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was laid June 27, 1836, and the hall re-opened July 27, 1842, for a Literary and Scientific Institution.

CURTAIN ROAD.

The road which runs parallel with Shoreditch, from Worship Street to Old-street Road, is thus denominated from one of the earliest theatres being here. The Curtain theatre was erected on that part of the Haliwell priory called the curtain close, from which its name was derived, and not, as is generally supposed, from a striped curtain hung round the playhouse. Curtis monasterii, and Curtis cenobii, signify the inner court or cloisters of a monastery.-See ante, p. 87.

DEVONSHIRE SQUARE.

Devonshire Square, Bishopsgate, derives its name from the mansion formerly there, the residence of the Devonshire family.

DUKE'S PLACE.

Duke's Place, in the city, the great resort of the Jews, took its name from Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk, who had his residence here, and was beheaded in 1572.

DRURY LANE.

Near this place stood Drury-house, the habitation of the great family of the Drurys-built by Sir William Drury, K. G., from which it derived its appellation. It is remarkable that this lane, of later times so notorious for intrigue, should receive its title from a family name, which, in the language of Chaucer, had an amorous signification—

"Of bataille and of chevalrie,

Of lady's love and druerie,
Anon I woll you tell."

EAST-CHEAP.

East-Cheap, from Chepe, a Market, and East, the aspect it bears to Cheapside. This street was famous in old times for its convivial doings. "The cookes cried-hot ribbes of beef roasted, pies well baked, and other victuals. There was clattering of pewter pots, harpe, pipe, and sawtrie," evident symptoms of the jollity of this quarter. Here, too, was the celebrated "Boar's Head," the resort of Prince Hal and his pot companion, Falstaff.

EXETER CHANGE.

This place received its name from being built on the site of the old mansion-house of the Earls of Exeter. In the ancient

plans of London, the original house covered a large space, and had its quadrangles, towers, and turrets, in the style of Burleighhouse, the country residence of the Marquis of Exeter. It was erected for the purposes of trade, and consisted of three floors. The upper ones, which are spacious, have been the scenes of many interesting exhibitions. The last tenant of the upper rooms was Mr. Cross, with his menagerie; and there, in March 1826, Chunee, the famous elephant, was shot. Exeter Change was taken down in 1829. The present Exeter Change is a modern structure, between Bridges Street in the Strand, and Upper Wellington Street.

EXETER HALL, STRAND.

This has been erected on the site of the old Exeter Change, and is distinguished for its musical assemblies, as well as for its religious meetings, in May. The hall was completed in 1831, the architect J. P. Deering; and its magnificent organ was built by Mr. Walker. The great hall is 90 feet broad, 138 long, and 48 wide, and will accommodate about 4000 persons.

FETTER LANE.

This lane was formerly called Fewter Lane, from the name of Fewters (idle people), it having been a way leading to gardens and waste grounds, extending from this lane to Shoe Lane.

FINSBURY SQUARE.

Finsbury is supposed to be a corruption from Fens-bury, from that locality being originally a large Fen. Fitzstephen, however, says it took its name from Sir William Finnes, a knight of Rhodes (A.D. 1044), who left the fields of Finsbury to his two daughters, who subsequently became nuns in the monastery of Bedlam, afterwards an hospital. The chief magistrate of the metropolis is Mayor of London, and Lord of the Manor of Finsbury.

FLUDYER STREET.

Fludyer Street, near to Downing Street, derives its name from Sir Samuel Fludyer, Lord Mayor of London, about the year 1740; he having built it in 1766.

FORSTER LANE.

This lane derives its name from Sir Stephen Forster, knight, some time Lord Mayor of London, and the founder of the privileges of Ludgate prison, himself having been a prisoner there, from whence he was released by a lady whom he afterwards

married, and on which circumstance was founded the play of "The Widow of Cornhill ;" or, "a Woman never Vext."

FORE STREET.

This street was so denominated, because it was the first street built without the walls of Cripplegate. The present street was built in 1761.

FISH-STREET HILL.

This hill or street is thus denominated from its originally being principally occupied by dealers in dried or salt fish. Here stands the Monument erected to commemorate the great fire of London.

FLEET STREET.

This street, Fleet market, and the Fleet prison, all derive their name from a small river or ditch, called the Fleet from its rapidity, which flowed up from the Thames. It was at length arched over, and New Bridge-street and Fleet market formed thereon. 66 'Friday, September 30, 1737, the stalls, &c., in Stock's market (now where the Mansion-house stands) being pulled down, the Lord Mayor proclaimed Fleet market as a free market." This was removed to the west of its old site in November 1826, and is now called Farringdon Market; and the site of the old one is now Farringdon Street.

