Chancery Lane
Length | 0.3 mi (0.48 km) |
---|---|
Location | London, United Kingdom |
Postal code | WC2, EC4 |
Nearest Tube station | Chancery Lane |
Coordinates | 51°30′58″N 0°06′44″W / 51.5162°N 0.1121°W (approximate midpoint) |
South end | Fleet Street |
To | High Holborn |
Other | |
Known for | Legal profession |
Chancery Lane is a
Chancery Lane, numbered the B400 in the British road numbering scheme, connects Fleet Street at its southern origin with High Holborn. It gives its name to Chancery Lane Underground station which lies at the junction of Holborn and Gray's Inn Road, a short distance from Chancery Lane's northern end.
Historically, the street was associated with the legal profession, an association which continues to the present day; however, consulting firms, ancillary businesses and the Maughan Library also occupy the street. Lincoln's Inn occupies most of the western side north of Carey Street. The side of the street that falls in the City of London is situated in the ward of Farringdon Without.[1] Local government boundaries were changed considerably in this area in 1994 – previously only a small part of the street, on its southern end, was within the City.[4]
History
Chancery Lane takes its name from the historic High Court of Chancery, which started its association with the area when Robert de Chesney, the Bishop of Lincoln acquired the 'old Temple' in 1161.[citation needed] The road was originally known as New Street. It was renamed in 1377 to Chancellors Lane when King Edward II took over running of the Domus Conversorum (House of the Converts), a residence and chapel for Jews converted to Christianity, to use as the Keeper of the Rolls of Chancery.[5]
In later centuries the Court convened in
In the 14th century it became the estate of the Master of the Rolls, which included an official residence (Rolls House, based on the Domus Conversorum and storage for court records).[5][6] The site later became the Public Record Office (which has since become the National Archives), the present Grade II* listed, Gothic Revival building designed by Sir James Pennethorne was built in 1851. In 1907 it became the museum of the Public Record Office and throughout the latter half of the 20th century records gradually moved to a new site located in Kew. In 2001 it underwent renovation and became the Maughan Library, the largest academic library of King's College London.
The Patent Office was originally situated off Southampton Buildings and some of the minor side streets also are named after their associations with now defunct legal practices, such as Rolls Buildings and Cursitor Alley. Just to the south of the Maughan Library is the site of the former Serjeant's Inn.[7]
Notable buildings
The principal building of
References
- ^ a b City of London Corporation Interactive maps (Electoral services: Ward boundaries) (accessed 19 March 2024)
- ^ Ordnance Survey Election Maps (accessed 19 March 2024)
- ^ "The Map of Early Modern London : Chancery Lane". James Campbell. Archived from the original on 1 August 2009. Retrieved 18 January 2009.
- ^ legislation.gov.uk The City and London Borough Boundaries Order 1993
- ^ a b c Weinreb et al. 2008, p. 146.
- ^ "Hospitals: Domus conversorum – British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk.
- ^ The Wards of Farringdon: Chancery Lane Tony Sharp 2000
Further reading
- ISBN 978-1-405-04924-5.