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==Geography==
==Geography==
[[File:FleetStreetSign.JPG|thumb|250px|Fleet Street road sign. The street numbering runs consecutively from west to east south-side and then east to west north-side.]]
[[File:FleetStreetSign.JPG|thumb|250px|Fleet Street road sign. The street numbering runs consecutively from west to east south-side and then east to west north-side.]]
Fleet Street is named after the [[River Fleet]] which runs from [[Hampstead]] to the [[River Thames]] at the western edge of the Roman [[City of London]]. It is one of the oldest roads outside the original city and was established by the [[Middle Ages]].{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}}{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=298}} By the 13th century, it was known Fleet Bridge Street, and in the early part of the 14th century it began to be mentioned frequently as simply Fleet Street.<ref name="americana">{{Cite Americana|wstitle=Fleet Street|year=1920}}</ref>
Fleet Street is named after the [[River Fleet]] which runs from [[Hampstead]] to the [[River Thames]] at the western edge of the Roman [[City of London]]. It is one of the oldest roads outside the original city and was established by the [[Middle Ages]].{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}}{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=298}} By the 13th century, it was known Fleet Bridge Street, and in the early part of the 14th century it began to be mentioned frequently as simply Fleet Street.<ref name="americana">{{Cite Americana|wstitle=Fleet Street|year=1920}}</ref>


The street runs east from [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar]], the boundary between the Cities of London and [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], as a continuation of [[Strand, London|the Strand]] from [[Trafalgar Square]]. It crosses [[Chancery Lane]] and [[Fetter Lane]] to reach [[Ludgate Circus]] by the [[London Wall]]. The road ahead is [[Ludgate Hill]]. The street numbering runs consecutively from west to east south-side and then east to west north-side.<ref name=gmap>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/51.5137184,-0.1115984/51.5141522,-0.1045932/@51.5139217,-0.1102948,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e2|title=3, Fleet Street to 100, Fleet Street|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=28 December 2015}}</ref> It links the Roman and Medieval boundaries of the City after the latter was extended. The section of Fleet Street between Temple Bar and Fetter Lane is the [[A4 road (England)|A4]], a major road running west through London,<ref name=gmap/> though it once ran along the entire street and eastwards past [[St Paul's Churchyard]] towards [[Cannon Street]].<ref>{{cite map|url=http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/index.php?view=51.51738,-0.09992&map=LonMap&zoom=13&layer=1|title=Ten Mile Map of Great Britain (London Four Mile Insert)|publisher=Ordnance Survey|year=1932|accessdate=28 December 2015}}</ref>
The street runs east from [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar]], the boundary between the Cities of London and [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], as a continuation of [[Strand, London|the Strand]] from [[Trafalgar Square]]. It crosses [[Chancery Lane]] and [[Fetter Lane]] to reach [[Ludgate Circus]] by the [[London Wall]]. The road ahead is [[Ludgate Hill]]. The street numbering runs consecutively from west to east south-side and then east to west north-side.<ref name=gmap>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/51.5137184,-0.1115984/51.5141522,-0.1045932/@51.5139217,-0.1102948,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!4m1!3e2|title=3, Fleet Street to 100, Fleet Street|publisher=Google Maps|accessdate=28 December 2015}}</ref> It links the Roman and Medieval boundaries of the City after the latter was extended. The section of Fleet Street between Temple Bar and Fetter Lane is the [[A4 road (England)|A4]], a major road running west through London,<ref name=gmap/> though it once ran along the entire street and eastwards past [[St Paul's Churchyard]] towards [[Cannon Street]].<ref>{{cite map|url=http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/index.php?view=51.51738,-0.09992&map=LonMap&zoom=13&layer=1|title=Ten Mile Map of Great Britain (London Four Mile Insert)|publisher=Ordnance Survey|year=1932|accessdate=28 December 2015}}</ref>
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Fleet Street was established as a thoroughfare in Roman London and there is evidence that a route led west from Ludgate by 200AD.{{sfn|City|1996|p=4}} Excavations in the area revealed remains of a Roman amphitheatre near Ludgate on what later became [[Fleet Prison]], but other accounts suggest the area was too marshy for regular inhabitation by the Romans.<ref name=thornbury>{{cite journal|first=Walter|last=Thornbury|title=Fleet Street: General Introduction|work=Old and New London|volume=1|location=London|year=1878|pp=32–53|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp32-53|accessdate=31 December 2015}}</ref> The [[Saxons]] abandoned the original settlement and established Ludenvic further west around what is now [[Aldwych]] and [[Strand, London|the Strand]], and therefore Fleet Street became an important link between the two areas.{{sfn|City|1996|p=4}}
Fleet Street was established as a thoroughfare in Roman London and there is evidence that a route led west from Ludgate by 200AD.{{sfn|City|1996|p=4}} Excavations in the area revealed remains of a Roman amphitheatre near Ludgate on what later became [[Fleet Prison]], but other accounts suggest the area was too marshy for regular inhabitation by the Romans.<ref name=thornbury>{{cite journal|first=Walter|last=Thornbury|title=Fleet Street: General Introduction|work=Old and New London|volume=1|location=London|year=1878|pp=32–53|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp32-53|accessdate=31 December 2015}}</ref> The [[Saxons]] abandoned the original settlement and established Ludenvic further west around what is now [[Aldwych]] and [[Strand, London|the Strand]], and therefore Fleet Street became an important link between the two areas.{{sfn|City|1996|p=4}}


Many [[prelate]]s lived around the street during the Middle Ages, including the Bishops of Salibsury and St Davids and the Abbots of [[Faversham Abbey|Faversham]], [[Tewkesbury Abbey|Tewksbury]], [[Winchcombe Abbey|Winchcombe]] and [[Cirencester Abbey|Cirencester]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=298}} The presence of the River Fleet made [[tanning]] of animal [[hide (skin)|hides]] a popular industry along the street, though this polluted the River Fleet to the extent that by the mid-14th century it was an offence to dump rubbish in the river.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=8}} Many taverns and [[brothel]]s were established along Fleet Street and have been documented as early as the 14th century.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}}{{efn|In 1339 a Fleet Street resident was found guilty of "harbouring prostitutes and sodomites".{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}}}} Records show that [[Geoffrey Chaucer]] was fined two [[shilling (British coin)|shillings]] for attacking a [[friar]] in Fleet Street.<ref name=thornbury/>
Many [[prelate]]s lived around the street during the Middle Ages, including the Bishops of Salibsury and St Davids and the Abbots of [[Faversham Abbey|Faversham]], [[Tewkesbury Abbey|Tewksbury]], [[Winchcombe Abbey|Winchcombe]] and [[Cirencester Abbey|Cirencester]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=298}} The presence of the River Fleet made [[tanning]] of animal [[hide (skin)|hides]] a popular industry along the street, though this polluted the River Fleet to the extent that by the mid-14th century it was an offence to dump rubbish in the river.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=8}} Many taverns and [[brothel]]s were established along Fleet Street and have been documented as early as the 14th century.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}}{{efn|In 1339 a Fleet Street resident was found guilty of "harbouring prostitutes and sodomites".{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}}}} Records show that [[Geoffrey Chaucer]] was fined two [[shilling (British coin)|shillings]] for attacking a [[friar]] in Fleet Street.<ref name=thornbury/>


