I’ve walked down Borough High Street so many times, casting a glance down the different alleys, but now they’ve got a whole new layer of meaning thanks to this. Extraordinary amount of research here - thank you!
Aw, thank you Jo. It's very much a labour of love.
I was a bit apprehensive about some of these alleys, but almost all of them lead through to somewhere and the northern ones especially are well used, with people cutting through to King's.
Ha, I bet Peter’s Finger attracts its share of bad jokes. I studied in York which is famous for its alleys. The most famous is called Whip-ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.
Fascinating article, as usual. I have done something like this walk myself (mainly to find the Marshalsea prison wall) but I did also find the King’s Head and the Old King’s Head, and great pubs they are too!
Excellent work Matt. If you ever fancy leaving London, you might like to visit Shrewsbury and see the Shuts, which are alleyways . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neG1nq_L-H8 Mr Vobes will show you some.
Shrewsbury is one of those towns I've always wanted to visit but never got round to. I spent a long weekend in Ironbridge but *that* was so interesting that I never took the trip to Shrewsbury I'd hoped for. So thanks for reminding me to get over there.
Ironbridge has plenty of little streets to explore, but be careful Matt if you are driving because the gorge is becoming narrower and roads are falling into the river. If there is a 'STOP' sign they really do mean STOP as the river may be nearer than you thought.
This is an area of London I'm not very familiar with yet I can imagine its history through your very interesting tour of its alleys. Thanks very much for your research. And thanks also for the link to the London tours on Eventbrite. I'll definitely be joining some of these this year.
Hello Matt, If this were my list of courts I'd give more shrift to the fact that the first Marshalsea Prison wasn't at Angel but on Borough High Street, from the 14th century to 1842 or so. An early version of my Medieval Female Proletariat walk, which takes place in the 14th century, led me to finding this out. 500 years at the earlier site should be marked!
I did mention twice that the Marshalsea used to be at a different site further north, and it's shown there on the map. I didn't want to discuss it further here as the post is already very long, and there are no surviving remnants of the original site. But it could make a good subject for a future post.
I’ve walked down Borough High Street so many times, casting a glance down the different alleys, but now they’ve got a whole new layer of meaning thanks to this. Extraordinary amount of research here - thank you!
And I LOVE chasmophile
Aw, thank you Jo. It's very much a labour of love.
I was a bit apprehensive about some of these alleys, but almost all of them lead through to somewhere and the northern ones especially are well used, with people cutting through to King's.
Love an alleyway ,there's one in my town called Peter's Finger! I love a map too. Never get tired of looking at old maps. Thank you.
Ha, I bet Peter’s Finger attracts its share of bad jokes. I studied in York which is famous for its alleys. The most famous is called Whip-ma-Whop-Ma-Gate.
Oh yes, they're sometimes called snickelways up there, aren't they? An invented word (maybe you knew the guy who made it up?) but rather good.
That's right. I didn't realise it was a modern coinage when I was up in York. Everyone used the word, and there's even a ye olde Snickelways Inn.
Feel like I have not ever been in the area!
Fascinating article, as usual. I have done something like this walk myself (mainly to find the Marshalsea prison wall) but I did also find the King’s Head and the Old King’s Head, and great pubs they are too!
Thank you, Diane!
Excellent work Matt. If you ever fancy leaving London, you might like to visit Shrewsbury and see the Shuts, which are alleyways . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neG1nq_L-H8 Mr Vobes will show you some.
Shrewsbury is one of those towns I've always wanted to visit but never got round to. I spent a long weekend in Ironbridge but *that* was so interesting that I never took the trip to Shrewsbury I'd hoped for. So thanks for reminding me to get over there.
Ironbridge has plenty of little streets to explore, but be careful Matt if you are driving because the gorge is becoming narrower and roads are falling into the river. If there is a 'STOP' sign they really do mean STOP as the river may be nearer than you thought.
This is an area of London I'm not very familiar with yet I can imagine its history through your very interesting tour of its alleys. Thanks very much for your research. And thanks also for the link to the London tours on Eventbrite. I'll definitely be joining some of these this year.
Wonderful, thank you Yasmin.
Another brilliant post and I've learned two new words - chasmophile and cackbastard - love it
Thank you Helen. I might have made one of those words up.
apparently so, I googled it and it asked if I meant slackbastard!
Did my substack fail again? I left a comment but now it's gone.
Haha, don't worry, both this and your earlier comment seem to be showing for us... No fail as far as we can tell :)
Hello Matt, If this were my list of courts I'd give more shrift to the fact that the first Marshalsea Prison wasn't at Angel but on Borough High Street, from the 14th century to 1842 or so. An early version of my Medieval Female Proletariat walk, which takes place in the 14th century, led me to finding this out. 500 years at the earlier site should be marked!
Hiya Laura. Both comments appearing fine for me.
I did mention twice that the Marshalsea used to be at a different site further north, and it's shown there on the map. I didn't want to discuss it further here as the post is already very long, and there are no surviving remnants of the original site. But it could make a good subject for a future post.