Richard 2d. Henry 8th is said to have kept his horses there, for which purpose he partly rebuilt the old structure; and the same was, by Edward 6th, and Mary, afterwards enlarged and converted into stabling. From this place, its first use, and subsequent application, it has of late years been customary, to give to any range of buildings erected for stabling, the name of Mews.

The little of the original Mews which remained, and which was erected as above, was that lately occupied as a barrack, and which is now about to give way to the fine new opening to St. Martin's Church. It was composed of red "Tudor Brick," with stone windows and dressings, supported by buttresses, and crenellated at top.

NEWINGTON BUTTS.

So called, from the citizens of London practising archery in that locality-the Butts being set up as targets.

NEWGATE STREET.

"Not far from that most celebrated place
Where awful justice shews her angry face,
There little villains must submit to fate,

That great ones may enjoy the world in state!"

Here stood a gate of the city, originally called Chamberlain's Gate. It was used as a prison, so long back as 1218, for persons of rank, before, the Tower was used for that purpose. In 1412, this gate was rebuilt by the executors of the famous Sir Richard Whittington, out of the effects he had allotted for works of charity; his statue with the cat, remained in a niche to its final demolition on the rebuilding of the present prison. The gate was destroyed in the fire of 1666, and rebuilt in its late form, whence it obtained the name of Newgate, and which gave a name to the street so named.

OLD BAILEY.

Our antiquaries are of opinion, says Maitland, that the Old Bailey is a corruption of Balehill, (several such appellations still remaining in diverse cities and towns of this kingdom ;)* an eminence, whereon was situate the Bale, or Bailiff's House, wherein he held a court for the trying of malefactors.

OLD JEWRY.

In the reign of Henry 2d, this quarter of the city was occupied principally by the Jews, hence it took the name of the Old Jewry. The church of St. Olave, Old Jewry, was one of their synagogues, until they were forcibly dispossessed of it, A.D. 1291.

PICKETT STREET.

The principal houses in this street were built by alderman Pickett, from whom the street derives its name; he was lord mayor in 1790.

PETTY FRANCE.

So denominated from its being principally (in former times) inhabited by people of that nation.

PEDLAR'S ACRE.

Pedlar's Acre, which runs parallel with the Thames, from West

* There is a Balehill at York, and another at Chester.-Ed.

minster Bridge towards Broad-wall, derives its name from a portion of it being left by a Pedlar to the parish of Lambeth, now a very valuable property. A painting on glass, representing the Pedlar and his Dog, may be seen in Lambeth Church.

POULTRY.

This street was so denominated, from being the Poultry Market. In the reign of William and Mary, however, the poulterers removed to Leadenhall, and were succeeded by haberdashers, glovers, &c.

PYE CORNER.

Pye Corner was so called, says Dr. James Howel, from such a sign, sometimes a fair Inne, for receipt of travellers, but now divided into tenements.

It was at Pye Corner that the fire of London ended: the houses that escaped were taken down in 1809, and upon their site, other dwelling houses have been erected, together with an engine house. There is a figure of a bloated boy, stuck up at the corner, on which is an inscription, ascribing the fire as a punishment on the citizens for their gluttony!

PHILPOT LANE.

This lane was called after John Philpot, an alderman of London, who resided here, and who, in the reign of Richard 2d, fitted out a fleet at his own charge, and took abundance of prizes. On being called to account by the duke of Lancaster, for annoying the nation's enemies without authority, he was honourably acquitted, and the administration censured for not protecting the trade of the kingdom.

PORTPOOL LANE.

This lane was so denominated, from being the manor of Portpool, (a prebend of St. Paul's cathedral), and received its name originally from a neighbouring Pool.

PALL MALL.

"The sweet shady side of a grove in Pall Mall."

Pall Mall, and the Mall in St. James's Park, take their names from being used as a walk, or place for the exercise of the Mall, a game long since disused.

PICCADILLY.

Piccadilly, from Piccadilla Hall, built by one Higgins, a tailor, and so called, because he got his estate by making stiff collars in the fashion of a hand, then called piccadillas, or turnovers, formerly much in fashion.

POPLAR.

The hamlet of Poplar, derives its name from the great number of Poplar trees which anciently grew there.

RATHBONE PLACE.

Rathbone Place, Oxford Street, derives its name from colonel Rathbone, who, with seven others, were convicted of high treason, at the Old Bailey, for conspiring to take the Tower, murder the general, and surprise the guards. They were detected on this spot, at Rathbone's house, and were executed on the 30th April, 1666.

RED AND WHITE CROSS STREETS.

At the upper end of Red Cross Street, says Maitland, and northeast corner of Beach Lane, stood a Red and White Cross, which gave names to the streets so called.

REGENT'S PARK.

""Twas George's taste first form'd this spot,
From lanes and meadows green,

Now circle, partere, shrubs, and grot
Compose a sight but rarely seen."

This delightful place, which is bounded on the one hand by Chalk Farm, and Primrose Hill, and on the other by Portland Place, and the Crescent, was denominated the Regent's Park, out of compliment to George 4th, when Prince Regent of these realms.

SLOANE STREET.

Sloane Street, so called after Sir Hans Sloane, the celebrated projector, architect, naturalist, and book virtuosi; born 1660, died January 11th, 1756.

SKINNER STREET.

The principal houses in this street were built by alderman Skinner, who resided here, and whose name the street bears. Lord Mayor in 1795.

SHOREDITCH.

Shoreditch does not take its name from Jane Shore, as is generally supposed, but from one Sir John de Sordich, a valiant knight, in the time of Edward 3d, who was lord of the manor.

SOHO SQUARE.

