Eastcheap

Eastcheap

Eastcheap is a road in the City of London. Its name derives from "cheap", market, with the prefix "East" distinguishing it from the other former City of London market of 'Westcheap' (now known as Cheapside). In medieval times Eastcheap was the City's main meat market, with butchers' stalls lining both sides of the street. The market is now long gone. Eastcheap leads from Gracechurch Street at the western end, to Great Tower Street at the eastern end.

It is notable as the former location of Falstaff's Boar's Head Inn, featured in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part One and Henry IV, Part Two.

The road leads from an intersection with Gracechurch, Cannon Street, and King William Street in the west, near Monument tube station east, and transforms into Great Tower Street to the east.Eastcheap formerly extended further to the west, but this section was eliminated when King William Street was built to provide a new access to London Bridge in the early 19th century. Falstaff's famed tavern, which stood in the western section of the road, was demolished at this time.

The ghost of the erased western section of Eastcheap is recalled in the name of the church of St Clement Eastcheap which, despite its name, is now left stranded to the north of King William Street, somewhat to the west of present day Eastcheap.

On the north side is St Margaret Pattens church , on the corner with Rood Lane. On the south side, in an alleyway called Lovat Lane, is St Mary-at-Hill. Also on the south side is Botolph Lane, where a Wren church, St. George Botolph Lane used to stand until it was demolished in 1904. Just to the west of Botolph Lane is Pudding Lane, where the Great Fire of London began. Looking to the east, down Great Tower Street, you can see All Hallows-by-the-Tower. At 16 Eastcheap is the Monument branch of Citibank. This was the site of St Andrew Hubbard church, destroyed in the fire of London and not rebuilt. It was replaced by the King's Weigh House. Foreign merchants were required to weigh their goods here, but this law was not enforced. In 1695 it became a chapel for dissenters. In 1834 they moved to larger premises in Fish Street Hill, at the eastern end of Eastcheap. That area is now occupied by an exit of the Monument tube station. In 1891 Alfred Waterhouse built another Weigh House church, on Duke Street. This church was so magnificent that nearby Robert street was renamed Weighhouse Street in honour of it. The economist Thomas Mun (1571 - 1641) was baptised in St Andrew Hubbard on Eastcheap. During excavation of the site the foundations had stones that had the character of Roman workmanship, and Samian pottery was discovered.

The building at 33-35 Eastcheap is a notable example of Victorian Gothic.

References

Smith, A (1970) "Dictionary of City of London Street Names". David and Charles: Newton Abbot.

ee also

33-35 Eastcheap

External links

* [http://www.doubleo.fsnet.co.uk/bgbillingsgate.htm Photographs of the area]
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42188&strquery=Weigh%20House Weigh House church in Duke Street]
* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=46750&strquery=Weigh%20House 1773 description of Eastcheap]
* [http://www.oldlondonmaps.com/viewspages/0266.html Illustration of the Eastcheap Weigh House]
* [http://www.motco.com/Harben/5719.htm History of the Weigh House church]
* [http://www.motco.com/Harben/176.htm Samian pottery]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Eastcheap —    East from No. 48 Gracechurch Street and Fish Street Hill to Great Tower Street (P.O. Directory).    In Billingsgate, Bridge Within and Candlewick Wards.    The name is used to denote both the street and the market.    Earliest mention of name …   Dictionary of London

  • Eastcheap — 51°30′39″N 0°5′10″O / 51.51083, 0.08611 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • St Clement Eastcheap — Infobox church name = St. Clement Eastcheap fullname = color = imagesize = caption = Photo of St. Clement Eastcheap, April 2006 landscape = denomination = Anglican, earlier Roman Catholic diocese = parish = division = subdivision = founded date …   Wikipedia

  • St Leonard, Eastcheap — St Leonard, Eastcheap[1] Current photo of site Country United Kingdom Denomination Roman Catholic, Anglican …   Wikipedia

  • The Weigh House, Eastcheap —    On the south side of Little Eastcheap, between Botolph Lane and Love Lane (O. and M. 1677 O.S. 1880).    The King s Weigh House, as it was called, was the place where the King s weights, known as the Great Beam, etc., were kept, where… …   Dictionary of London

  • Pudding Lane, Eastcheap —    South out of Easteheap, at No.2, to 120 Lower Thames Street (P.O. Directory). In Billingsgate Ward and Bridge Ward Within.    Earliest mention: Puddynglane, 1361 (Ct. H.W. II. 45).    Other names : Puddynglane, otherwise Retherlane, 1372 3 (ib …   Dictionary of London

  • (St.) Clement, Eastcheap —    On the east side of Clement s Lane at No. 27 (P.O. Directory). In Candlewick Ward. The parish extends into Langbourne and Bridge Within Wards.    Earliest mention: St. Clement Candlewickstrate, 27 H. III. (Anc. Deeds, A. 2138).    In a… …   Dictionary of London

  • Great Eastcheap —    See Eastcheap …   Dictionary of London

  • (St.) Leonard Eastcheap —    On the east side of Fish Street Hill, in Bridge Ward Within, at the corner of Eastcheap.    The parish extends into Billingsgate and Candlewick Wards.    Earliest mention found in records : St. Leonard, 15 John (Anc. Deeds, A. 6884).    Other… …   Dictionary of London

  • Little Eastcheap —    See Eastcheap …   Dictionary of London

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