Alan Stapleton’s Alleys, Byways & Courts
In the archive at the Bishopsgate Institute, I had the good fortune to come across a copy of Alan Stapleton’s London’s Alleys, Byways & Courts, 1923. A title guaranteed to send anyone as susceptible as myself meandering through the capital’s forgotten thoroughfares, yet the great discovery is how many of these have survived in recognisable form today. Clearly a kindred spirit, Stapleton prefaces his work with the following quote from Dr Johnson (who lived in a square at the end of an alley) – ‘If you wish to have a notion of the magnitude of this great city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but survey its innumerable little lanes and courts.’
St John’s Passage, EC1
Passing Alley, EC1
St John’s Gate from Jerusalem Passage, EC1
Stewart’s Place, Clerkenwell Green, EC1
Clerkenwell Close, EC1
Savoy Steps, Strand, WC2
Red Lion Passage, Red Lion Sq, WC1
Corner of Kingley St & Foubert’s Place, W1
Market St, Shepherd Market, W1
Crown Court, Pall Mall, SW1
Rupert Court, W1
Meard’s St, W1
Conduit Court, Long Acre, WC2
Devereaux Court, Strand, WC2
Greystoke Place, Chancery Lane, EC4
Huggin Lane, Cannon St, EC4
Mitre Court, EC1
Faulkner’s Alley, Cow Cross St, EC1
Last of Snatcher’s Island, Drury Lane, WC2
Brick Lane looking north
Brick Lane looking south
‘Hatton in 1708 called Brick Lane the longest lane in London, being nearly three quarters of a mile long. But Park Lane by Hyde Park was then six furlongs thirteen poles in length, so it had the advantage of Brick Lane, the length of which was five furlongs four poles. Today, Brick Lane by taking in its length its old continuations, Tyssen St and Turk’s St now beats it by thirteen poles. Tyssen St measuring one furlong fourteen poles and Turk’s St eight poles, thus bringing the length of the current Brick Lane to six furlongs twenty-six poles. Yet White HorseLane was undoubtedly the longest in London when it existed’ – Alan Stapelton 1923
Images courtesy © Bishopsgate Institute
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Thanks Gentle Author for such an utterly fascinating article. So much character, flavour and sense of another world. All things change of course and these areas are largely ‘modernized’ now (i.e. made to be functional, sterilized and economically productive) but to see what we once had and have surrendered to corporate greed and need…..
The drawings are superb and even today you can recognise many areas from those drawings – I could tell Brick Lane instantly. It does make one wonder why we have to destroy so much of London’s heritage? Improve it by all means, change interiors if necessary, but why is it not possible to retain more of the flavour and character of those buildings?
Thanks for bringing this superb work to light.
Good morning – Alan’s style is unique lots of clutter within the interpretation, he has worked this to his advantage he gives us more detail. One or two are breath taking, another is almost in 3D. Alan was an artist for his time, our time and will be seen in future time. Poet John
What lovely, lovely drawings.
Here’s some interesting writing about Snatcher’s Island https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=h1opCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT104&lpg=PT104&dq=snatchers+island+drury+lane&source=bl&ots=uylv7rHfF1&sig=2hzY0nseCN6_0CkiYuNBynwSe-E&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwimm_C-0ZzWAhVDJFAKHU0mCvYQ6AEISjAK#v=onepage&q=snatchers%20island%20drury%20lane&f=false
Absolutely fascinating. I do hope you take/took a camera while exploring as I’d love to see which still exist and how they have changed.
I knew Brick Lane was long – but not how long, and especially surprised to hear it is longer than Park Lane – or is that no longer true?
Also fascinated by Faulkner’s Alley – is that still there, and if it is just how narrow is it? Looks impassible to me.
There is the chance for an interesting Gentle Author project. to visit each site and do a then and now article.
Gary
Greetings from Boston,
GA, thanks for retrieving these great drawings of London’s old paths and byways. Alan had such great depth perception. I particularly enjoyed those graceful lanterns/gas lights (?) that appear throughout.
He must have had a successful career as an illustrator. Fine work…
What a lovely record of these fascinating alleyways and courts that some of our ancestors must have known so well. Thank you.
Thanks for this lovely article. Yes, please do pair photos of surviving courts, lanes, etc. with corresponfing drawings by Stapleton.
Technically superb AND wonderfully evocative.
Yet another wonderful article from the GA, ‘just up my street’ (alley?) as I love nothing more than to poke my nose down and into hidden alleyways to find the unseen places of old London 🙂
A surprising number of these are still with us; I know several as many of your readers must. I would love to see some nice photos of the ones left (Google Street View doesn’t do them justice). One can skip Conduit Court though. The ROW is still there, but that’s it.
How did Mr Stapleton chose these I wonder. Where’s tiny Pickering Place, London’s smallest public square?
Thank you GA. You always come through with something wonderful (causing me to order yet another book).
Enjoyed the lovely drawings. Thomas Carey and his wife Isabella lived in a Crown Court south of Liquorpond street now Clerkenwell Road from 1790 to 1829. I have not found a drawing of that Crown Court which only had 13 houses but Alan’s drawing of Crown Court Pall Mall gives me an idea of what it might look like. I think the houses in Crown Court Liquorpond street were made of wood and possibly demolished about 1869.
John & Elizabeth Jestico lived at no.6 Crown Court, Liquorpond Street in 1792-94.
No photos or sketches exist as far as know. I’m hoping Marguerita Carey might have more information about this court.