An important landmark in Fleet Street during the late Middle Ages was a [[pipe (fluid conveyance)|conduit]] that was the main water supply for the area. When [[Anne Boelyn]] was crowned Queen following her marriage to [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] in 1533, the conduit flowed wine instead of water.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=16}} By the 16th century, Fleet Street, along with the City of London generally was chronically overcrowded, and a Royal proclamation in 1580 banned any further building on the street. This had little effect, and construction continued, much of it timber.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=15}} [[Prince Henry's Room]] dates from the early 16th century, and is named after the future Henry VIII.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=194}}
An important landmark in Fleet Street during the late Middle Ages was a [[pipe (fluid conveyance)|conduit]] that was the main water supply for the area. When [[Anne Boelyn]] was crowned Queen following her marriage to [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] in 1533, the conduit flowed wine instead of water.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=16}} By the 16th century, Fleet Street, along with the City of London generally was chronically overcrowded, and a Royal proclamation in 1580 banned any further building on the street. This had little effect, and construction continued, much of it timber.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=15}} [[Prince Henry's Room]] dates from the early 16th century, and is named after the future Henry VIII.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=194}}


[[File:Anti-Corn-Law League plaque London.jpg|thumb|A [[blue plaque]] marking the location of the [[Anti-Corn Law League]] headquarters on No.&nbsp;67 Fleet Street]]
[[File:Anti-Corn-Law League plaque London.jpg|thumb|A [[blue plaque]] marking the location of the [[Anti-Corn Law League]] headquarters on No.&nbsp;67 Fleet Street]]
The eastern part of the street was destroyed by the [[Great Fire of London]] in 1666 despite attempts to use the River Fleet to control it.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|pp=340–341}}{{sfn|City|1996|p=5}} It ended near [[Fetter Lane]] and the special tribunal of the 'Fire Courts' was held at [[Clifford's Inn]], an [[inn of Chancery]] at the edge of the extent of the fire, to arbitrate on claimant's rights.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Walter|last=Thornbury|title=Fleet Street: Northern tributaries (continued)|work=Old and New London|volume=1|location=London|year=1878|pp=92–104|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp92-104|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> Properties on the street were quickly rebuilt in the same style before the fire.{{sfn|City|1996|p=5}} During the early 18th century, a notorious upper-class gang known as the Mohocks operated on Fleet Street, causing regular violence and vandalism.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=298}}<ref name=thornbury/> [[Mrs Salmon's Waxworks]] was established at Prince Henry's Room in 1711. It included a display of macabre and [[black humour]]ed exhibits, including the execution of [[Charles I of England|Charles I]], a Roman lady, Hermonie, whose father avoided being sentenced to starvation by sucking her breast, and a woman who gave birth to 365 children simultaneously. The waxworks were a favourite haunt of [[William Hogarth]] and survived into the 19th century. {{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|pp=820–1}} In 1763, supporters of [[John Wilkes]] who had been arrested for libel against the [[John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute|Earl of Bute]], burned a [[jackboot]] in the centre of Fleet Street in protest against Bute.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=298}} This led to further violent demonstrations and rioting in the street in 1769 and 1794.<ref name=thornbury/>
The eastern part of the street was destroyed by the [[Great Fire of London]] in 1666 despite attempts to use the River Fleet to control it.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|pp=340–341}}{{sfn|City|1996|p=5}} It ended near [[Fetter Lane]] and the special tribunal of the 'Fire Courts' was held at [[Clifford's Inn]], an [[inn of Chancery]] at the edge of the extent of the fire, to arbitrate on claimant's rights.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Walter|last=Thornbury|title=Fleet Street: Northern tributaries (continued)|work=Old and New London|volume=1|location=London|year=1878|pp=92–104|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp92-104|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> Properties on the street were quickly rebuilt in the same style before the fire.{{sfn|City|1996|p=5}} During the early 18th century, a notorious upper-class gang known as the Mohocks operated on Fleet Street, causing regular violence and vandalism.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=298}}<ref name=thornbury/> [[Mrs Salmon's Waxworks]] was established at Prince Henry's Room in 1711. It included a display of macabre and [[black humour|black humoured]] exhibits, including the execution of [[Charles I of England|Charles I]], a Roman lady, Hermonie, whose father avoided being sentenced to starvation by sucking her breast, and a woman who gave birth to 365 children simultaneously. The waxworks were a favourite haunt of [[William Hogarth]] and survived into the 19th century. {{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|pp=820–1}} In 1763, supporters of [[John Wilkes]] who had been arrested for libel against the [[John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute|Earl of Bute]], burned a [[jackboot]] in the centre of Fleet Street in protest against Bute.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=298}} This led to further violent demonstrations and rioting in the street in 1769 and 1794.<ref name=thornbury/>


Tanning and other industries declined sharply after the River Fleet was rerouted underground in 1766.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}} The street was widened during the late 19th century, which included the demolition of Temple Bar and the construction of Ludgate Circus.{{sfn|City|1996|p=7}} The headquarters of the [[Anti-Corn Law League]] were based at No.&nbsp;67 Fleet Street, and a [[blue plaque]] now marks the location.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Anti-Corn Law League: 1838–1846|first=Norman|last=McCord|publisher=Routledge|p=140|year=2013|isbn=978-1-136-58447-3}}</ref>
Tanning and other industries declined sharply after the River Fleet was rerouted underground in 1766.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=185}} The street was widened during the late 19th century, which included the demolition of Temple Bar and the construction of Ludgate Circus.{{sfn|City|1996|p=7}} The headquarters of the [[Anti-Corn Law League]] were based at No.&nbsp;67 Fleet Street, and a [[blue plaque]] now marks the location.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Anti-Corn Law League: 1838–1846|first=Norman|last=McCord|publisher=Routledge|p=140|year=2013|isbn=978-1-136-58447-3}}</ref>
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{{see also|History of British newspapers|List of United Kingdom newspapers}}
{{see also|History of British newspapers|List of United Kingdom newspapers}}
[[File:135-141 Fleet Street, Formerly the Daily Telegraph Building (geograph 3776922).jpg|thumb|left|The former offices of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' at No.&nbsp;135–141 Fleet Street]]
[[File:135-141 Fleet Street, Formerly the Daily Telegraph Building (geograph 3776922).jpg|thumb|left|The former offices of ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' at No.&nbsp;135–141 Fleet Street]]
Publishing started in Fleet Street around 1500 when [[William Caxton]]'s apprentice, [[Wynkyn de Worde]], set up a printing shop near Shoe Lane, while at around the same time [[Richard Pynson]] set up as publisher and printer next to [[St Dunstan-in-the-West|St. Dunstan's church]]. More printers and publishers followed, mainly supplying the legal trade in the four Law Inns around the area,{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=299}} but also publishing books and plays.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}}
Publishing started in Fleet Street around 1500 when [[William Caxton]]'s apprentice, [[Wynkyn de Worde]], set up a printing shop near Shoe Lane, while at around the same time [[Richard Pynson]] set up as publisher and printer next to [[St Dunstan-in-the-West|St. Dunstan's church]]. More printers and publishers followed, mainly supplying the legal trade in the four Law Inns around the area,{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=299}} but also publishing books and plays.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}}


In March 1702, London's first daily newspaper, the ''[[Daily Courant]]'', was published in Fleet Street. It was followed by the ''[[Morning Chronicle]]''.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}} The publisher [[John Murray (publisher)|John Murray]] was founded at No.&nbsp;32 Fleet Street in 1762 and remained there until 1812, when it moved to Albemarle Street.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}}
In March 1702, London's first daily newspaper, the ''[[Daily Courant]]'', was published in Fleet Street. It was followed by the ''[[Morning Chronicle]]''.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}} The publisher [[John Murray (publisher)|John Murray]] was founded at No.&nbsp;32 Fleet Street in 1762 and remained there until 1812, when it moved to Albemarle Street.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}}


