On the east side of Spital Churchyard (the churchyard of St. Mary Spital with the Pulpit Cross in it) lieth a large field of old time called "Lolesworth," now "Spittlefield" (S, 170).
Warrant issued in 1673 to enclose certain ways through Spittlefields, one from Lolesworth's Lane to Smock Alley, another from Vine Court into the said way, another from the Red Lion to Smock Alley, and another from the George to Smock Alley, provided another way is made instead (L. and P. Chas. II. Dom. S. XV. p.351).
"Lollesworth" or " Spitalfields" in its original extent seems to have occupied the site of Spitalfields Market and to have been originally included in the parish of Stepney. It seems doubtful whether the field itself belonged to St. Mary Spital (q.v.) (and
The name certainly now embraces a much wider area in the parish of Christ Church Spittlefields, extending from Bishopsgate Ward to Bethnal Green, that parish having been taken out of Stepney in 1728.
The silk manufacture was planted here by the French Protestants 1685, when they fled from France (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 28).
Later the fields were converted into streets and buildings inhabited by silk weavers, etc.