Home › London Streets and Squares › London Streets and Squares: Finke

London Streets and Squares: Finke

Michael's Alley, where the first English coffeehouse was opened, took its name from the neighbouring church. Finch Lane is properly "Finke Lane," in honour of Sir Robert Finke, who built the Church of St. Bennet Finke, pulled down to enlarge Gresham's Royal Exchange. Change Alley, a London Streets and Squares. contraction of "Exchange Alley," was in the year 1720 the busy centre of the South Sea Bubble.

Birchin Lane is a corruption of "Birchover Lane," named after the builder.

Lombard Street constituted the colony of the Jews of Lombardy sent over to England by Pope Gregory IX. for the purpose of advancing money to those who were unable to pay the taxes so rigorously demanded throughout the country in 1229. Austin Friars contained the Priory of the Austin, or Augustin Friars. Bishopsgate Street was designated after the strong gate built by the good Bishop Erkenwald, son of Offa, King of the Saxons; and repaired by Bishop William in the reign of William I. Great St. Helen's comprises the ground anciently held by the Nuns of the Order of St. Helen. Devonshire Square, in this neighbourhood, marks the situation of the mansion of William Cavendish, second Earl of Devonshire, who died under its roof in 1628. Artillery Lane stands upon the old practising ground of the Tower Gunners prior to the seventeenth century. Houndsditch was the old ditch beyond the city wall, anciently considered by the inhabitants to be the proper depository for dead dogs. Bevis Marks is a corruption of "Bury's Marks," where stood the mansion and grounds of the Abbots of Bury.