STREET NAMES
The following section covers the streets in the
area of the medieval town as they were before
the construction of the inner relief road in
1973. Except where otherwise stated it is based
on: E. Blaxill, Street Names (1936); J. B.
Harvey's Report of 1889; P.N. Essex; Speed,
Map (1610); Morant, Colch. 3-4, and map
(1748); Chapman and André, Map of Essex
(1777); Benham, Colch. Map (1848); MS.
notes on Colch. street names by Philip Laver,
in E.S.A.H. Libr., Hollytrees, Colch.
Abbeygate Street, 1836: (fn. 93) Lodders or Ladders
Lane, mid 13th cent.; (fn. 94) Clothiers Lane, 1748.
Arthur Street, 1845, named after Arthur Thomas Osborne. (fn. 95)
Balkerne Lane, 1429, (fn. 96) from Crouch Street to
Middleborough: it was Balkerne Hill north of
Popes Lane by 1848.
Ball Alley, 1748, because it led to a bowling
alley.
Butt Road formerly Lane, 1676, (fn. 97) because it led
to the shooting butts: earlier Holmer, Holmere,
Holmer's Lane, 1407; (fn. 98) also Lyard Lane, leading
to Layer-de-la-Haye, 1748; Holmers Lane, later
18th cent.; Butt Lane, 1818; (fn. 99) also Mill Street,
1839, because it led to Butt mill; (fn. 1) Butt Road, 1856. (fn. 2)
Castle Road, 1861. (fn. 3)
Chapel Street, 1845. (fn. 4)
Childwell Alley formerly Lane, 1748: Cheldervelle Lane, 1340; by 1936 the northern end was
Ernulph Walk.
Church Lane, 1399 (fn. 5) and St. Mary's Lane, 1386 (fn. 6)
refer to the lanes leading to the church of St.
Mary-at-the-Walls, later called Church Street or
Church Walk.
Church Street formerly Lane, 1777, 1848: St.
Mary's Lane, 1748; Church Street North, 1861; (fn. 7)
Church Street, 1933. (fn. 8)
Church Walk formerly Lane, 1748: Church
Street South, 1861; (fn. 9) perhaps Noah's Ark Lane
later 18th cent. from an inn at the junction with
Head Street; Church Walk, 1933. (fn. 10)
Crouch Street, 1748: Croucher Street, 1385: (fn. 11)
part may have been known as Maldon Lane,
1389, 1427; (fn. 12) cf. Maldon Road.
Culver Street, or Lane, 1334-7: probably also
Master John's Lane, 1332; (fn. 13) Culver Lane or
Back Lane, 1748.
East Hill, 1748, from High Street to East
Bridge. Earlier not distinguished from East
Street which extended to Harwich Road.
Eld Lane, 1482: (fn. 14) (le) Oldelond, 1341; (fn. 15) Oldelane, 1405; perhaps Thelstreet, 1406; part was
Almshouse Lane, 1748; Beast Lane or Stone
Street before 1748; also Poor Row (from Trinity
Street to Lion Walk), 1848.
George Street formerly Lane, 1823: (fn. 16) George
Yard, 1748.
Head Street, 1173 (Have[d]strata): (fn. 17) possibly
also Headgate Street, 1458. (fn. 18)
High Street, 1399: (fn. 19) the western end was called
Cornhill, 1337; (fn. 20) Hevedstreet, 1412; (fn. 21) in front of
All Saints' Church was King Street, 1748; in
front of Greyfriars was Friars Street, 1388. (fn. 22)
Street names
Land Lane, 1841: (fn. 23) Porthawe, 1477; (fn. 24) Lincoln
Way, 1976, when the estate was developed. (fn. 25)
Lion Walk, 1748: formerly Cat Lane, 1357.
Maidenburgh Street, Maidenborough, 1312: (fn. 26) cf.
Rob. de Maydenburg, 1248; (fn. 27) also St. Helen's
Lane, 1387; (fn. 28) or St. Helen's Street, 1438; (fn. 29)
Tennants Lane, a corruption of St. Helen's,
1610; St. Helen's Lane or Maidenburgh Street,
1758. (fn. 30)
Maldon Road, formerly Lane, 1408: (fn. 31) the
northern end was sometimes Schrebbe Street;
probably also Crowcherche Lane, 1389, 1427. (fn. 32)
Middleborough, 1352.
Museum Street, 1851: (fn. 33) earlier the entrance to
the castle bailey.
North Hill, 1511: North Street, 1196. (fn. 34)
Northgate Street, 1854: (fn. 35) Duck Lane, 1729; (fn. 36)
Duck Lane and Little Hill, 1748.
