Suffolk Lane

A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.

South from Laurence Pountney Hill, at No. 1, to 151 Upper Thames Street (P.O. Directory). In Dowgate and Walbrook Wards.


First mention: " Suffolke Lane," 25 Eliz. 1583 and 1581 (Lond. I. p.m. III. p.62).

There was a "Tennis place" in the lane at this date.

Named after the family of Suffolk, who held the Manor of the Rose, situated in the lane, on the site occupied later by the Merchant Taylor's School (Wilson, p. 455).

Roman walls found at a depth of 17 ft. crossing the lane 25 yards from Thames Street, made of Kentish rag-stone 3 ft. thick. A second found parallel with the first seven yards higher up the lane; a third crossed the lane diagonally towards the north-west within a space of 13 yards. The lower walls were in made ground, puddled with clay (Arch. XXXII. 120).

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