This square was originally called Monmouth Square, after the unfortunate duke, who lived in the centre house; it was afterwards called King's Square, and subsequently Soho Square, that (Soho) being the battle word of the day at the field of Sedgmoor.

ST. JAMES'S PARK.

So called from a contiguous hospital, dedicated to St. James, which was pulled down for the present palace.

SAFFRON HILL.

Saffron was first grown in this country on this spot, then garden ground, (now the resort and residence of the worst characters). Saffron was first planted there in 1589.

SHERBORNE LANE.

The immediate neighbourhood of Fenchurch Street, was very fenny ground, and was intersected by various brooks, or bournes, which took various directions; one of these streams flowed into the Thames, in a southerly direction, and was called Southbourn, and when built over, gave a name to the lane now corrupted into Sherborne.

SMITHFIELD.

Fitzstephen, who wrote in the reign of Henry the Second, says, Smithfield was so called, because it was a plain or smooth field.

Stowe says, it was at one time called The Elms, because it was covered with elm trees; since the which time, saith he, building hath so increased, that now remaineth not one tree growing: he also adds, it hath been a place for honourable justs and triumphs, by reason it was unpaved.

ST. JOHN'S GATE,

St. John's Gate, is the only remaining part of a priory, founded there by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem; hence the name of the gate, as well as the Old Jerusalem Tavern.

STEEL YARD.

The place called the Steel Yard, in Thames Street, belonged to the Corporation of Hanseatic Merchants, who engrossed all the foreign trade of Europe.

The term steel yard is a corruption from stael hoff, contracted from staple hoff, or general house of trade of the Germans, and not from its having been a steel wharf, as most persons imagine.

STRAND.

In the year 1353, the Strand was an open high way, with here and there a great man's house, with gardens to the water side. There was no continued street till about the year 1533; before that, it entirely cut off Westminster from London, and nothing intervened except the scattered houses, and a village, which afterwards gave a name to the whole. The parish of St. Clement Danes, originally consisted of the village Strande. The mansions of the Cecils, Bedfords, Villiers, &c. are swept away; nought remains of the days of chivalry and ancient grandeur, (save Northumberland House); and a distant age asks where the fabrics stood. Narrow streets and courts now bear the names of men, who once swayed the destinies of England.

"Behold that narrow street which deep descends,
Whose building to the slimy shore extends-
Here Arundel's fam'd structure rear'd its fame;
The street alone retains an empty name.

Where Raphael's fair designs with judgment charm'd,
Now hangs the bellman's song; and pasted here
The colour'd prints of Overton appear.

Where statues breath'd the works of Phidias' hands,
A wooden pump or lonely watch-house stands.

There Essex's stately pile adorn'd the shore;
There Cecil's, Bedford's, Villiers', now no more.

Gay's Trivia, line 484, book 2.

SOMERSET HOUSE.

In the year 1549, in the reign of Edward the Sixth, the lord protector, Somerset, pulled down several churches and houses in the vicinity of the Thames, and built himself a palace thereon, now called Somerset House. The old brick palace just alluded to, was taken down in the beginning of the reign of George 3d, and the present magnificent palace built thereon.

SPITAL FIELDS.*

The series of streets thus denominated, derive their appellation

* See Spital Sermon.

from an hospital that stood here in the reign of queen Elizabeth, and which was dedicated to St. Mary Spital, its founder.

Those who have passed through those parts of Spital-fields, chiefly inhabited by weavers, must have often heard them singing at their looms. Singular as it may seem, this practice came with their forefathers from the Low Countries, and also was the custom with such of the Protestants, as at an earlier period came over from Flanders, and brought with them the woollen manufactory.

To this custom Falstaff alludes, "I would 1 were a weaver, I would sing psalms, and all manner of songs."-Henry 4th.

Again." Shall we rouse the night owl in a catch, that will draw three souls out of a weaver."-Twelfth Night.

Ben Jonson also points to these musical manufacturers, "He got this cold by sitting up late, and singing catches with the Clothworkers."-Jonson's Silent Woman.

SAVOY.

This place derives its name from Peter, earl of Savoy, who built a palace here, in the reign of Henry 3d. Edward the Third, made a state prison of it; 'twas here, his prisoner king John of France was confined, and where after many years of captivity he breathed his last. Henry 7th turned it into an hospital, and George 1st into a place of confinement for deserters.

ST. JAMES'S PALACE.

This antiquated building was commenced in the reign of Henry 7th, and finished in that of Henry 8th. It derives its name from St. James's Hospital, which formerly stood here, and which gave a cognomen to the adjacent street, as well as the diplomatic appellation of the Court of St. James's.

One day, after Peter the Great had visited the magnificent hospital of Greenwich, he went to St. James's Palace to dine with king William. That prince asked him how he liked Greenwich Hospital? "Extremely well, Sir," replied the Czar," and if I were permitted to advise your majesty, I should recommend to you to remove your court thither, and convert your palace into a hospital."

SHADWELL.

This parish, which is one of the Tower Hamlets, has the name of Shadwell, from a fine fountain, or well, which issues from under the wall of the church yard, and which was originally dedicated to St. Chad.

STEPNEY.

It appears from Doomsday Book, that Stepney in the Conqueror's time, was a manor belonging to the bishop of London, by the appellation of Stibenhede, a Saxon compound, implying Stiben's Heath.

TOWER ROYAL.

Here stood a strong and magnificent mansion, now a paltry and disreputable street. King Stephen resided therein, as did afterwards king Richard 2d and his mother; at which time, it was indifferently called the Royal, or Queen's Wardrobe.

TEMPLE BAR.

Before the present gate was built, there was a bar, or barrier of posts and chains, which separated the Strand from Fleet Street, and