By the 20th century, Fleet Street and its surrounding area was dominated by the national press and related industries. ''[[The Daily Express]]'' relocated to No.&nbsp;121-8 Fleet Street in 1931, into a building designed by [[Owen Williams (engineer)|Sir Owen Williams]]. It was the first [[curtain wall (architecture)|curtain wall]] building in London, and survived the departure of the newspaper in 1989 to be restored in 2001. ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' was based at No.&nbsp;135–142.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}} These premises are both [[Listed Buildings|Grade II Listed]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/greater+london/city+of+london#.VoKbgZOLS_s|title=Listed Buildings in City of London, Greater London, England|publisher=British Listed Buildings|accessdate=29 December 2015}}</ref> In the 1930s, No.&nbsp;67 housed 25 separate publications; by this time the majority of British households bought a daily paper produced from Fleet Street.{{sfn|Moore|2003|pp=186,188}}
By the 20th century, Fleet Street and its surrounding area was dominated by the national press and related industries. ''[[The Daily Express]]'' relocated to No.&nbsp;121-8 Fleet Street in 1931, into a building designed by [[Owen Williams (engineer)|Sir Owen Williams]]. It was the first [[curtain wall (architecture)|curtain wall]] building in London, and survived the departure of the newspaper in 1989 to be restored in 2001. ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' was based at No.&nbsp;135–142.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}} These premises are both [[Listed Buildings|Grade II Listed]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/greater+london/city+of+london#.VoKbgZOLS_s|title=Listed Buildings in City of London, Greater London, England|publisher=British Listed Buildings|accessdate=29 December 2015}}</ref> In the 1930s, No.&nbsp;67 housed 25 separate publications; by this time the majority of British households bought a daily paper produced from Fleet Street.{{sfn|Moore|2003|pp=186,188}}


In 1986, [[News International]] owner [[Rupert Murdoch]] caused controversy when he moved publication of ''[[The Times]]'' and ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' away from Fleet Street to new premises in [[Wapping]], [[East London]]. Murdoch believed it was impossible to produce a newspaper profitably on Fleet Street and the power of the print unions, the [[National Graphical Association]] (NGA) and the [[Society of Graphical and Allied Trades]] (SOGAT), was too strong (an opinion endorsed by the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], [[Margaret Thatcher]]). All Fleet Street print staff were sacked and new staff from the [[Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union]] were brought in to operate the presses at Wapping using modern computer-operated technology, rendering the power of the old unions obsolete. The resulting [[Wapping dispute]] featured violent protests at Fleet Street and Wapping that lasted over a year, but ultimately other publishers followed suit and moved out of Fleet Street towards [[Canary Wharf]] or [[Southwark]]. Reuters was the last major news outlet to leave Fleet Street in 2005.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}} The same year, ''The Daily Telegraph'' and ''Sunday Telegraph'' returned to the centre of London from Canary Wharf to new premises in [[Victoria, London|Victoria]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2928887/Telegraph-moves-to-Victoria.html|title=Telegraph moves to Victoria|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=22 December 2005|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref>
In 1986, [[News International]] owner [[Rupert Murdoch]] caused controversy when he moved publication of ''[[The Times]]'' and ''[[The Sun (United Kingdom)|The Sun]]'' away from Fleet Street to new premises in [[Wapping]], [[East London]]. Murdoch believed it was impossible to produce a newspaper profitably on Fleet Street and the power of the print unions, the [[National Graphical Association]] (NGA) and the [[Society of Graphical and Allied Trades]] (SOGAT), was too strong (an opinion endorsed by the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], [[Margaret Thatcher]]). All Fleet Street print staff were sacked and new staff from the [[Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union]] were brought in to operate the presses at Wapping using modern computer-operated technology, rendering the power of the old unions obsolete. The resulting [[Wapping dispute]] featured violent protests at Fleet Street and Wapping that lasted over a year, but ultimately other publishers followed suit and moved out of Fleet Street towards [[Canary Wharf]] or [[Southwark]]. Reuters was the last major news outlet to leave Fleet Street in 2005.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}} The same year, ''The Daily Telegraph'' and ''Sunday Telegraph'' returned to the centre of London from Canary Wharf to new premises in [[Victoria, London|Victoria]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2928887/Telegraph-moves-to-Victoria.html|title=Telegraph moves to Victoria|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=22 December 2005|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref>


The London office of [[D.C. Thomson & Co.]], creator of ''[[The Beano]]'', is still based on Fleet Street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dcthomson.co.uk/about-us|title=About Us|publisher=D C Thomson & Co|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> The Secretariat of the [[Commonwealth Broadcasting Association]] is also based at No.&nbsp;17,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-fwWDaQ8-EQC&pg=PA111|title=The Commonwealth: A Family of Nations|authors=Liz Paren, Caroline Coxon, Cheryl Dorall|publisher=Commonwealth Secretariat|year=2003|p=111|isbn=978-0-85092-753-5}}</ref> as is [[Wentworth Publishing]], an independent publisher of newsletters and courses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wentworth-publishing.co.uk/contact.html|title=Contact us|publisher=Wentworth Publishing|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> ''[[The Associated Press]]'' has an office in Fleet Street<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DV8FCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA390&lpg=PA390&dq=%22associated+press%22+%22fleet+street%22|title=International Dictionary of Marketing and Communication|first=Frank William|last=Jefkins|p=390|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|year=2012|isbn=978-1-4684-1523-0}}</ref> as did ''[[The Jewish Chronicle]]'' until 2013 when it moved to [[Golders Green]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.hamiltoninvestment.co.uk/jewish-chronicle-hq-to-be-recycled-into-serviced-flats-2/|title=Jewish Chronicle HQ to be recycled into serviced flats|work=[[Property Week]]date=21 February 2014}}</ref> The British Association of Journalists is based at No.&nbsp;89<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bajunion.org.uk/nec.htm|title=About us|publisher=British Association of Journalists|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref> while [[Metro International]], publishers of the free newspaper ''[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]'', are at No&nbsp;85.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/node/39363|title=Metro International office move means print returns to Fleet Street|work=Press Gazette|date=7 November 2007|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref>
The London office of [[D.C. Thomson & Co.]], creator of ''[[The Beano]]'', is still based on Fleet Street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dcthomson.co.uk/about-us|title=About Us|publisher=D C Thomson & Co|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> The Secretariat of the [[Commonwealth Broadcasting Association]] is also based at No.&nbsp;17,<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-fwWDaQ8-EQC&pg=PA111|title=The Commonwealth: A Family of Nations|authors=Liz Paren, Caroline Coxon, Cheryl Dorall|publisher=Commonwealth Secretariat|year=2003|p=111|isbn=978-0-850-92753-5}}</ref> as is [[Wentworth Publishing]], an independent publisher of newsletters and courses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wentworth-publishing.co.uk/contact.html|title=Contact us|publisher=Wentworth Publishing|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> ''[[The Associated Press]]'' has an office in Fleet Street<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=DV8FCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA390&lpg=PA390&dq=%22associated+press%22+%22fleet+street%22|title=International Dictionary of Marketing and Communication|first=Frank William|last=Jefkins|p=390|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|year=2012|isbn=978-1-46841-523-0}}</ref> as did ''[[The Jewish Chronicle]]'' until 2013 when it moved to [[Golders Green]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.hamiltoninvestment.co.uk/jewish-chronicle-hq-to-be-recycled-into-serviced-flats-2/|title=Jewish Chronicle HQ to be recycled into serviced flats|work=[[Property Week]]date=21 February 2014}}</ref> The British Association of Journalists is based at No.&nbsp;89<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bajunion.org.uk/nec.htm|title=About us|publisher=British Association of Journalists|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref> while [[Metro International]], publishers of the free newspaper ''[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]]'', are at No&nbsp;85.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/node/39363|title=Metro International office move means print returns to Fleet Street|work=Press Gazette|date=7 November 2007|accessdate=1 January 2016}}</ref>


