side of Bread Street at No. 38 (P.O. Directory). In Bread Street Ward. The parish extends into Cordwainer and Queenhithe Wards.

Earliest mention : "St. Mudrid in Bredstrate" (1223-52) (Anc. Deeds, A. 1655). "St. Mildred in Brodstred," 1275 (Ct. H.W. I. 20). "St. Mildrid de Bradestte," 1285 (MS. D. and C. St. Paul's, Lib. L. 93). "St. Mildrid in Fyshstrete," 1544 (L. and P. H. II. VIII. XIX. (2), p. 412).

Lord Trenchant a new builder or great benefactor about 1300 (S. 349).

John Shadworth gave the parsonage house, revestry and Churchyard to the parish, 1428 (ib.).

Parsonage house burnt, and rebuilt by Sir John Hawlen, 1485 (ib.). Church repaired and beautified 1628.

Burnt in the Fire and rebuilt, the parish of St. Margaret Moses being united to it (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 201-6).

At the rebuilding an additional piece of ground was added to the site for the enlargement of the church, 1682 (L.C.C. Deeds, Harben Bequest, 1600-1700, No. 47).

A Rectory. Patron : Canons of St. Mary Southwark, afterwards the Crown.

Dedication to St. Mildred, the Kentish saint, Abbess of Minster.

Mildred's (St.) Court

In Bread Street at No. 36, south of the church (Lockie, 1816).

Not named in the maps.

Named after the church.

Mildred's (St.) Court

North out of the Poultry at No. 24 (P.O. Directory). In Broad. Street and Cheap Wards.

First mention : Horwood, 1799.

Former name : "Scalding alley" (q.v.).

Named after St. Mildred's Church Poultry, which it adjoined on the east side of the church. By order of the Vestry, 19th February, 1754 (Milbourne, p. 79).

Mildrithe (Sce)

See Mildred (St.) Poultry.

Miles' Rents

In Powell's Alley, Beach Lane (Strype, ed. 1755-Boyle, 1799).

Not named in the maps.

Named after the owner or builder.

Miles's Lane

South from Arthur Street to No. 130 Upper Thames Street (P.O Directory). Descends out of Arthur Street by steps. In Candlewick Ward and Bridge Ward Within.

Earliest mention : London Guide, 1758.

Former names : "Lane of S. Michael de Candelwicstrate," 1277 (Ct. H.W. I. 28). "Seint Micheleslane," 31 Ed. I. (1303) (Cal. L. Bk. C. p. 192). "St. Michael's Lane," 1309 (ib. 205). "Lane of St. Michael de Crokedlane," 1314 (Ct. H.W. I. 246). "St. Mighells Lane," 1567 (Lond. I. p.m. II. 101).

Until 1831 the street was longer in extent than at present, reaching from Great Eastcheap to Thames Street, the northern portion having been demolished in 1831 for the formation of the approaches to the new London Bridge, this northern portion, when rebuilt, being named Crooked Lane. In Horwood's map of London, 1799, this northern portion is also named "Crooked Lane," but in all the earlier maps, and in Stow's time and previously, "St. Michael's Lane" extended north to Great Eastcheap, Crooked Lane being always shown and described as a turning east out of St. Michael's Lane.

This street was named after St. Michael's Church, its present designation being merely a shortened and corrupted form of its original name "St. Michael's Lane."