SAINT NICOLAS OLAVES.

This church, which stands on the west side of Bread Street Hill, derives its name from St. Nicolas, and Olave, or Olaus, a king of Norway, who rebuilt it.

SAINT MARY MATFELLON.

This term, applied to the church in Whitechapel, is derived from the Hebrew, or Syriac word, Matfel, which signifies a woman, that has lately brought forth a son, therefore dedicated to Mary, delivered of a son.

SAINT PANCRAS.

This church, and parish, derive their names from St. Pancras, a young Phrygian nobleman, who, for his strict adherence to the Christian faith, suffered martyrdom at Rome, under the emperor Dioclesian.

ST. BENEDICT, VULGARLY CALLED BENNET FINK.

This church is thus denominated from its dedication to St. Benedict, an Italian saint, and founder of the order of Benedictine Monks. And the additional epithet of Fink, it received from its rebuilder, Robert Fink.

ST. BENNET'S GRASS CHURCH.

This church, which is a rectory, stands at the south west corner of Fenchurch Street, and near to the Old Grass* Market, from whence it derives its additional name.

ST. BENNET SHEREHOG.

This church originally went by the name of St. Osyth, from its being dedicated to a queen and martyr of that name. However, she appears to have been but a very impotent protectrix, in suffering herself to be divested of the tutelage of this church, by Benedict Shorne, a fishmonger; a re-builder, a repairer, or benefactor to the same; and Shorne, his sirname, deviating into Shrog, 'twas at last converted into Sherehog; and Benedict, as already mentioned, turned into Bennet,

ST. MARTIN ORGARS.

This church derives its appellation from one Odgarus, who was a benefactor to it.

ST. MARY OVERIE.

This church in Southwark, by some called St. Saviours, and by others St. Mary Overier, derives the latter name, which is a corruption from Over River, from the following circumstance :

"A ferry was formerly kept, where the bridge now stands. At length the ferryman and his wife died, and left the same ferry to their only daughter, a maiden, named Mary, which with the goods left by her parents, as also with the profits arising from the said ferry, she built a house of sisters, and afterwards, at her decease, bequeathed the whole of her property to the said sisters, and towards building and endowing a church, which in gratitude to their

*See Gracechurch Street.

benefactress, they called St. Mary Over River, but which ultimately was corrupted or abbreviated to St. Mary Overie."

ST. DIONIS BACK-CHÚRCH.

This church owes its name to St. Dionis, Dionysius, or Dennis, who, upon St. Paul's preaching at Athens, was converted, and be came the first bishop of that city, and afterwards patron of the French nation. The epithet Back-church, was conferred upon this church from its situation behind a row of houses, to distinguish it from the church of St. Gabriel, which stood in the middle of Fenchurch Street; therefore these churches were anciently known by no other appellation than those of Fore and Back Church.

ST. KATHERINE CREE.

This church, which is situate in Leadenhall Street, owes its name to its dedication to St. Katherine, the Egyptian virgin; and the epi thet of Christ (corruptly Cree), from its vicinity to the conventual church of the Holy Trinity, originally denominated Christ Church.

ST. MARGARET PATTENS.

This church, situate at the corner of Little Tower Street, owes its name to St. Margaret, and the circumstance that this parish anciently was principally inhabited by Patten Makers.

ST. MARTIN'S OUTWICH.

This church, which is situate in Threadneedle Street, derives its name from St. Martin, and to William and John de Oteswich, sometime proprietors thereof.

ST. MARY, ALDERMARY.

This church, which is situate in Bow Lane, owes its name to its dedication to the Virgin Mary, and the additional epithet of Aldermary, or Eldermary, from its being the ancientest church in the city, dedicated to the said Virgin.

ST. MARY BOTHAW.

This church, situate in Turn-wheel Lane, receives the former part of its name from being dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the latter to its vicinity to a Boat Haw, or a Boat Builder's Yard.

ST. MARY-AT-HILL.

This church, which situate in the Ward of Billingsgate, owes its name, like the above-mentioned, to the aforesaid Virgin, and its situation upon a pleasant eminence-(now surrounded by nuisances.

PETER COLE CHURCH.

This church, says Maitland, derives its name from Peter Colechurch, who first began the building of London Bridge* with stone; he was buried in a chapel on the bridge, from whence his body was removed, on the taking down of the houses, to the church which now bears his name.

* See London Bridge.

BLACK-FRIARS.

So denominated, because there formerly stood on the north side of the bridge, a convent of Black-friars, e. friars who wore a black dress; and on the west side, a convent of White-friars, which also gave a name to an adjacent locality. Richard is made to exclaim in the play, when he stops the funeral of Henry

"No, to White-friars, and there await my coming."

BATTLE STAIRS.

Battle Stairs, Tooley Street, derive their name from the Abbot of Battle, in Sussex, who had a house here, and whose grounds and garden came down to the Thames side.

BRIDEWELL, CLERKENWELL, &c.

These, with others, were the Holy Wells of London, but which have declined in reputation. The fame of St. Bride's Well, gave the name of Bridewell to an adjoining hospital and prison, and at last attached the name to almost every house of correction throughout the kingdom. Clerkenwell takes its name from the company of Parish Clerks, who formerly had their meetings here.

The following anecdote will, perhaps, afford amusement :

"In the licentious days of Charles 2d, lived a woman of the name of Creswell, who kept a house of ill fame, to which resorted Lord Rochester, and many other libertines. She had a house in town, and another in the country, alternately the scenes of seduction and misery to many who had been betrayed to ruin by her wily ways. This wretch was at length seized by death, when she desired, by will, to have a sermon preached at her funeral, for which she had ordered that the preacher should receive Ten Pounds, but only on this express condition, that he was to say nothing but what was well of her.

