City Ditch

The city ditch was part of London’s medieval defence system that ran along the outside of the wall from the Tower to Fleet River. According to Stow, the ditch was referred to as Houndsditch because much filth (conveyed forth of the Citie) especially dead dogs, were there laid or cast (Stow 1633, sig. M1v). The ditch was filled in and covered with garden plots by the time of Stow’s 1598 Survey.