Great Bell Alley

Names

  • Great Bell Alley
  • Bell Alley
  • Gough Alley
  • Goughes Alley
  • Myll Alley
  • Gowghe Alley
  • Mill Alley

Street/Area/District

  • Great Bell Alley

Maps & Views

Descriptions

from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)

Great Bell Alley

East out of Coleman Street, at No. 56, to Moorgate Street (P.O. Directory). In Coleman Street Ward.

First mention: Horwood, 1799.

Former names: "Bell Alley" (Leake, 1666–Boyle, 1799). "Bell Alley," alias "Gough Alley," 1614 (Ct. H.W. II. 738). "Goughes Alley," 1582 (Lond. I. pm. III. p. 46). "Myll Alley," alias "Goughes Alley" 1586 (ib. 89). "Myll Aley," alias "Gowghe Alley," 36 H. VIII. 1544 (L. and P. H. VIII., XIX. Pt. 2, p. 83).

Named Myll Alley after Wm. Mills, who lived there in the 16th century (Lond. I. p.m. III. 148).

In Horwood and the earlier maps, as well as in the O.S. 1848–51, Great Bell Alley extended from Coleman Street across Moorgate to Little Bell Alley and beyond to the eastern boundary of the ward. Now the eastern portion from Moorgate to Little Bell Alley is called Telegraph Street (q.v.) and the portion beyond Little Bell Alley, "Copthall Buildings" (q.v.).

The name "Bell Alley" is derived from the sign.

See Bell Inn, Coleman Street.

from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)

Bell-Alley, Great, Coleman-street, is at No. 56, the fourth turning on the right from Lothbury.

Publications associated with this place

  • Woolston, Thomas. A second discourse on the miracles of our Saviour, in view of the present controversy between infidels and apostates. By Thomas Woolston, sometime Fellow of Sidney-College in Cambridge. London: printed for the author, sold by him in Bell-Alley, Coleman-Street, and by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1727. ESTC No. T77544. Grub Street ID 299651.