"This was a quibbling age. A preacher was procured, not, it seems, without some difficulty; thus, then, he performed his office. His sermon had no reference whatever to her, it being on the general practice of morality, and he concluded with-" All I shall say of her, therefore, is as follows: She was born well, she lived well, and she died well; for she was born with the name of Cress-well, she lived in Clerken-well, and she died in Bride-well!"

BEVIS MARKS.

Formerly the Abbot of Bury had his city residence here, from whence it received the appellation of Bury's Marks; and the place of its situation, by corruption, is now denominated Bevis Marks.

BROOK MARKET.

This market, as well as Brook Street, Holborn, derive their name from Lord Brook's mansion being formerly here.

BARGE YARD, BUCKLERSBURY.

According to tradition, Boats and Barges came up Walbrook from the Thames to that place, where they delivered their cargoes or freights.

BIRD CAGE WALK.

Here Charles the Second had a kind of aviary, and as the trees had a great variety of Bird Cages hung or suspended therefrom, it procured the name of Bird Cage Walk, which it has retained to the present day.

BUCKINGHAM HOUSE.

This mansion, which was for so many years the residence of our royal family, was erected by John, Duke of Buckingham, in 1703, in the reign of Queen Anne. It is related, that the architect and builder having expended large sums of money upon it, his employer, the duke, was backward in paying the same; upon which, he resorted to the following stratagem. The architect one day prevailed upon his Grace to mount the top of the building, for the alledged purpose of seeing the surrounding prospect. The moment the duke sat his foot on the roof, the man of science and bricks shut down the trap door, locked it, and threw the key to the ground below. The duke, astonished at the action, exclaimed, "How am I to get down?" The builder, assuming a melancholy countenance, replied " My Lord Duke, I am a distressed man, I have ruined myself by making advances for this building, and unless you immediately relieve me, it is my intention to leap down and destroy myself!" "What is to become of me, you having thrown the key away?" demanded the duke. "You must leap down also," rejoined the builder, “unless you consent to satisfy my wants." Upon which, it said, the duke instantly complied, by giving him an order upon his banker for the amount he named.

The builder then gave a pre-concerted signal to one of his men, who came up with the key, unlocked the trap door, and set the duke at liberty.

It is generally supposed that the duke complied with the request of the builder, not from any sense of fear, but because he admired the ingenious mode in which he had been called upon to pay his debts.

BERMONDSEY STREET.

The name of this manor, or district, being a Saxon compound, and the last syllable thereof seeming to imply an island, it is supposed anciently to have been such a place belonging to one Bermond, and which the situation gives room to conjecture. Be that as it will, the village of Bermondsey, in the Conqueror's survey, appears to have been a royal manor, wherein were twenty-five villains, or servile husbandmen; and twenty-three Bordonanni, or Cottagers.

CORNHILL.

This is the highest part of London, and was denominated thus in consequence of that circumstance, and the great number of Cornchandlers who resided here in former times.

CHEAPSIDE.

Cheapside received its name from Chepe, a Market,-this being originally the great street for splendid shops. In the year 1246 it was an open field, called Crown-field, from an inn of that sign at the east end.

* In a passage leading from Newgate Street to Paternoster Row, a stone announces that spot to be the highest part of London.-Ed.

CONDUIT STREET.

Conduit Street derives its name from one of the Conduits, or Pumps, which supplied that part of the town with water.

COVENTRY STREET.

This appellation is derived from Coventry House, the residence of the Earls of Coventry, which formerly stood at the end of the Hay Market.

CRUTCHED-FRIARS.

Crutched-Friars is derived from the house of Crutched, or Crossed Friars, a fraternity who wore a large red cross on their garmentshence, also, the Red Cross Knights.

CORAM STREET.

Coram Street, Brunswick Square, is so called after Captain Coram, projector of the Foundling Hospital. He died March 29, 1751, aged 84.

CRANBOURN-ALLEY.

This property belongs to the Marquis of Salisbury, and derives its cognomen from the Marquis's second title, which is borne by his eldest son-Viscount Cranbourne. The late Lord Erskine, being on a visit to the late Marquis at Hatfield House, and the latter being anxious for his Lordship's opinion on his new picture gallery, took the earliest opportunity of showing it to him, when his Lordship made the following happy impromptu: -

Your room, though long and narrow,

And as straight as an arrow,

Will ne'er with your other rooms tally;

But give it to your son,-'twill be excellent fun
To hear it call'd Cranbourne Alley.

COLEMAN STREET.

Maitland says, this street was thus denominated because of a large Haw-yard, or Garden, called Coleman's Haw, belonging to one Coleman.

CLARE MARKET.

From the Clare family, who had a house contiguous to Clement's Inn.

CARNABY MARKET.

On this site formerly stood the mansion of Sir Raynold Carnaby, who figured in the reign of Henry 8th, and who enjoyed a great portion of that monarch's favour. His descendants continued to reside there, till the reign of James 1st, when the present market was built, and which was named after the family of the Carnabys.

COCKSPUR STREET.

In the reign of Henry 8th, Cockfighting was a courtly amusement, and there was the Royal Cock-pit and Tennis Court in the neighbourhood of Whitehall. The street above named was famous at that period for the sale of Cock-spurs, &c. and which circumstance gave a name to the street.