Giltspur Street
Names
- Giltspur Street
- Gyltesporestrete
- Knyghtryders Strete
- Knightriders Street
- Guilt spur Street
- Guiltspur Street
Street/Area/District
- Giltspur Street
Maps & Views
- 1553-59 London (Strype, 1720): Giltspur Street
- 1553-9 Londinum (Braun & Hogenberg, 1572): Giltspur Street
- 1553-9 London ("Agas Map" ca. 1633): Gilford street
- 1560 London (Jansson, 1657): Giltspur Street
- 1593 London (Norden, 1653 - British Library): Giltspur Street
- 1593 London (Norden, 1653 - Folger): Giltspur Street
- 1666 London after the fire (Bowen, 1772): Giltspur Street
- 1720 London (Strype): Giltspur Street
- 1761 London (Dodsley): Giltspur Street
Descriptions
from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)
Giltspur Street
South out of West Smithfield, at No. 31 to Holborn Viaduct, Newgate Street and Old Bailey (P.O. Directory).
First mention: "Gyltesporestrete" alias "Knyghtryders Strete," St. Sepulchre's parish, 38 H. VIII. 1547 (L. and P. H. VIII. XXI. (2) p. 414).
So named of the Knightes and others riding that way into Smithfielde (S. 375).
Northern end widened towards the end of the 18th century.
from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)
Giltspur-St., Newgate-street, is the last turning on the right hand from Cheapside, or the north continuation of the Old Bailey.
from Lockie's Topography of London, by John Lockie (1810)
Giltspur-Street, Newgate-Street,—the last on the R. from Cheapside, or the N. continuation of the Old Bailey, extending from Snow-hill to West Smithfield.
from London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions, by Henry Benjamin Wheatley and Peter Cunningham (1891)
Giltspur Street, Newgate Street, leading to Smithfield; otherwise Knightriders Street, and so called, says Stow, "of the knights and others riding that way into Smithfield."1 It was originally a very short street, extending no farther than the east end of the Compter and Cock Lane; the highway beyond, as far as Smithfield, was called Pie Corner. Observe.—On the west side, St. Sepulchre's Church; Cock Lane (the scene of "the Cock Lane ghost"); and the figure of a boy over a public-house, at the corner of Cock Lane, erected to commemorate the Great Fire of 1666.
And entered into Gilt Spur Street,
But such a Nosegay did I meet,
Arising from the Fig and Pork,
Of greasy Cooks at sweating Work,
Enough to 've made a faithless Jew,
Or freckly Scotch-man Keck or Spew,
Who are of Swine's-Flesh much affear'd,
E'er since the Devil drown'd the Herd,
And brought the Hogs he had possest,
To a bad Market at the best.
Hudibras Redivivus, 4to, 1707.
1 Stow, p. 139.