The four principal constituents of the Inns of Court were: Gray’s Inn Inner Temple Lincoln’s Inn Middle Temple

For information about the Hope, a modern map marking the site where the it once stood, and a walking tour that will take you to the site, visit the () article on the Hope.

Described by Weinreb as redolent of squalor and vice (Weinreb 39), London’s Bankside district in Southwark was known for its taverns, brothels and playhouses in the early modern period. However, in approximately 50 BCE its strategic location on the south bank of the Thames enticed the Roman army to use it as a military base for its conquering of Britain. From Bankside, the Romans built a bridge to the north side of the river and established the ancient town of Londinium. The Bankside district is mentioned in a variety of early modern texts, mostly in reference to the bawdy reputation of its citizens. Today, London’s Bankside is known as an arts district and is considered essential to the culture of the city.

Smithfield was an open, grassy area located outside the Wall. Because of its location close to the city centre, Smithfield was used as a site for markets, tournaments, and public executions. From 1123 to 1855, the Bartholomew’s Fair took place at Smithfield (Weinreb, Hibbert, Keay, and Keay 842).

St. Paul’s Cathedral was—and remains—an important church in London. In 962, while London was occupied by the Danes, St. Paul’s monastery was burnt and raised anew. The church survived the Norman conquest of 1066, but in 1087 it was burnt again. An ambitious Bishop named Maurice took the opportunity to build a new St. Paul’s, even petitioning the king to offer a piece of land belonging to one of his castles (Times 115). The building Maurice initiated would become the cathedral of St. Paul’s which survived until the Great Fire of London.

The city of London, not to be confused with the allegorical character (London).

Budge Row ran east-west through Cordwainer Street Ward. It passed through the ward from Soper Lane in the west to Walbrook Street in the east. Beyond Soper Lane, Budge Row became Watling Street. Before it came to be known as Budge Row, it once formed part of Watling Street, one of the Roman roads (Weinreb and Hibbert 107).

The Mermaid Tavern was a drinking and dining establishment located between lower Bread Street and Friday Street, with entrances to both. Its location corresponds to the place between these two streets on current day London’s Cannon Street (Glinert). John Stow records in his that Bread Street was a location of diuers faire Innes and that the area was wholely inhabited by rich Marchants (Stow 1598, sig. T5r). The Mermaid Tavern was not far from Old Fish Street and the Blackfriars Theatre (Chalfant).

Cheapside Street, one of the most important streets in early modern London, ran east-west between the Great Conduit at the foot of Old Jewry to the Little Conduit by St. Paul’s churchyard. The terminus of all the northbound streets from the river, the broad expanse of Cheapside Street separated the northern wards from the southern wards. It was lined with buildings three, four, and even five stories tall, whose shopfronts were open to the light and set out with attractive displays of luxury commodities (Weinreb and Hibbert 148). Cheapside Street was the centre of London’s wealth, with many mercers’ and goldsmiths’ shops located there. It was also the most sacred stretch of the processional route, being traced both by the linear east-west route of a royal entry and by the circular route of the annual mayoral procession.

A low-lying marshy area just northeast of Moorgate and on the way to the Curtain, Moorfields was home to a surprising range of activities and accompanying cultural associations in early modern London. Beggars and the mentally ill patients of neighbouring Bethlehem Hospital often frequented the area. Some used the public space to bleach and dry linen, and the Honorable Artillery Company also used it as an official training ground. Moorfields was even a popular suburban destination for ice skating when its water froze during the winter. Moorfields was generally full of noysome waters (Stow 2:77) until 1605–1607, when it was successfully drained, levelled, and beautified with tree-lined pedestrian pathways. At this point, it transformed into a fashionable place for the genteel to see and to be seen. The history of Moorfields provides insight into social, political, environmental, and medical issues in early modern London.

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Located in Broad Street Ward and Cornhill Ward, the Royal Exchange was opened in 1570 to make business more convenient for merchants and tradesmen (Harben 512). The construction of the Royal Exchange was largely funded by Sir Thomas Gresham (Weinreb, Hibbert, Keay, and Keay 718).

Cow Lane, located in the Ward of Farringdon Without, began at Holborn Street, and then curved north and east to West Smithfield. Smithfield was a meat market, so the street likely got its name because cows were led through it to market (Bebbington 100). Just as Ironmonger Lane and Milk Street in Cheapside Market were named for the goods located there, these streets leading into Smithfield meat market were named for the animals that could be bought there.

Although its name evokes the pandemonium of the archetypal madhouse, Bethlehem (Bethlem, Bedlam) Hospital was not always an asylum. As Stow tells us, Saint Mary of Bethlehem began as a Priorie of Cannons with brethren and sisters, founded in 1247 by Simon Fitzmary, one of the Sheriffes of London (Stow 1:164). We know from Stow’s that the hospital, part of Bishopsgate ward (without), resided on the west side of Bishopsgate Street, just north of St. Botolph without Bishopsgate (Stow 1:165).

St. Martin’s Lane (Strand) was located in Westminster and ran north-south between Tottenham Ct. Road and the westernmost end of the Strand by Charing Cross. It is not to be confused with St. Martin’s Lane (le Grand) or St. Martin’s Lane (Bridge Within Ward).

Westminster Hall is the only surviving part of the original Palace of Westminster (Weinreb and Hibbert 1011) and is located on the west side of the Thames. It is located on the bottom left-hand corner of the Agas map, and is labelled as Weſtmynſter hall. Originally built as an extension to Edward the Confessor’s palace in 1097, the hall served as the setting for banquets through the reigns of many kings.

Worcester House was located along the Thames between Queenhithe in the west and the Vintry in the east. According to John Stow, Worcester House belonged to the Earles of Worcester before it was divided into tenements (Stow 1633, sig. Z2v). The house was eventually used by the Fruiterers as their hall (Stow 1633, sig. Z2v).

Bridewell was a prison and hospital. The site was originally a royal palace (Bridewell Palace) but was transferred to the City of London in 1553, when it was converted to function as an orphanage and house of correction. Bridewell is located on the Agas map at the corner of the Thames and Fleet Ditch, labelled as Bride Well.

Puddle Wharf was a water gate along the north bank of the Thames (Stow). Also known as Puddle Dock, it was located in Castle Baynard Ward, down from St. Andrew’s Hill. Puddle Wharf was built in 1294 to serve as the main quay for Blackfriars Monastery. (Weinreb and Hibbert 68, 229). In the early modern period, Puddle Wharf would have been the main landing place for playgoers on their way to the Blackfriars theatre via the river.

New Fish Street (also known in the seventeenth century as Bridge Street) ran north-south from London Bridge at the south to the intersection of Eastcheap, Gracechurch Street, and Little Eastcheap in the north (Harben 432; BHO). At the time, it was the main thoroughfare to London Bridge (Sugden 191). It ran on the boundary between Bridge Within Ward on the west and Billingsgate Ward on the east. It is labelled on the Agas map as New Fyſhe ſtreate. Variant spellings include Street of London Bridge, Brigestret, Brugestret, and Newfishstrete (Harben 432; BHO).

Finsbury Field is located in northen London outside the London Wall. Note that MoEML correctly locates Finsbury Field, which the label on the Agas map confuses with Mallow Field (Prockter 40). Located nearby is Finsbury Court. Finsbury Field is outside of the city wards within the borough of Islington (Mills 81).