Though many prominent national newspapers have moved away from Fleet Street, the name is still synonymous with the printing and publishing industry.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}} In the adjacent St. Brides Lane is the [[St Bride Library]], holding a specialist collection relating to the type and print industry and provides courses in printing technology and methods.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://britishletterpress.co.uk/community/places/st-bride-library/|title=St Bride Library|publisher=British Letter Press|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> On the wall of Magpie Alley, off [[Bouverie Street]], is a mural depicting the history of newspapers in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelondonphile.com/tag/magpie-alley-crypt/|title=Magpie Alley Crypt|publisher=thelondonphile|accessdate=31 December 2015}}</ref>
Though many prominent national newspapers have moved away from Fleet Street, the name is still synonymous with the printing and publishing industry.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}} In the adjacent St. Brides Lane is the [[St Bride Library]], holding a specialist collection relating to the type and print industry and provides courses in printing technology and methods.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://britishletterpress.co.uk/community/places/st-bride-library/|title=St Bride Library|publisher=British Letter Press|accessdate=30 December 2015}}</ref> On the wall of Magpie Alley, off [[Bouverie Street]], is a mural depicting the history of newspapers in the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelondonphile.com/tag/magpie-alley-crypt/|title=Magpie Alley Crypt|publisher=thelondonphile|accessdate=31 December 2015}}</ref>


===Modern history===
===Modern history===
[[File:Fleet Street during 1953 Coronation - geograph.org.uk - 513456.jpg|thumb|Fleet Street pictured in 1953, with flags hung for the [[coronation of Queen Elizabeth II]].]]
[[File:Fleet Street during 1953 Coronation - geograph.org.uk - 513456.jpg|thumb|Fleet Street pictured in 1953, with flags hung for the [[coronation of Queen Elizabeth II]].]]
Despite the domination of the print industry, other businesses were also established on Fleet Street. The [[Automobile Association]] was established at No.&nbsp;18 Fleet Street in 1905.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=6}} Since the post-Wapping migration, Fleet Street is now more associated with the investment banking, legal and accountancy professions. For example, The Inns of Court and barristers' chambers are down alleys and around courtyards off Fleet Street itself and many of the old newspaper offices have become the London headquarters for various companies;{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}} e.g. [[Goldman Sachs]] is in the old Daily Telegraph and Liverpool Echo buildings of Peterborough Court and Mersey House.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=192}}
Despite the domination of the print industry, other businesses were also established on Fleet Street. The [[Automobile Association]] was established at No.&nbsp;18 Fleet Street in 1905.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|p=6}} Since the post-Wapping migration, Fleet Street is now more associated with the investment banking, legal and accountancy professions. For example, The Inns of Court and barristers' chambers are down alleys and around courtyards off Fleet Street itself and many of the old newspaper offices have become the London headquarters for various companies;{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}} e.g. [[Goldman Sachs]] is in the old Daily Telegraph and Liverpool Echo buildings of Peterborough Court and Mersey House.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=192}}


[[C. Hoare & Co]], England's oldest privately owned bank, has been operating in Fleet Street since 1672.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=193}} [[Child & Co]], now a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Royal Bank of Scotland]] claims to be the oldest continuous banking establishment as founded in 1580 and has been based at No.1&nbsp;Fleet Street, adjacent to Temple Bar, since 1673.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://heritagearchives.rbs.com/companies/list/child-and-co.html|title=Child & Co|publisher=Royal Bank of Scotland|accessdate=29 December 2015}}</ref> The law firm [[Freshfields]] moved to No.&nbsp;65 Fleet Street in 1990.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}}
[[C. Hoare & Co]], England's oldest privately owned bank, has been operating in Fleet Street since 1672.{{sfn|Moore|2003|p=193}} [[Child & Co]], now a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Royal Bank of Scotland]] claims to be the oldest continuous banking establishment as founded in 1580 and has been based at No.1&nbsp;Fleet Street, adjacent to Temple Bar, since 1673.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://heritagearchives.rbs.com/companies/list/child-and-co.html|title=Child & Co|publisher=Royal Bank of Scotland|accessdate=29 December 2015}}</ref> The law firm [[Freshfields]] moved to No.&nbsp;65 Fleet Street in 1990.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}}


==Notable buildings==
==Notable buildings==
<!--[[File:Mersey House.jpg|thumb|Mersey House, London, UK]]-->
<!--[[File:Mersey House.jpg|thumb|Mersey House, London, UK]]-->
In the [[High Middle Ages]] senior clergymen had their London palaces in the street. Place-names surviving with this connection are Peterborough Court and Salisbury Court after their respective Bishops' houses here; apart from the Knights Templars' establishment the [[Whitefriars, London|Whitefriars]] monastery is recalled by Whitefriars Street{{sfn|City|1996|p=5}} and the remains of its [[undercroft]] have been preserved in a public display area. A [[Carmelites|Carmelite]] church was established on Fleet Street in 1253, but it was destroyed during the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]] in 1545.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|pp=13–14}}
In the [[High Middle Ages]] senior clergymen had their London palaces in the street. Place-names surviving with this connection are Peterborough Court and Salisbury Court after their respective Bishops' houses here; apart from the Knights Templars' establishment the [[Whitefriars, London|Whitefriars]] monastery is recalled by Whitefriars Street{{sfn|City|1996|p=5}} and the remains of its [[undercroft]] have been preserved in a public display area. A [[Carmelites|Carmelite]] church was established on Fleet Street in 1253, but it was destroyed during the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]] in 1545.{{sfn|Brooke|2012|pp=13–14}}


Today three churches serve the spiritual needs of the three 'communities' associated with the area of the street. [[Temple Church]] was built by the Knights Templar in 1162 and serves the Legal profession.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=910}} [[St Bride's Church]] was established as early as the 6th century{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=298}} and was later architected by [[Christopher Wren|Sir Christopher Wren]] in a style the complemented [[St Mary Le Bow]] further east in the City.{{sfn|City|1996|p=8}} It remains the London church most associated with the print industry. [[St Dunstan's in the West]] also dates from the 12th century supplements these as the local parish (as opposed to guild church) and is the London home for the [[Russian Orthodox]] church.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=755}}
Today three churches serve the spiritual needs of the three 'communities' associated with the area of the street. [[Temple Church]] was built by the Knights Templar in 1162 and serves the Legal profession.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=910}} [[St Bride's Church]] was established as early as the 6th century{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=298}} and was later architected by [[Christopher Wren|Sir Christopher Wren]] in a style the complemented [[St Mary Le Bow]] further east in the City.{{sfn|City|1996|p=8}} It remains the London church most associated with the print industry. [[St Dunstan's in the West]] also dates from the 12th century supplements these as the local parish (as opposed to guild church) and is the London home for the [[Russian Orthodox]] church.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=755}}


To the south lies an area of legal buildings known as [[Temple, London|the Temple]], formerly the property of the [[Knights Templar]], which at its core includes two of the four [[Inns of Court]]: the [[Inner Temple]] and the [[Middle Temple]]. There are many lawyers' offices (especially [[barrister]]s' chambers) in the vicinity.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|pp=431,433,546}} To the west, at the junction with Strand are the [[Royal Courts of Justice]]{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=716}} whilst at the eastern end of the street the [[Old Bailey]] is near Ludgate Circus.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|pp=141–142}}
To the south lies an area of legal buildings known as [[Temple, London|the Temple]], formerly the property of the [[Knights Templar]], which at its core includes two of the four [[Inns of Court]]: the [[Inner Temple]] and the [[Middle Temple]]. There are many lawyers' offices (especially [[barrister]]s' chambers) in the vicinity.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|pp=431,433,546}} To the west, at the junction with Strand are the [[Royal Courts of Justice]]{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=716}} whilst at the eastern end of the street the [[Old Bailey]] is near Ludgate Circus.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|pp=141–142}}


