Great Distaff Lane
Names
- Great Distaff Lane
- Distauelana
- Distave Lane
- Distaflane
- Distafes Lane
- Mayden Lane
- Distaffe Lane
- Distar Lane
- Distaff Lane
- Maidenhead Lane
- Distar Lane
- Distaffe Lane
- Distafe Lane
Street/Area/District
- Great Distaff Lane
Maps & Views
- 1553-59 London (Strype, 1720): Distaff Lane
- 1553-9 Londinum (Braun & Hogenberg, 1572): Distaff Lane
- 1553-9 London ("Agas Map" ca. 1633): Maidenhed lane
- 1560 London (Jansson, 1657): Distaff Lane
- 1593 London (Norden, 1653 - British Library): Distafe Lane
- 1593 London (Norden, 1653 - Folger): Distafe Lane
- 1666 London after the fire (Bowen, 1772): Maidenhead Lane
- 1677 A Large and Accurate Map of the City of London (Ogilby & Morgan): Distaff Lane
- 1720 London (Strype): Distaff Lane
- 1736 London (Moll & Bowles): Distaff Lane
- 1746 London, Westminster & Southwark (Rocque): Distaff Lane
- 1761 London (Dodsley): Distaff Lane
Descriptions
from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)
Great Distaff Lane
West out of Friday Street to Old Change, in Bread Street Ward, and Farringdon Ward Within (O.S. 1848–51).
First mention: Horwood, 1799.
Former name and forms: "Distauelana," 12th century (Harl. Ch. 84, H. 31). "Distave lane," 1258–9 (Ct. H.W. I. 2). "Distaflane," 54 H. III. A. 1590). "Distafes lane," 33 Ed. I. (Cal. Close R. Ed. I. 1302–5, p. 330).
"Mayden lane" or "Distaffe lane," corruptly for "Distar lane," as I read in record of a brewhouse, called the Lamb in Distar lane, 16 H. VI. (S. 353 and 347).
The earliest form, as shown above, is Distaue, not Distar, and Stow is in error as to this.
Haliwell says that the day after Twelfth Day was jocularly called "St. Distaff's day"; perhaps this street name was connected with the popular saint in some way.
Cordwainers' Hall was in this street, now No. 7 Cannon Street.
Absorbed into Cannon Street, when that street was extended and widened in 1853–4.
The name survives in Little Distaff Lane (q.v.).
from A New View of London, by Edward Hatton (1708)
Distaff lane, betn Old Change Wly, and Friday str. Ely, here is also Little Distaff lane, betn that above Nly, and Old Change Sly: Stow says, this is corruptly (Distaff) and that Distar lane is the right name; it was called also Maiden lane from such a Sign.
from Lockie's Topography of London, by John Lockie (1810)
Distaff-Lane (Great), Friday-Street, at 31, the second on the R. from 36, Cheapside, extends to 32, Old-Change, near the S.E. corner of St. Paul's church-yard.
from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)
Distaff-Lane, Great, Friday-street, is the second turning on the right hand from Cheapside.
from London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions, by Henry Benjamin Wheatley and Peter Cunningham (1891)
Distaff Lane, Cannon Street.
On the west side of Friday Street, is Mayden Lane, so named of such a sign, or Distaffe Lane, for Distar Lane, as I read in the record of a brewhouse called the Lamb, in Distar Lane, the 16th of Henry VI. (1436–1437). In this Distar Lane, on the north side thereof, is the Cordwainers' or Shoemakers' Hall.—Stow, p. 131.
Next in the trace comes Gambol in place;
And to make my tale the shorter,
My son Hercules, tane out of Distaff Lane,
But an active man and a porter.
Ben Jonson's Masque of Christmas.
Distaff Lane proper has been absorbed by Cannon Street, but the name is preserved in a subsidiary street running from Cannon Street to Knightrider Street, which was previously known as Little Distaff Lane. Cordwainers' Hall remains, but is now No. 7 Cannon Street (north side).