This London history site is a wiki of early London streets.
Only a little tributary to the Thames, the River Fleet, generally, and
ignominiously, called the Fleet _Ditch_, yet it is historically interesting, not
only on account of the different places through which its murmuring stream
meandered, almost all of which have some story of their own to tell, but the
reminiscences of its Prison stand
by themselves--pages of history, not to be blotted out, but to be recorded as
valuable in illustration of the habits, and customs, of our forefathers.
The City of London, in its early days, was well supplied with water, not only by
the wells dug near houses, or by the public springs, some of which still exist,
as Aldgate Pump, &c., and the River Thames; but, when its borders increased, the
Walbrook was utilized, as well as the Fleet, and, later on, the Tye-bourne, or
twin brook, which fell into the Thames at Westminster. In the course of time
these rivulets became polluted, land was valuable; they were covered over, and
are now sewers. The course of the Fleet being clearly traceable in the
depression of Farringdon Street, and the windings of the Tye-bourne in the
somewhat tortuous Marylebone Lane (so called from the Chapel of St. Mary, which
was on the banks of "le bourne," or the brook). Its further course is kept in
our memory by Brook Street, Hanover Square.
The name of this little river has exercised many minds, and has been the cause
of spoiling much good paper. My own opinion, backed by many antiquaries, is that
a _Fleet_ means a brook, or tributary to a larger river, which is so wide, and
deep, at its junction with the greater stream as to be navigable for the small
craft then in use, for some little distance. Thus, we have the names on the
Thames of Purfleet, Northfleet, and Southfleet, and the same obtains in other
places. Its derivation seems to be Saxon--at least, for our language. Thus, in
Bosworth's "Dictionary of the Anglo-Saxon Language," we find, "Flede-Fledu:
part. _Flooded_; _overflowed_: tumidus: Tiber fleduweareth--the Tiber was
flooded (Ors. 4. 7)."
Again, the same author gives: "Fleot (_Plat_ fleet, m. _a small river_; _Ger._
flethe. f. _a channel_). _A place where vessels float_, _a bay_, _gulf_, _an arm
of the sea_, _the mouth of a river_, _a river_; hence the names of places, as _Northfleet_,
_Southfleet_, _Kent_; and in London, _Fleet ditch_; _sinus_.[4] Soes Fleot, _a
bay of the sea_.
_Bd._ 1. 34."
Another great Anglo-Saxon scholar--Professor Skeat, in "An Etymological
Dictionary of the English Language": "Fleet, a creek, bay. In the names
_North-fleet_, _Fleet_ Street, &c. Fleet Street was so named from the Fleet
Ditch; and _fleet_ was given to any shallow creek, or stream, or channel of
water. See Halliwell. M.E. _fleet_ (Promptorium Parvulorum, &c., p. 166). A.S. _fleot_,
a bay of the sea, as in Soes Fleot, bay of the sea. Aelfred's tr. of Beda, i.
34.[5] Afterwards applied to any channel or stream, especially if shallow. The
original sense was 'a place where vessels float,' and the derivation is from the
old verb _fleet_, to float, &c."
The French, too, have a cognate term, especially in Norman towns, as Barfleur,
Honfleur, Harfleur, &c., which were originally written Barbe_flot_, Hune_flot_,
and Hare_flot_: and these were sometimes written Hareflou, Huneflou, and Barfleu,
which latter comes very near to the Latin _flevus_, called by Ptolemy _fleus_,
and by Mela _fletio_. Again, in Brittany many names end in _pleu_, or _plou_,
which seems to be very much like the Greek [Greek: pleo]: _full_, _swollen_,
which corresponds to our Anglo-Saxon Flede; Dutch Vliet.
But it has another, and a very pretty name, "THE RIVER OF WELLS," from the
number of small tributaries that helped to swell its stream, and from the wells
which bordered its course; such as Sadler's Wells, Bagnigge Wells, White
Conduit, Coldbath, Lamb's Conduit, Clerkenwell--all of which (although all were
not known by those names in Stow's times) were in existence.