As a principal route leading to and from the City, Fleet Street was especially noted for its taverns and coffeehouses. Many notable persons of literary and political fame such as [[Samuel Johnson]] frequented these, and journalists would regularly meet in pubs to collect stories.{{sfn|Moore|2003|pp=191–2}} Some, such as [[Ye Olde Cock Tavern]] at No.&nbsp;22 and [[Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese]] at No.&nbsp;145, have survived to the 21st century and are Grade II listed.{{sfn|City|1996|pp=12–13}} The El Vino's wine bar moved to No.&nbsp;47 in 1923, quickly becoming popular with lawyers and journalists. Women were not allowed in the bar until 1982, and only then because of a court order.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=300}}
As a principal route leading to and from the City, Fleet Street was especially noted for its taverns and coffeehouses. Many notable persons of literary and political fame such as [[Samuel Johnson]] frequented these, and journalists would regularly meet in pubs to collect stories.{{sfn|Moore|2003|pp=191–2}} Some, such as [[Ye Olde Cock Tavern]] at No.&nbsp;22 and [[Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese]] at No.&nbsp;145, have survived to the 21st century and are Grade II listed.{{sfn|City|1996|pp=12–13}} The El Vino's wine bar moved to No.&nbsp;47 in 1923, quickly becoming popular with lawyers and journalists. Women were not allowed in the bar until 1982, and only then because of a court order.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=300}}


Since 1971, the southern side of the street has been part of the Fleet Street Conservation Area, which ensures buildings are regularly maintained and the character of the street is preserved. The area expanded to the north side in 1981.{{sfn|City|1996|p=3}}
Since 1971, the southern side of the street has been part of the Fleet Street Conservation Area, which ensures buildings are regularly maintained and the character of the street is preserved. The area expanded to the north side in 1981.{{sfn|City|1996|p=3}}
Line 84: Line 84:
[[File:Fleet Street 3 (8013466149).jpg|thumb|upright|Detail of the [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar Marker]], one of the [[Dragon boundary mark|boundary markers]] of the City of London.]]
[[File:Fleet Street 3 (8013466149).jpg|thumb|upright|Detail of the [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar Marker]], one of the [[Dragon boundary mark|boundary markers]] of the City of London.]]


The area around Fleet Street contains numerous statues and memorials to prominent public figures. At the north-eastern corner is a bust of [[Edgar Wallace]],{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=875}} and a full-length representation of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]] in a first-floor niche at No.&nbsp;143–144 by [[John Tollemache Sinclair]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=872}} Above the entrance to the old school-house of St Dunstan's is a statue of [[Queen Elizabeth I]] built in 1586 by William Kerwin and moved from Ludgate following its demolition in 1776.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=870}} Adjacent to this is a bust of [[Lord Northcliffe]], the newspaper proprietor, co-founder of the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' and the ''[[Daily Mirror]]''.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=873}} At No.&nbsp;72 is a bust of the Irish journalist and MP [[TP O'Connor]], constructed in 1934.{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=873}}
The area around Fleet Street contains numerous statues and memorials to prominent public figures. At the north-eastern corner is a bust of [[Edgar Wallace]],{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=875}} and a full-length representation of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]] in a first-floor niche at No.&nbsp;143–144 by [[John Tollemache Sinclair]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=872}} Above the entrance to the old school-house of St Dunstan's is a statue of [[Queen Elizabeth I]] built in 1586 by William Kerwin and moved from Ludgate following its demolition in 1776.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=870}} Adjacent to this is a bust of [[Lord Northcliffe]], the newspaper proprietor, co-founder of the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' and the ''[[Daily Mirror]]''.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=873}} At No.&nbsp;72 is a bust of the Irish journalist and MP [[TP O'Connor]], constructed in 1934.{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=873}}


On the southern side of the street nearby memorials and monuments include the [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar]]. The current Temple Bar marker was designed by [[Horace Jones (architect)|Sir Horace Jones]] in 1880 following the demolition of the older bar.{{sfn|City|1996|p=8}} In the Inner Temple Gardens is a memorial to [[Charles Lamb]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al.|2008|p=872}} In Salisbury Square there is an obelisk commemorating [[Robert Waithman]], mayor of London between 1823 and 1833,{{sfn|City|1996|p=13}} and a [[blue plaque]] commemorating the birthplace of diarist and naval leader [[Samuel Pepys]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/samuel-pepys-blue-plaque-in-london-1083#.VoeqhJOLSMI|title=Samuel Pepys blue plaque in London|publisher=Blue Plaque Places|accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref>
On the southern side of the street nearby memorials and monuments include the [[Temple Bar, London|Temple Bar]]. The current Temple Bar marker was designed by [[Horace Jones (architect)|Sir Horace Jones]] in 1880 following the demolition of the older bar.{{sfn|City|1996|p=8}} In the Inner Temple Gardens is a memorial to [[Charles Lamb]].{{sfn|Weinreb et al|2008|p=872}} In Salisbury Square there is an obelisk commemorating [[Robert Waithman]], mayor of London between 1823 and 1833,{{sfn|City|1996|p=13}} and a [[blue plaque]] commemorating the birthplace of diarist and naval leader [[Samuel Pepys]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blueplaqueplaces.co.uk/samuel-pepys-blue-plaque-in-london-1083#.VoeqhJOLSMI|title=Samuel Pepys blue plaque in London|publisher=Blue Plaque Places|accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref>


==Notable residents==
==Notable residents==
Several writers and politicians are associated with Fleet Street, either by living there or in one of its many side streets, or by being regular frequenters of its taverns. Amongst these include [[Ben Jonson]], [[John Milton]], [[Izaak Walton]], [[John Dryden]], [[Edmund Burke]], [[Oliver Goldsmith]] and [[Charles Lamb (writer)|Charles Lamb]].<ref name="americana"/> The lexicographer [[Samuel Johnson]] lived at Gough Square off Fleet Street between 1748 and 1759; the building has survived into the 21st century.{{sfn|City|1996|p=8}} [[John Senex]] owned a map store on Fleet Street.<ref name="WDL">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11745/ |title = The Historical Theater in the Year 400 AD, in Which Both Romans and Barbarians Resided Side by Side in the Eastern Part of the Roman Empire |website = [[World Digital Library]] |date = 1725 |accessdate = 2013-07-27 }}</ref> Wynkyn de Worde was buried in St. Bride's Church in 1535, as was poet [[Richard Lovelace]] in 1657,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stbrides.com/history/chapter-3-1500-1665.html|title=St Bride's: History Chapter 3 – 1500–1665|publisher=St. Bride's Church|accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref> while Samuel Pepys was baptised there in 1633.<ref>{{cite book| last = Olson| first = Donald| title = Frommer's London from $90 a Day| url = http://books.google.com/?id=Z46IeDmPiJcC&pg=PA175| year = 2004| publisher = Wiley| isbn = 978-0-7645-5822-1| page = 175 }}</ref>
Several writers and politicians are associated with Fleet Street, either by living there or in one of its many side streets, or by being regular frequenters of its taverns. Amongst these include [[Ben Jonson]], [[John Milton]], [[Izaak Walton]], [[John Dryden]], [[Edmund Burke]], [[Oliver Goldsmith]] and [[Charles Lamb (writer)|Charles Lamb]].<ref name="americana"/> The lexicographer [[Samuel Johnson]] lived at Gough Square off Fleet Street between 1748–1759; the building has survived into the 21st century.{{sfn|City|1996|p=8}} [[John Senex]] owned a map store on Fleet Street.<ref name="WDL">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11745/ |title = The Historical Theater in the Year 400 AD, in Which Both Romans and Barbarians Resided Side by Side in the Eastern Part of the Roman Empire |website = [[World Digital Library]] |date = 1725 |accessdate = 2013-07-27 }}</ref> Wynkyn de Worde was buried in St. Bride's Church in 1535, as was poet [[Richard Lovelace]] in 1657,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stbrides.com/history/chapter-3-1500-1665.html|title=St Bride's: History Chapter 3 – 1500–1665|publisher=St. Bride's Church|accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref> while Samuel Pepys was baptised there in 1633.<ref>{{cite book| last = Olson| first = Donald| title = Frommer's London from $90 a Day| url = http://books.google.com/?id=Z46IeDmPiJcC&pg=PA175| year = 2004| publisher = Wiley| isbn = 978-0-7645-5822-1| page = 175 }}</ref>


