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Cornhill

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Note: Cornhill and Cornhill Ward are nearly synonymous in terms of location and nomenclature - thus, it can be a challenge to tell one from the other. Toponymic decisions have been made to the best of our knowledge and ability.
Cornhill was part of the city’s main major east-west thoroughfare that divided the northern half of London from the southern half. The part of this thoroughfare named Cornhill extended from St. Andrew Undershaft to the three-way intersection of Threadneedle, Poultry, and Cornhill where the Royal Exchange was built. The name Cornhill preserves a memory both of the cornmarket that took place in this street , and of the topography of the site upon which the Roman city of Londinium was built. Cornhill was the original corn market of London and was the only one allowed to operate after noon (Sugden 131). The Romans constructed their fortress on the north side of the Thames because the natural topography boasted two hills rising to the two extensive plateaux later named Ludgate Hill and Cornhill (Sheppard 21) whereas the south side of the Thames consisted of the marshy mudflats typical of a tidal river. Ludgate Hill and Cornhill were bisected by the Walbrook River. Harben writes that [i]n early times, and so late as the 16th century, Cornhill seems to have extended further east and to have included part of Leadenhall Street to Lime Street to St. Andrew Undershaft (Harben; BHO).
Cornhill also held much literary importance. Sugden writes that Cornhill is mentioned in numerous texts, citing texts as early as Piers Plowman (Ich wonede on Cornehulle Gap in transcription. Reason: Editorial omission for reasons of length or relevance. Use only in quotations in born-digital documents.[…]) and John Lydgate’s poem London Lickpenny (Then into Corn-hyl anon I rode Gap in transcription. Reason: Editorial omission for reasons of length or relevance. Use only in quotations in born-digital documents.[…]). Sugden also lists Jonson’s The Staple of News, The Devil is an Ass and Dekker’s The Shoemaker’s Holiday.1
Cornhill still exists in modern London.

Notes

  1. Excerpts from Jonson’s and Dekker’s text can be found in MoEML’s Library. (JJ)↑

References

Cite this page

MLA citation

Jenstad, Janelle. Cornhill. The Map of Early Modern London, Edition 6.6, edited by Janelle Jenstad, U of Victoria, 30 Jun. 2021, mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/CORN2.htm.

Chicago citation

Jenstad, Janelle. Cornhill. The Map of Early Modern London, Edition 6.6. Ed. Janelle Jenstad. Victoria: University of Victoria. Accessed June 30, 2021. mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/CORN2.htm.

APA citation

Jenstad, J. 2021. Cornhill. In J. Jenstad (Ed), The Map of Early Modern London (Edition 6.6). Victoria: University of Victoria. Retrieved from https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/editions/6.6/CORN2.htm.

RIS file (for RefMan, RefWorks, EndNote etc.)

Provider: University of Victoria
Database: The Map of Early Modern London
Content: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

TY  - ELEC
A1  - Jenstad, Janelle
ED  - Jenstad, Janelle
T1  - Cornhill
T2  - The Map of Early Modern London
ET  - 6.6
PY  - 2021
DA  - 2021/06/30
CY  - Victoria
PB  - University of Victoria
LA  - English
UR  - https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/CORN2.htm
UR  - https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/xml/standalone/CORN2.xml
ER  -

TEI citation

<bibl type="mla"><author><name ref="#JENS1"><surname>Jenstad</surname>, <forename>Janelle</forename></name></author>. <title level="a">Cornhill</title>. <title level="m">The Map of Early Modern London</title>, Edition <edition>6.6</edition>, edited by <editor><name ref="#JENS1"><forename>Janelle</forename> <surname>Jenstad</surname></name></editor>, <publisher>U of Victoria</publisher>, <date when="2021-06-30">30 Jun. 2021</date>, <ref target="https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/CORN2.htm">mapoflondon.uvic.ca/edition/6.6/CORN2.htm</ref>.</bibl>

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