Black Horse Alley
Names
- Black Horse Alley
- Black Horse Court
- Blackhorse Court
Street/Area/District
- Black Horse Alley
Maps & Views
- 1666 London after the fire (Bowen, 1772): Black Horse Alley
- 1720 London (Strype): Black Horse Alley
- 1761 London (Dodsley): Black Horse Alley
Descriptions
from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)
Black Horse Alley
North out of Fleet Street with a passage east to Fleet Market and Ditch (O.S. 1848–51).
First mention: In a petition by the inhabitants against the erection of timber houses there 1618. The Lord Mayor, having made enquiry into the matter, found that the projected houses were on former sites, but were larger and more airy, and would greatly improve the alley, which was very close and crowded. A portion only encroaching 12 ft. on ground formerly void he adjudged to be pulled down (L. and P. Ed. VI. etc. IX. p. 553).
Strype, writing in 1720, described it as nastily kept (I. iii. 277).
Called "Blackhorse Court" first by Elmes, 1831.
There was a tenement called "le Blakehors on the hope" in Fleet Street, 19 Rich. II. (H. MSS. Com. 9th Rep. p. 7), and in a deed relating to the tenement was a covenant to make an "ale" called "entre" between two houses.
Possibly this was the first mention of the "alley," which may have derived its name from this tenement.
Removed for the formation of Ludgate Circus and St. Bride Street.
from A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, by John Strype (1720)
Black horse Alley, ordinary, and nastily kept. Out of this Alley is a passage to Fleet Ditch.
from Lockie's Topography of London, by John Lockie (1810)
Black-Horse-Alley, Fleet-Street,—at 108, four doors on the R. from Fleet-market, leading to 90, in the said market.
from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)
Black-Horse-Ct.—is in Fleet-street, four doors on the right hand from Farrindon-street, at No. 109, and leads by an angular turning into the said street, between Nos. 90 and 91. St. Bride's parish watch-house and committee-room are up this place on the right, going from Fleet-street.
from London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions, by Henry Benjamin Wheatley and Peter Cunningham (1891)
Black Horse Alley, Fleet Street, the first passage on the right from Ludgate Circus.
July 13, 1618.—Petition of Thomas Powell, Cutler, and other inhabitants of Black Horse Alley, Fleet Street, to the Council, that Chris. Allanson, who is erecting there certain houses of timber on new foundations, contrary to Proclamation, and to the great prejudice of the petitioners, may be compelled to pull them down, according to previous orders from the Lord Mayor, and the Attorney-General.—Cal. Jac. I, vol. ii. p. 532. On July 25 Sir George Bowles, the Lord Mayor, reported that he had examined these buildings and found that they were on former sites, and being "larger and more airy would greatly improve the Alley, which is very close and crowded."