FENCHURCH STREET.

This locality was formerly denominated Fenny-a-bout, from being a very marshy situation. There were several brooks or bournes also, which emptied themselves into the Thames.

GOODMAN'S FIELDS.

Mansel, Prescott, Leman, and Ayliffe Streets, with a few smaller streets and courts in the vicinity, comprise what is called Goodman's Fields. Stow writes, that he remembers it a farm belonging to the Minoresses* of St. Clare, who gave a name to the neighbouring street called the Minories. "At which farme," says Stow, "I myself, in my youth, have fetched many a halfpennie worth of milke, and never had less than three ale pints for a halfpennie in the summer, nor less than one ale quart in the wintre, always hot from the kine, as the same was milked and strained." One Trollop, and afterwards Goodman, were the farmers there; the latter, having purchased the farm and fields, so increased his property, that he had thirty or forty cows for *See Minories.

milking. Farmer Goodman's son afterwards letting out the ground for grazing horses, and for gardens, the name of Goodman's farm was entirely lost in that of Goodman's Fields, which it retains notwithstanding all the changes it has undergone.

The backs of the houses of the four streets above named, form a large square called the Tenter Ground, having formerly been used by a dyer; it was afterwards converted into a handsome garden, in which state it continued until the idle threat of invasion set the whole country marching and countermarching. Harnessed and armed, big with valorous loyalty, the garden of the Tenter Ground became the field of Mars, and the spring and summer flowers yielded to the flowers of chivalry.

GREAT WARDROBE STREET.

This street takes its name from the royal mansion called the Great Wardrobe, which formerly stood in Wardrobe-Coat, Great Carter Lane.

GREEN PARK.

This park receives its appellation simply from its verdure continuing green throughout the year, numbers of springs being on the spot. It was once much larger than it is at the present time, George III. having reduced it in 1767, to enlarge the gardens of Old Buckingham House.

GERARD-STREET.

The name of this street is derived from Gerard House, the residence of Gerard, the gallant Earl of Macclesfield. It was built about 1681.

GOLDEN SQUARE.

Pennant says, Golden Square was formerly Gelding Square, from the sign of a neighbouring inn; but the inhabitants, indignant at the vulgarity of the name, changed it to the present. Mr. Cunningham, however, in his Hand-Book of London, shows it to have been called The Golden Square as early as 1688.

GILTSPUR STREET.

This way towards Smithfield was anciently called Gilt-Spurre street, because of the knights, who, in quality of their honour, wore Gilt Spurs, and who rode that way to the tournaments, joustings, and other feats of arms used in Smithfield.

GRACECHURCH STREET.

By referring to Stow, or looking into any of the old accounts of London, it will be found that this was a Grass Market, and

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which in course of time was called Gracious Street, and ultimately Gracechurch Street.

GARLIC HILL.

This locality derives its name from the Garlic market being originally in the vicinity.

HATTON GARDEN.

This locality derives its name from Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and Christopher Hatton, his godson, created Baron Hatton of Kirby, in the county of Northampton.

HOUNDSDITCH.

Houndsditch was formerly a filthy ditch, into which was thrown dead dogs and all manner of filth-hence its present name. Into it was thrown a worthy deserving of no better sepulture, Edric, the murderer of his master, Edmund Ironside, after having been drawn by his heels from Baynard's castle, and tormented to death by flaming torches.

HOLBORN.

Holborn, originally called Old-bourne, from its standing on a brook. A bourne signifies a brook, and is a common termination of English towns and streets. This street was the first in London that was paved; this was in the year 1417, by order of Henry IV.

HUNGERFORD STAIRS, MARKET, &c.

Hungerford Stairs, &c., so called from the Earls of Hungerford having a palace near to the river Thames. Formerly there was a series of palaces in a line with the Strand; commencing with the Earl of Northumberland's, and terminating with that of the Earl of Essex in Essex-street. Hungerford Suspension Bridge was constructed by Mr. I. K. Brunel, and opened April 18, 1845.

HOLYWELL STREET.

Holy Well-street, or, as it is called, Holywell Street, in the Strand, derives its name from a well in a baker's yard, and which was denominated Holy Well from the miraculous cures that it is said to have wrought.

HYDE PARK.

So called from Hyde, Lord Clarendon, whose daughter married James, Duke of York, afterwards James II.; from which circumstance the said park became crown property.

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