Crooked Lane

Crooked Lane

South out of King William Street to Miles' Lane (P.O. Directory). In Candlewick Ward and formerly in Bridge Ward Within.

First mention: "la Crokedelane," 6 Ed. I. (Anc. Deeds, A. 2001).

Other names: "Venella torta," 1303 (Cal. L. Bk. C. p. 192). "la Crokydlane," 1349 (Ct. H.W. I. 561).

Called Crooked lane of the crooked windings thereof (S. 217).

The appearance of the lane has been greatly changed by the alterations effected in the City in the early part of the 19th century, and being now quite straight, it has completely lost the distinctive characteristic to which it owed its appellation.

In Stow's time the lane extended east out of St. Michael's lane winding south and south-east to Fish Street Hill, into Bridge Ward Within, and it so remained down to the end of the 18th century. But in Horwood's map, 1799, it is more extensive and occupied the northern end of St. Michael's Lane extending south out of Great Eastcheap and east to Fish Street Hill. This northern end is the only portion now existing, the whole of the southern and eastern portions forming the original street having been removed for the formation of King William Street and the new approaches to London Bridge soon after 1831. Here are most Haberdashers of small wares and bird-cage makers (W. Stow, 1722).

Crooked-Lane, Cannon-Street,—at 49, leading into Miles's lane, and on the L. to 18, Fish-street-hill, or the second on the L. from London-Bridge in Fish-street-hill.

Crooked-Lane, Cannon-street, leads to Miles's-lane; but a portion is about to be built upon for the new approaches to London-bridge.

Crooked Lane, Cannon Street, City, "so called of the crooked windings thereof."² Mr. Riley finds Crooked Lane in the guise Venella Torta in a record of 1303, and as La Crokedelane in 1310. In 1344 a tenement called the "Welhous in Crokedelan" is spoken of; and in 1414 "the east corner of the lane of Crokedlane" is set down as one of the boundaries of the Butchers' Market in Eastchepp. Part of the lane was taken down to make the approach to new London Bridge. It has long been,³ and is still, famous for its bird-cage and fishing-tackle shops.

One the most ancient house in this lane is called the Leaden Porch, and belonged some time to Sir John Merston, knight, the 1st of Edward IV. It is now called the Swan in Crooked Lane, possessed of strangers, and selling of Rhenish wine.—Stow, p. 82.

At one Mr. Packer's in Crooked Lane, next the Dolphin, are very good lodgings to be let, where there is freedom from Noise and a pretty Garden.—Advertisement, May 25, 1694.

When Hood punned about "Straight down Crooked Lane," he was only repeating an obvious play on the name as old as the days of Ben Jonson:—

Last, Baby-cake, that an end doth make
     Of Christmas' merry, merry vein-a,
Is Child Rowlan, and a straight young man,
     Though he come out of Crooked Lane-a.
Ben Jonson, Masque of Christmas.

First Clown. Double bells, Crooked Lane—ye shall have 'em straight in Crooked Lane.—Ford's Witch of Edmonton.

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¹ The old pewter admission ticket to these gardens is in great request among certain collectors.
² Stow, p. 81.
³ See the letter of Thomas Markham to Thomas, Earl of Shrewsbury, February 17, 1589 (Lodge's Illust., 8vo ed., vol. ii. p. 392).