Portpool Lane

A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.

East out of Grays Inn Road to Leather Lane, outside the City boundary, in the borough of Holborn (P.O. Directory).


First mention: "Purpole Lane," 1641 (L. and P. Chas. I. XVIII. 141). "Perpoole Lane" (O. and M. 1677).

This lane is of course outside the scope of this work, but it is necessary to refer to it, because in early times the name seems to have been applied not to this street, which is of later date, but to Gray's Inn Road: "Portpole Lane, otherwise Grayesyn Lane," 1468 (Ct. H.W. II. 561). "Grey's Inn Lane, otherwise Portpole Lane in Holborne," 4 Ed. VI. (Cal. L. and M. Ft. of Fines II. 75). "Purte Pool Lane, alias Gray's Inn Lane," 1587 (MS. D. and C. St. Paul's, Press A. Box 75, No.1996). "Porte Poole or Greyes

Inne lane," 1603 (S. 440).

This seems to be the latest reference to "Gray's Inn Lane" as "Portpool Lane," and it is possible that after Stow's time the name " Portpool Lane " was transferred to the newer street which still bears the name, at right angles to Gray's Inn Lane.

See Portpool Street.

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