The [[Royal Society]] was based in Crane Court from 1710 to 1782, when it moved to [[Somerset House]] on the Strand.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Walter|last=Thornbury|title=Fleet Street: Tributaries (Crane Court, Johnson's Court, Bolt Court)|work=Old and New London|volume=1|location=London|year=1878|pp=104–112|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp104-112|accessdate=31 December 2015}}</ref>
The [[Royal Society]] was based in Crane Court from 1710 to 1782, when it moved to [[Somerset House]] on the Strand.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Walter|last=Thornbury|title=Fleet Street: Tributaries (Crane Court, Johnson's Court, Bolt Court)|work=Old and New London|volume=1|location=London|year=1878|pp=104–112|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp104-112|accessdate=31 December 2015}}</ref>
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'''Sources'''
'''Sources'''
{{refbegin}}
{{refbegin}}
*{{cite book|last=Brooke|first=Alan|title=Fleet Street: The Story of a Street|publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited|year=2012|isbn=978-1-4456-1138-9|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book|last=Brooke|first=Alan|title=Fleet Street: The Story of a Street|publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited|year=2012|isbn=978-1-445-61138-9|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book|last=Moore|first=Tim|title=Do Not Pass Go|publisher=Vintage|year=2003|isbn=978-0-09-943386-6|ref=harv}}
*{{cite book|last=Moore|first=Tim|title=Do Not Pass Go|publisher=Vintage|year=2003|isbn=978-0-099-43386-6|ref=harv}}
*{{cite encyclopedia|last=Weinreb|first=Ben|last2=Hibbert|first2=Christopher|last3=Keay|first3=Julia|last4=Keay|first4=John|title=The London Encyclopedia|publisher=Pan MacMillan|year=2008|isbn=978-1-4050-4924-5|ref={{harvid|Weinreb et al.|2008}}}}
*{{cite encyclopedia|last=Weinreb|first=Ben|last2=Hibbert|first2=Christopher|last3=Keay|first3=Julia|last4=Keay|first4=John|title=The London Encyclopedia|publisher=Pan MacMillan|year=2008|isbn=978-1-4050-4924-5|ref={{harvid|Weinreb et al|2008}}}}
*{{cite report|url=https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/planning/heritage-and-design/conservation-areas/Documents/Fleet%20Street%20Character%20Summary.pdf|title=Fleet Street Conservation Area Character Study|publisher=Corporation of London|year=1996|ref={{harvid|City|1996}}}}
*{{cite report|url=https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/environment-and-planning/planning/heritage-and-design/conservation-areas/Documents/Fleet%20Street%20Character%20Summary.pdf|title=Fleet Street Conservation Area Character Study|publisher=Corporation of London|year=1996|ref={{harvid|City|1996}}}}
{{refend}}
{{refend}}

Revision as of 09:43, 3 January 2016

For other uses, see Fleet Street (disambiguation).

Fleet Street
Fleet Street in 2008
Part ofA4
Maintained byTransport for London
Length0.3 mi (0.48 km)[1]
Postal codeEC4
Nearest tube station

Fleet Street is a street in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet, which gives the street its name.

Having been an important through route since Roman Britain, businesses became established on the street during the Middle Ages. The senior clergy of the British Church were based in Fleet Street during this period, and there are still several prominent churches in the street, including Temple Church and St Bride's Church. Fleet Street became known for printing and publishing at the start of the 16th century, which gradually became the dominant trade; by the 20th century most British national newspapers operated in Fleet Street. Much of the industry moved out in the 1980s after News International set up cheaper manufacturing methods in Wapping, but some former newspaper buildings are listed and have been preserved. The term Fleet Street continues to be used as a metonym for the British national press, and pubs on the street once frequented by journalists remain popular.

Fleet Street has a significant number of monuments and statues along its length, including the dragon at Temple Bar and memorials to a number of prominent figures in the British press, such as Samuel Pepys and Lord Northcliffe. The street is mentioned in several works of fiction, such as the murderous barber Sweeney Todd and several works of Charles Dickens.

Geography

Fleet Street road sign. The street numbering runs consecutively from west to east south-side and then east to west north-side.

Fleet Street is named after the River Fleet which runs from Hampstead to the River Thames at the western edge of the Roman City of London. It is one of the oldest roads outside the original city and was established by the Middle Ages.[2][3] By the 13th century, it was known Fleet Bridge Street, and in the early part of the 14th century it began to be mentioned frequently as simply Fleet Street.[4]

The street runs east from Temple Bar, the boundary between the Cities of London and Westminster, as a continuation of the Strand from Trafalgar Square. It crosses Chancery Lane and Fetter Lane to reach Ludgate Circus by the London Wall. The road ahead is Ludgate Hill. The street numbering runs consecutively from west to east south-side and then east to west north-side.[1] It links the Roman and Medieval boundaries of the City after the latter was extended. The section of Fleet Street between Temple Bar and Fetter Lane is the A4, a major road running west through London,[1] though it once ran along the entire street and eastwards past St Paul's Churchyard towards Cannon Street.[5]

The nearest London Underground stations are Temple, Chancery Lane, and Blackfriars tube/mainline station, and the City Thameslink railway station.[1] London Bus routes 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76 and 172 run along the full length of Fleet Street, while route 341 runs between Temple Bar and Fetter Lane.[6]

History

Early history

Fleet Street c. 1890

Fleet Street was established as a thoroughfare in Roman London and there is evidence that a route led west from Ludgate by 200AD.[7] Excavations in the area revealed remains of a Roman amphitheatre near Ludgate on what later became Fleet Prison, but other accounts suggest the area was too marshy for regular inhabitation by the Romans.[8] The Saxons abandoned the original settlement and established Ludenvic further west around what is now Aldwych and the Strand, and therefore Fleet Street became an important link between the two areas.[7]

Many prelates lived around the street during the Middle Ages, including the Bishops of Salibsury and St Davids and the Abbots of Faversham, Tewksbury, Winchcombe and Cirencester.[3] The presence of the River Fleet made tanning of animal hides a popular industry along the street, though this polluted the River Fleet to the extent that by the mid-14th century it was an offence to dump rubbish in the river.[9] Many taverns and brothels were established along Fleet Street and have been documented as early as the 14th century.[2][a] Records show that Geoffrey Chaucer was fined two shillings for attacking a friar in Fleet Street.[8]

An important landmark in Fleet Street during the late Middle Ages was a conduit that was the main water supply for the area. When Anne Boelyn was crowned Queen following her marriage to Henry VIII in 1533, the conduit flowed wine instead of water.[10] By the 16th century, Fleet Street, along with the City of London generally was chronically overcrowded, and a Royal proclamation in 1580 banned any further building on the street. This had little effect, and construction continued, much of it timber.[11] Prince Henry's Room dates from the early 16th century, and is named after the future Henry VIII.[12]

A blue plaque marking the location of the Anti-Corn Law League headquarters on No. 67 Fleet Street