Stow, in his "SURVEY OF LONDON" (ed. 1603, his last edition, and which
consequently has his best corrections), says--
That the riuer of Wels in the west parte of the Citty, was of olde so called of
the Wels, it may be proued thus, William the Conqueror in his Charter to the
Colledge of S. Marten le Grand in London, hath these wordes: I doe giue and
graunt to the same Church all the land and the Moore, without the Posterne,
which is called Cripplegate, on eyther part of the Postern, that is to say, from
the North corner of the Wall, as the riuer of the Wels, there neare running,
departeth the same More from the Wall, vnto the running water which entereth the
Cittie; this water hath beene long since called the riuer of the Wels, which
name of riuer continued, and it was so called in the raigne of Edward the first;
as shall bee shewed, with also the decay of the saide riuer. In a fayre Booke of
Parliament recordes, now lately restored to the Tower,[6] it appeareth that a
Parliament being holden at Carlile in the yeare 1307, the 35 of Edward the I.
Henry Lacy Earle of Lincolne, complayned that whereas, in times past the course
of water, running at _London_ vnder _Olde bourne_ bridge, and _Fleete_ bridge
into the Thames, had beene of such bredth and depth, that 10 or 12 ships, Nauies
at once with marchadises, were wot to come to the foresaid bridge of Fleete, and
some of them to Oldborne bridge: now the same course by filth of the Tanners &
such others, was sore decaied; also by raising of wharfes, but specially by a
diversio of the waters made by them of the new _Temple_, for their milles
standing without _Baynardes Castle_, in the first yeare of King _John_, and
diuers other impediments, so as the said ships could not enter as they were
wont, & as they ought, wherefore he desired that the Maior of London, with the
shiriffs, and other discrete Aldermen, might be appointed to view the course of
the saide water, and that by the othes of good men, all the aforesaide
hinderances might be remoued, and it to bee made as it was wont of old: wherupon
_Roger le Brabazon_, the Constable of the Tower, with the Maior and Shiriffes,
were assigned to take with them honest and discrete men, and to make diligent
search and enquirie, how the said riuer was in old time, and that they leaue
nothing that may hurt or stop it, but keepe it in the same estate that it was
wont to be. So far the record. Wherupon it folowed that the said riuer was at
that time cleansed, these mils remoued, and other things done for the
preseruation of the course thereof, not withstanding neuer brought to the olde
depth and breadth, whereupon the name of riuer ceased, and was since called a
Brooke, namely Turnmill or Tremill Brooke, for that diuers Mils were erected
vpon it, as appeareth by a fayre Register booke, conteyning the foundation of
the Priorie at Clarkenwell, and donation of the landes thereunto belonging, a s
also by diuers other records.
"This brooke hath beene diuers times since clensed, namely, and last of all to
any effect, in the yeare 1502 the 17th of Henrie the 7. the whole course of
Fleete dike, then so called, was scowred (I say) downe to the Thames, so that
boats with fish and fewel were rowed to Fleete bridge, and to Oldburne bridge,
as they of olde time had beene accustomed, which was a great commoditie to all
the inhabitants in that part of the Citie.
"In the yeare 1589, was granted a fifteene, by a common Councell of the citie,
for the cleansing of this Brooke or dike: the money amounting to a thousand
marks collected, and it was undertaken, that, by drawing diuerse springes about
Hampsted heath, into one head and Course, both the citie should be serued of
fresh water in all places of want, and also that by such a follower, as men call
it, the channell of this brooke should be scowred into the riuer of Thames; but
much mony being therein spent, y^e effect fayled, so that the Brooke by meanes
of continuall incrochments vpon the banks getting ouer the water, and casting of
soylage into the streame, is now become woorse cloyed and that euer it was
before."
From this account of Stow's we find that the stream of the Fleet, although at
one time navigable, had ceased to be so in his time, but we see, by the
frontispiece, which is taken from a painting (in the Guildhall Art Gallery) by
Samuel Scot, 1770 (?) that the mouth of the Fleet river, or ditch, call it which
you like, was still, not only navigable, but a place of great resort for light
craft.
