Panyer Alley
Names
- Panyer Alley
- ye Panyer Ale
- Panyar Alley
- Pannier Alley
- Panier Alley
- Pannyor Alley
Street/Area/District
- Panyer Alley
Maps & Views
- 1666 London after the fire (Hollar & Leake, 1669?): Panier Alley
- 1677 A Large and Accurate Map of the City of London (Ogilby & Morgan): Pannyor Alley
- 1720 London (Strype): Panier Alley
- 1736 London (Moll & Bowles): Panyer Alley
- 1799 London (Horwood): Panyer Alley
Descriptions
from A Dictionary of London, by Henry Harben (1918)
Panyer Alley
North out of Paternoster Row at No. 4, to Newgate Street (P.O. Directory). In Farringdon Ward Within.
First mention: "ye Panyer Ale," 1442 (Reg. St. Martin's le Grand in possession of D. and C. Westminster).
Forms of name: "Panyar Alley," 1556 (L.C.C. Deeds, Harben Bequest, 1500–1600, No. 31). "Pannier Alley," 1648 (L. and P. Chas. I. XXII. p. 44). "Panier Alley" (Leake, 1666, and Strype, Ed. 1720, I. iii. 196). "Pannyor Alley" (O. and M. 1677),
Named after the messuage called the "Panyer," or "the Panyer on the hoope" (q.v.). Said to be the highest ground within the City.
from A New View of London, by Edward Hatton (1708)
Pannier alley, the most Ely passage from Newgate str. to Pater noster row; about the middle of this alley, is the highest Ground in London. Stow says it was so called from such a Sign there.
from A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, by John Strype (1720)
[Panier Alley.] And beyond this [St. Michaels] Church some small distance, is another Passage, which is called Panier Alley, and cometh out against St. Martins Lane end.
…
At the West end of this Parish Church [St. Michael le Quern], is a small passage for People on Foot, thorow the same Church. And West from the said Church, some distance is another Passage out of Pater-noster Row, and is called (of such a Sign) Panyer Alley; which cometh out into the North, over against St. Martins Lane.
[When you have sought the City round,
Yet still this is the highest Ground.
August 26. 1688.
This is writ upon a Stone raised, about the middle of this Panier Alley; having the Figure of a Panier, with a Boy sitting upon it, with a Bunch of Grapes, as it seems to be, held between his naked Foot and Hand: in token, perhaps, of Plenty.]
from London and Its Environs Described, by Robert and James Dodsley (1761)
Pannier alley, near Cheapside, leads from Blowbladder street into Pater noster row, and is said to be the highest ground within the city walls. About the middle of the alley, a stone is fixed in the wall in the form of a pedestal, on the side of which is cut in relief a boy riding astride upon a pannier, and this inscription.
When you have sought the city round,
Yet still this is the highest ground.