The eastern part of the street was destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666 despite attempts to use the River Fleet to control it.[13][14] It ended near Fetter Lane and the special tribunal of the 'Fire Courts' was held at Clifford's Inn, an inn of Chancery at the edge of the extent of the fire, to arbitrate on claimant's rights.[15] Properties on the street were quickly rebuilt in the same style before the fire.[14] During the early 18th century, a notorious upper-class gang known as the Mohocks operated on Fleet Street, causing regular violence and vandalism.[3][8] Mrs Salmon's Waxworks was established at Prince Henry's Room in 1711. It included a display of macabre and black humoured exhibits, including the execution of Charles I, a Roman lady, Hermonie, whose father avoided being sentenced to starvation by sucking her breast, and a woman who gave birth to 365 children simultaneously. The waxworks were a favourite haunt of William Hogarth and survived into the 19th century. [16] In 1763, supporters of John Wilkes who had been arrested for libel against the Earl of Bute, burned a jackboot in the centre of Fleet Street in protest against Bute.[3] This led to further violent demonstrations and rioting in the street in 1769 and 1794.[8]

Tanning and other industries declined sharply after the River Fleet was rerouted underground in 1766.[2] The street was widened during the late 19th century, which included the demolition of Temple Bar and the construction of Ludgate Circus.[17] The headquarters of the Anti-Corn Law League were based at No. 67 Fleet Street, and a blue plaque now marks the location.[18]

Printing and journalism

See also: History of British newspapers and List of United Kingdom newspapers
The former offices of The Daily Telegraph at No. 135–141 Fleet Street

Publishing started in Fleet Street around 1500 when William Caxton's apprentice, Wynkyn de Worde, set up a printing shop near Shoe Lane, while at around the same time Richard Pynson set up as publisher and printer next to St. Dunstan's church. More printers and publishers followed, mainly supplying the legal trade in the four Law Inns around the area,[19] but also publishing books and plays.[20]

In March 1702, London's first daily newspaper, the Daily Courant, was published in Fleet Street. It was followed by the Morning Chronicle.[20] The publisher John Murray was founded at No. 32 Fleet Street in 1762 and remained there until 1812, when it moved to Albemarle Street.[20]

By the 20th century, Fleet Street and its surrounding area was dominated by the national press and related industries. The Daily Express relocated to No. 121-8 Fleet Street in 1931, into a building designed by Sir Owen Williams. It was the first curtain wall building in London, and survived the departure of the newspaper in 1989 to be restored in 2001. The Daily Telegraph was based at No. 135–142.[20] These premises are both Grade II Listed.[21] In the 1930s, No. 67 housed 25 separate publications; by this time the majority of British households bought a daily paper produced from Fleet Street.[22]

In 1986, News International owner Rupert Murdoch caused controversy when he moved publication of The Times and The Sun away from Fleet Street to new premises in Wapping, East London. Murdoch believed it was impossible to produce a newspaper profitably on Fleet Street and the power of the print unions, the National Graphical Association (NGA) and the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT), was too strong (an opinion endorsed by the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher). All Fleet Street print staff were sacked and new staff from the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union were brought in to operate the presses at Wapping using modern computer-operated technology, rendering the power of the old unions obsolete. The resulting Wapping dispute featured violent protests at Fleet Street and Wapping that lasted over a year, but ultimately other publishers followed suit and moved out of Fleet Street towards Canary Wharf or Southwark. Reuters was the last major news outlet to leave Fleet Street in 2005.[20] The same year, The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph returned to the centre of London from Canary Wharf to new premises in Victoria.[23]

The London office of D.C. Thomson & Co., creator of The Beano, is still based on Fleet Street.[24] The Secretariat of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association is also based at No. 17,[25] as is Wentworth Publishing, an independent publisher of newsletters and courses.[26] The Associated Press has an office in Fleet Street[27] as did The Jewish Chronicle until 2013 when it moved to Golders Green.[28] The British Association of Journalists is based at No. 89[29] while Metro International, publishers of the free newspaper Metro, are at No 85.[30]

Though many prominent national newspapers have moved away from Fleet Street, the name is still synonymous with the printing and publishing industry.[20] In the adjacent St. Brides Lane is the St Bride Library, holding a specialist collection relating to the type and print industry and provides courses in printing technology and methods.[31] On the wall of Magpie Alley, off Bouverie Street, is a mural depicting the history of newspapers in the area.[32]

Modern history

Fleet Street pictured in 1953, with flags hung for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Despite the domination of the print industry, other businesses were also established on Fleet Street. The Automobile Association was established at No. 18 Fleet Street in 1905.[33] Since the post-Wapping migration, Fleet Street is now more associated with the investment banking, legal and accountancy professions. For example, The Inns of Court and barristers' chambers are down alleys and around courtyards off Fleet Street itself and many of the old newspaper offices have become the London headquarters for various companies;[20] e.g. Goldman Sachs is in the old Daily Telegraph and Liverpool Echo buildings of Peterborough Court and Mersey House.[34]

C. Hoare & Co, England's oldest privately owned bank, has been operating in Fleet Street since 1672.[35] Child & Co, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland claims to be the oldest continuous banking establishment as founded in 1580 and has been based at No.1 Fleet Street, adjacent to Temple Bar, since 1673.[36] The law firm Freshfields moved to No. 65 Fleet Street in 1990.[20]

Notable buildings

In the High Middle Ages senior clergymen had their London palaces in the street. Place-names surviving with this connection are Peterborough Court and Salisbury Court after their respective Bishops' houses here; apart from the Knights Templars' establishment the Whitefriars monastery is recalled by Whitefriars Street[14] and the remains of its undercroft have been preserved in a public display area. A Carmelite church was established on Fleet Street in 1253, but it was destroyed during the Reformation in 1545.[37]

Today three churches serve the spiritual needs of the three 'communities' associated with the area of the street. Temple Church was built by the Knights Templar in 1162 and serves the Legal profession.[38] St Bride's Church was established as early as the 6th century[3] and was later architected by Sir Christopher Wren in a style the complemented St Mary Le Bow further east in the City.[39] It remains the London church most associated with the print industry. St Dunstan's in the West also dates from the 12th century supplements these as the local parish (as opposed to guild church) and is the London home for the Russian Orthodox church.[40]

To the south lies an area of legal buildings known as the Temple, formerly the property of the Knights Templar, which at its core includes two of the four Inns of Court: the Inner Temple and the Middle Temple. There are many lawyers' offices (especially barristers' chambers) in the vicinity.[41] To the west, at the junction with Strand are the Royal Courts of Justice[42] whilst at the eastern end of the street the Old Bailey is near Ludgate Circus.[43]

As a principal route leading to and from the City, Fleet Street was especially noted for its taverns and coffeehouses. Many notable persons of literary and political fame such as Samuel Johnson frequented these, and journalists would regularly meet in pubs to collect stories.[44] Some, such as Ye Olde Cock Tavern at No. 22 and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese at No. 145, have survived to the 21st century and are Grade II listed.[45] The El Vino's wine bar moved to No. 47 in 1923, quickly becoming popular with lawyers and journalists. Women were not allowed in the bar until 1982, and only then because of a court order.[20]

Since 1971, the southern side of the street has been part of the Fleet Street Conservation Area, which ensures buildings are regularly maintained and the character of the street is preserved. The area expanded to the north side in 1981.[46]

Monuments and statues

Detail of the Temple Bar Marker, one of the boundary markers of the City of London.