Nunns Road formerly Cut, 1860, (fn. 37) named after
Roger Nunn, mayor 1842: perhaps Grafton
Street, 1880.
Osborne Street, 1851: (fn. 38) named after Arthur
Thomas Osborne whose brewery was nearby.
Pelham's Lane, 1748, named after William
Pelham, common councillor 1623-43, who had
a shop there: Whitefoot's Lane, 1306. (fn. 39)
Popes Lane, 1787: (fn. 40) it apparently led to land
called Popes Head, 1521; unnamed, 1748; Workhouse Lane or Union Lane, 1876; (fn. 41) Popes Lane,
1921. (fn. 42)
Priory Street, 1818: (fn. 43) More Street, 1275; More
Elm Lane, 1610; Moor Lane, 1690. (fn. 44)
Quakers Alley, 1748: St. Martin's Lane, 1876. (fn. 45)
Queen, or Queen's Street, 1748: South Street
or Southgate Street, 1333, 1438, because it led
to the south gate (St. Botolph's gate); not distinguished from St. Botolph's Street, 1610;
perhaps also Silver Street, 1629-30. (fn. 46)
Roman Road, 1861: (fn. 47) built in the 1850s.
Ryegate Road, 1891: (fn. 48) earlier an unnamed common way.
St. Botolph's Street, 1401: (fn. 49) South Street,
1339; (fn. 50) St. Botolphs Street, 1610; Southgate
Street, Brook Street, or Botolph's Street, 1628; (fn. 51)
St. Botolph's Street, sometimes called South
Street, 1748.
St. Helen's Lane, 1841: (fn. 52) Bekelerysbery Lane,
1423; (fn. 53) Bucklersbury Lane, Peacock Alley, or
Meeting House Alley, 1748.
St. John's Avenue, 1897. (fn. 54)
St. John's Street, 1818: (fn. 55) Southsherde Street
or Southsherdegate Street, 1384; (fn. 56) Gutter
Street, 1748, from the gutter which ran down
the middle of the street.
St. Nicholas Street, 1841: (fn. 57) earlier not distinguished from Wyre Street.
St. Peter's Street, 1844: (fn. 58) possibly Fowles
Lane, 1330; (fn. 59) Dead Lane, 1702, or Deadman's
Lane, 1748; (fn. 60) Dead Lane, 1840; (fn. 61) Factory
Lane, 1851, after Brown and Moy's silk factory
there. (fn. 62)
St. Runwald Street, 1936: possibly Hospital
Yard, 1748.
Sheepen Road, formerly Lane, 1550, because it
led to Sheepen farm: Reyners Lane, 1411; (fn. 63)
Water Lane, 1748; also Water Lane North, 1848;
Sheepen Road, 1936.
Shewell Road, 1936, named after a member of
the Society of Friends, Joseph Shewell (d. 1875):
formerly a private cul-de-sac.
Short Cut Road, 1871: (fn. 64) unnamed in 1848.
Sir Isaac's Walk, 1811: (fn. 65) Sir Isaac Rebow's
Walk, 1748, paved by Sir Isaac Rebow c. 1690;
earlier part of Eld Lane.
Stanwell Street, 1341: (fn. 66) the southern end was
Brewery Road in 1876. (fn. 67)
Stockwell, Stockwell Street, 1329. (fn. 68)
Stockwell Street East, 1311: (fn. 69) also called Calayse Street c. 1380; (fn. 70) Beirs Lane, 1692; (fn. 71) Bear
Lane, from an inn on the corner with High
Street, also St. Martin's Lane, 1748; East Stockwell Street, 1841. (fn. 72)
Stockwell Street West, 1327: (fn. 73) Angel Lane,
1687; (fn. 74) West Stockwell Street, 1841. (fn. 75)
Trinity Street, formerly Lane, 1610: Trinity
Lane or Schere Street, 1748; Trinity Lane or
Shiregate Street, 1777.
Vineyard Street, 1861: (fn. 76) Beres Lane, 1312; (fn. 77)
Bere Lane, 1504; (fn. 78) Black Boy Lane, 1678; (fn. 79) Blackboy or Bear Lane, 1767, (fn. 80) 1777; also Brickyard
Street, 1861; (fn. 81) in 1963 the middle section was
closed to make a car park and the western end was
incorporated into Osborne Street.
Whitewell Road, 20th cent: Stanwell Road,
1876; (fn. 82) perhaps Whitewell Street, 1767.
Williams Walk, 1848.
Wyre Street, 1311: (fn. 83) Wyre or Weir Street 1748;
Long and Short Wyre Street, 1841. (fn. 84)