The name "River of Wells" is easily to be understood, if we draw again upon
Stow, who, in treating of "Auncient and present Riuers, Brookes, Boorns, Pooles,
Wels, and Conduits of fresh water seruing the Citie," &c., says--
"Aunciently, vntill the Conquerors time, and 200 yeres after, the Citie of
London was watered besides the famous Riuer of Thames on the South part; with
the riuer of the WELS, as it was then called, on the west; with water called
WALBROOKE running through the midst of the citie into the riuer of Thames,
seruing the heart thereof. And with a fourth water or Boorne, which ran within
the Citie through LANGBOORNE ward, watering that part in the East. In the west
suburbs was also another great water, called OLDBORNE, which had his fall into
the riuer of Wels: then was there 3 principall Fountaines or wels in the other
Suburbs, to wit, Holy Well, Clements Well, and Clarkes Well. Neare vnto this
last named fountaine were diuers other wels, to wit, Skinners Wel, Fags Wel,
Loders Wel, and Rad Well; All
which sayde Wels, hauing the fall of their ouerflowing in the foresayde Riuer,
much encreased the streame, and in that place gaue it the name of Wel. In west
Smithfield, there was a Poole in Recordes called HORSEPOOLE, and one other Poole
neare vnto the parish Church of Saint GILES without CRIPPLEGATE. Besides all
which they had in euerie streete and Lane of the citie diuerse fayre Welles and
fresh Springs; and, after this manner was this citie then serued with sweete and
fresh waters, which being since decaid, other means haue beene sought to supplie
the want."
Here, then, we have a list of Wells, which are, together with those I have
already mentioned, quite sufficient to account for the prettier name of the
"River of Wells." Of these wells Stow writes in his deliciously-quaint
phraseology:--
There are (saith _Fitzstephen_) neare London, on the North side special wels in
the Suburbs, sweete, wholesome, and cleare, amongst which _Holy well_, Clarkes
wel, and Clements wel are most famous, and frequented by Scholers, and youthes
of the Cittie in sommer evenings, when they walke forthe to take the aire.
"The first, to wit, Holy well, is much decayed, and marred with filthinesse
laide there, for the heightening of the ground for garden plots.
"The fountaine called S. Clements well, North from the Parish Church of S.
Clements, and neare vnto an Inne of _Chancerie_, called _Clements_ Inne, is
faire curbed square with hard stone, kept cleane for common vse, and is alwayes
full.
"The third is called Clarkes well, or Clarkenwell,[7] and is curbed about square
with hard stone, not farre from the west ende of Clarkenwell Church, but close
without the wall that incloseth it; the sayd Church tooke the name of the Well,
and the Well tooke the name of the Parish Clarkes in London, who of old time
were accustomed there yearely to assemble, and to play some large hystorie of
holy Scripture. And, for example, of later time, to wit, in the yeare 1390, the
14 of Richard the Second, I read the Parish Clarks of London, on the 18 of July,
playd Enterludes at _Skinners well_, neare vnto _Clarkes well_, which play
continued three dayes togither, the King, Queene, and Nobles being present. Also
the yeare 1409, the 10 of Henrie the 4. they played a play at the _Skinners
well_, which lasted eight
dayes, and was of matter from the creation of the worlde. There were to see the
same, the most part of the Nobles and Gentiles in England, &c.
"Other smaller welles were many neare vnto Clarkes well, namely _Skinners well_,
so called for that the Skinners of London held there certaine playes yearely
playd of holy Scripture, &c. In place whereof the wrestlings haue of later
yeares beene kept, and is in part continued at _Bartholomew tide_.
"Then was there Fagges well, neare vnto _Smithfield_ by the _Charterhouse_, now
lately dammed vp, _Tod well_, _Loders well_, and _Rad well_, all decayed, and so
filled vp, that there places are hardly now discerned.
"Somewhat North from _Holy well_ is one other well curbed square with stone, and
is called _Dame Annis the Cleare_, and not farre from it, but somewhat west, is
also one other cleare water called _Perillous pond_, because diuerse youthes by
swimming therein haue beene drowned; and thus much bee said for Fountaines and
Wels.
"_Horse poole_ in _Westsmithfield_, was sometime a great water, and because the
inhabitants in that part of the Citie did there water their Horses, the same
was, in olde Recordes, called _Horspoole_, it is now much decayed, the springs
being stopped vp, and the land waters falling into the small bottome, remayning
inclosed, with Bricke, is called _Smithfield pond_.
"By S. Giles Churchyard was a large water, called a _Poole_. I read in the year
1244 that Anne of Lodburie was drowned therein; this poole is now for the most
part stopped vp, but the spring is preserued, and was cooped about with stone by
the Executors of _Richard Wittington_."