The area around Fleet Street contains numerous statues and memorials to prominent public figures. At the north-eastern corner is a bust of Edgar Wallace,[47] and a full-length representation of Mary, Queen of Scots in a first-floor niche at No. 143–144 by John Tollemache Sinclair.[48] Above the entrance to the old school-house of St Dunstan's is a statue of Queen Elizabeth I built in 1586 by William Kerwin and moved from Ludgate following its demolition in 1776.[49] Adjacent to this is a bust of Lord Northcliffe, the newspaper proprietor, co-founder of the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror.[50] At No. 72 is a bust of the Irish journalist and MP TP O'Connor, constructed in 1934.[50]

On the southern side of the street nearby memorials and monuments include the Temple Bar. The current Temple Bar marker was designed by Sir Horace Jones in 1880 following the demolition of the older bar.[39] In the Inner Temple Gardens is a memorial to Charles Lamb.[48] In Salisbury Square there is an obelisk commemorating Robert Waithman, mayor of London between 1823 and 1833,[51] and a blue plaque commemorating the birthplace of diarist and naval leader Samuel Pepys.[52]

Notable residents

Several writers and politicians are associated with Fleet Street, either by living there or in one of its many side streets, or by being regular frequenters of its taverns. Amongst these include Ben Jonson, John Milton, Izaak Walton, John Dryden, Edmund Burke, Oliver Goldsmith and Charles Lamb.[4] The lexicographer Samuel Johnson lived at Gough Square off Fleet Street between 1748–1759; the building has survived into the 21st century.[39] John Senex owned a map store on Fleet Street.[53] Wynkyn de Worde was buried in St. Bride's Church in 1535, as was poet Richard Lovelace in 1657,[54] while Samuel Pepys was baptised there in 1633.[55]

The Royal Society was based in Crane Court from 1710 to 1782, when it moved to Somerset House on the Strand.[56]

Cultural references

The barber Sweeney Todd is traditionally said to have lived and worked in Fleet Street in the 18th century, where he would murder customers and serve their remains as pie fillings. An urban myth example of a serial killer, the character appears in various English language works starting in the mid-19th century.[12] Adaptations of the story include the 1936 George King film,[12] the 1979 Stephen Sondheim musical,[57] and the 2007 Tim Burton film based on the musical, all titled Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.[58]

Fleet Street is mentioned in several of Charles Dickens' works. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, more commonly known as The Pickwick Papers is set in the street, as is Tellson's Bank In A Tale of Two Cities.[59] The poet John Davidson wrote two works in the late 19th century titled the Fleet Street Eclogues.[60] Arthur Ransome has a chapter in his Bohemia in London (1907) about earlier inhabitants of the street: Ben Jonson, the Doctor (Samuel Johnson), Coleridge, Hazlitt and Lamb; and about Temple Bar and the Press Club.[61]

Fleet Street is a square on the British Monopoly board, in a group with the Strand and Trafalgar Square. One of the Chance cards in the game, "You Have Won A Crossword Competition, collect £100" was inspired by rival competitions and promotions between Fleet Street-based newspapers in 1930s, particularly the Daily Mail and Daily Express. [b][62]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ In 1339 a Fleet Street resident was found guilty of "harbouring prostitutes and sodomites".[2]
  2. ^ In 1931, the Daily Mail paid £125,000 (now £10,728,000) in crossword prizes.

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d "3, Fleet Street to 100, Fleet Street". Google Maps. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Moore 2003, p. 185.
  3. ^ a b c d e Weinreb et al 2008, p. 298.
  4. ^ a b Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). "Fleet Street" . Encyclopedia Americana.
  5. ^ Ten Mile Map of Great Britain (London Four Mile Insert) (Map). Ordnance Survey. 1932. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  6. ^ "Central London Bus Map" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  7. ^ a b City 1996, p. 4.
  8. ^ a b c d Thornbury, Walter (1878). "Fleet Street: General Introduction". Old and New London. 1. London: 32–53. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  9. ^ Brooke 2012, p. 8.
  10. ^ Brooke 2012, p. 16.
  11. ^ Brooke 2012, p. 15.
  12. ^ a b c Moore 2003, p. 194.
  13. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, pp. 340–341.
  14. ^ a b c City 1996, p. 5.
  15. ^ Thornbury, Walter (1878). "Fleet Street: Northern tributaries (continued)". Old and New London. 1. London: 92–104. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  16. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, pp. 820–1.
  17. ^ City 1996, p. 7.
  18. ^ McCord, Norman (2013). The Anti-Corn Law League: 1838–1846. Routledge. p. 140. ISBN 978-1-136-58447-3.
  19. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, p. 299.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i Weinreb et al 2008, p. 300.
  21. ^ "Listed Buildings in City of London, Greater London, England". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  22. ^ Moore 2003, pp. 186, 188.
  23. ^ "Telegraph moves to Victoria". The Daily Telegraph. 22 December 2005. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  24. ^ "About Us". D C Thomson & Co. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  25. ^ The Commonwealth: A Family of Nations. Commonwealth Secretariat. 2003. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-850-92753-5. {{cite book}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |authors= (help)
  26. ^ "Contact us". Wentworth Publishing. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  27. ^ Jefkins, Frank William (2012). "International Dictionary of Marketing and Communication". Springer Science & Business Media: 390. ISBN 978-1-46841-523-0. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  28. ^ "Jewish Chronicle HQ to be recycled into serviced flats". Property Weekdate=21 February 2014.
  29. ^ "About us". British Association of Journalists. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  30. ^ "Metro International office move means print returns to Fleet Street". Press Gazette. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  31. ^ "St Bride Library". British Letter Press. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  32. ^ "Magpie Alley Crypt". thelondonphile. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  33. ^ Brooke 2012, p. 6.
  34. ^ Moore 2003, p. 192.
  35. ^ Moore 2003, p. 193.
  36. ^ "Child & Co". Royal Bank of Scotland. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  37. ^ Brooke 2012, pp. 13–14.
  38. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, p. 910.
  39. ^ a b c City 1996, p. 8.
  40. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, p. 755.
  41. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, pp. 431, 433, 546.
  42. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, p. 716.
  43. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, pp. 141–142.
  44. ^ Moore 2003, pp. 191–2.
  45. ^ City 1996, pp. 12–13.
  46. ^ City 1996, p. 3.
  47. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, p. 875.
  48. ^ a b Weinreb et al 2008, p. 872.
  49. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, p. 870.
  50. ^ a b Weinreb et al 2008, p. 873.
  51. ^ City 1996, p. 13.
  52. ^ "Samuel Pepys blue plaque in London". Blue Plaque Places. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  53. ^ "The Historical Theater in the Year 400 AD, in Which Both Romans and Barbarians Resided Side by Side in the Eastern Part of the Roman Empire". World Digital Library. 1725. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  54. ^ "St Bride's: History Chapter 3 – 1500–1665". St. Bride's Church. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  55. ^ Olson, Donald (2004). Frommer's London from $90 a Day. Wiley. p. 175. ISBN 978-0-7645-5822-1.
  56. ^ Thornbury, Walter (1878). "Fleet Street: Tributaries (Crane Court, Johnson's Court, Bolt Court)". Old and New London. 1. London: 104–112. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  57. ^ "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixter. Archived from the original on 18 April 2008. Retrieved 27 June 2008.
  58. ^ "SWEENEY TODD – THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET (18)". Warner Bros. British Board of Film Classification. 18 December 2007. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  59. ^ "Dickens and Fleet Street". Dickens and London. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  60. ^ "Mr Davidson's Fleet Street Eclogues". The Spectator. 14 March 1896. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  61. ^ Ransome, Arthur (1907). "Old and New Fleet Street". Bohemia in London.
  62. ^ Moore 2003, pp. 176, 189.

Sources

Further reading

  • John Timbs (1867), "Fleet-Street", Curiosities of London (2nd ed.), London: J.C. Hotten, OCLC 12878129 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  • Herbert Fry (1880), "Fleet Street", London in 1880, London: David Bogue {{citation}}: External link in |author= and |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link). (bird's eye view)
  • Wilfred Whitten (1913), "Street of the Ready Writers", A Londoner's London, London: Methuen & Co. {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help). (about Fleet Street)
  • "Fleet Street". London. Let's Go. 1998. p. 174. OL 24256167M.
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