Chancery Lane has formed the western boundary of the City of London since 1994, having previously been divided between the London boroughs of Westminster and Camden.
Chancery Lane originates from before 1161 as a ’new lane’. It was created by the
Knights Templar from the ’Old Temple’ on the site of the
Southampton Buildings on
Holborn, in order to access their newly acquired property (the present Temple).
The street takes its name from the historic High Court of Chancery established in 1161 when Robert de Chesney, Bishop of Lincoln, acquired the ’old Temple’.
On the eastern side was the original site of the
Domus Conversorum (House of the Converts), a residence and chapel for Jews who had converted to Christianity, founded by King Henry III in the 13th century.
The site later became the Public Record Office designed by Sir James Pennethorne in 1851. In the latter half of the 20th century, records relocated to Kew. In 2001 it underwent renovation and became the Maughan Library.
Lincoln’s Inn occupies most of the western side of Chancery Lane north of
Carey Street.
Some of the side streets are named after their associations with now defunct legal practices, such as
Rolls Buildings and Cursitor Alley.
Acton Street, WC1X Acton Street is found on the east side of Gray’s Inn Road and connects it with King’s Cross Road. Aldwych, WC2B The name Aldwych derives from the Old English eald and wic meaning 'old trading town' or 'old marketplace'; the name was later applied to the street and district. Ampton Street, WC1X Ampton Street was named after its builder, the 3rd Lord Calthorpe who owned land at Ampton, Suffolk. Amwell Street, EC1R Amwell Street is called after the nearby New River, which starts at Amwell, Hertfordshire. Attneave Street, EC1R Attneave Street is thought to be named after a local builder in the 1890s called Attneave. Back Hill, EC1R Back Hill is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Backhill, EC1R Backhill is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Bakers Row, EC1R Bakers Row is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Bakers Yard, EC1R Bakers Yard is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Bedford Row, WC1R Bedford Row is one of the streets of London in the WC1R postal area. Bell Yard, WC2A Bell Yard is one of the streets of London in the WC2A postal area. Bolt Court, EC4A Bolt Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area. Boundary Row, SE1 Boundary Row is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Bouverie Street, EC4Y Bouverie Street is named for the Pleydell-Bouveries, Earls of Radnor, who were landowners in this area. Bowlin, EC1R Bowlin is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Brad Street, SE1 Brad Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Brick Court, EC4Y Brick Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Bride Lane, EC4Y Bride Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Broadwall, SE1 Broadwall is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Burrows Mews, SE1 Burrows Mews is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Coin Street, SE1 Coin Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Crane Court, EC4A Crane Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area. Dane Street, WC1R Dane Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1R postal area. Dorset Rise, EC4Y Dorset Rise is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Duchy Street, SE1 Duchy Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Elm Street, WC1X Elm Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area. Ely Court, EC1N Ely Court is one of the streets of London in the EC1N postal area. Ely Place, EC1N Ely Place is a gated road at the southern tip of the London Borough of Camden. Essex Court, EC4Y Essex Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Exmouth Market, EC1R Exmouth Market, formerly Exmouth Street, is semi-pedestrianised - the location of an outdoor street market. Exton Street, SE1 Exton Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Falcon Court, EC4Y Falcon Court is a courtyard off the south side of Fleet Street between Chancery Lane and Fetter Lane. Farringdon Street, EC1A The building of Farringdon Street is considered one of the greatest urban engineering achievements of the 19th century. Fetter Lane, EC4A Fetter Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area. Field Court, WC1R Field Court is one of the streets of London in the WC1R postal area. Grays Inn, WC1X Grays Inn is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area. Greet Street, SE1 Greet Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Hand Court, WC1V Hand Court is one of the streets of London in the WC1V postal area. Hare Court, EC4Y Hare Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Hare Place, EC4Y Hare Place is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Hatfields, SE1 Hatfields is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Hatton Garden, EC1N Hatton Garden is a street and area noted as London’s jewellery quarter and centre of the UK diamond trade. Hatton Wall, EC1N Hatton Wall is one of the streets of London in the EC1N postal area. Heathcote Street, WC1N Heathcote Street is in the north-east corner of the Foundling Hospital estate, leading from St George’s Gardens to Gray’s Inn Road. High Holborn, WC1V High Holborn was part of the old road from Newgate and the Tower to the gallows at Tyburn. Hind Court, EC4A Hind Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area. Holborn Circus, EC1N Holborn Circus is a junction of five highways in the City of London, on the boundary between Holborn, Hatton Garden and Smithfield. Holborn Viaduct, EC1A Holborn Viaduct is a road bridge in London and the name of the street which crosses it. Holborn, EC1N Holborn commemorates the River Fleet, also known as the Holbourne stream. Hood Court, EC4Y Hood Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Joan Street, SE1 Joan Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. John Carpenter Street, EC4Y John Carpenter was town clerk of the City of London in the fifteenth century, and founder of the City of London School. John Street, WC1N John Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1N postal area. Johns Mews, WC1N Johns Mews is one of the streets of London in the WC1N postal area. Kean Street, WC2B Kean Street is one of the streets of London in the WC2B postal area. Kings Mews, WC1N Kings Mews is one of the streets of London in the WC1N postal area. Kingsway, WC2B Kingsway is one of the streets of London in the WC2B postal area. Kirby Street, EC1N Kirby Street was named for Christopher Hatton’s Kirby House in Northamptonshire. Kirk Street, WC1N Kirk Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1N postal area. Leather Lane, EC1N Leather Lane is a street one block west of Hatton Garden, in the Holborn area of London. Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A Lincoln’s Inn Fields is the largest public square in London, laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder William Newton. Long Yard, WC1N Long Yard is one of the streets of London in the WC1N postal area. Magpie Alley, EC4Y Magpie Alley marks the position occupied by the dorter (dormitory) of the Friary of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel, commonly called the Whitefriars Monastery Miller Walk, SE1 Miller Walk is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Milroy Walk, SE1 Milroy Walk is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Myddelton Square, EC1R Myddelton Square is named after Sir Hugh Myddelton (1560–1631), the founder of the New River Company, who developed the square. New Square, WC2A New Square is one of the streets of London in the WC2A postal area. Norfolk Street, WC2R Norfolk Street ran from the Strand in the north to the River Thames and, after the Victoria Embankment was built (1865–1870), to what is now Temple Place. North Mews, WC1N North Mews is one of the streets of London in the WC1N postal area. Old Square, WC2A Old Square is one of the streets of London in the WC2A postal area. Paris Garden, SE1 Paris Garden is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Pear Place, SE1 Pear Place is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Pemberton Row, EC4A Sir James Pemberton was Lord Mayor of London in 1611, and a member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. Percy Circus, WC1X Percy Circus was once referred to as "one of the most delightful bits of town planning in London". Pine Street, EC1R Pine Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Pump Court, EC4Y Pump Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Ray Street, EC1R Ray Street is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Red Lion Court, EC4A Red Lion Court forms part of labyrinth of little passages behind the shops on the north side of Fleet Street. Saffron Hill, EC1N Saffron Hill’s name derives the time that it was part of an estate on which saffron grew. Sans Walk, EC1R Sans Walk was named after Edward Sans in 1893, who was then the oldest member of the local parish vestry. Sans Works, EC1R Sans Works is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Sardinia Street, WC2B Sardinia Street, formerly Duke Street, was a street that ran from Prince’s Street in the south to the western side of Lincoln’s Inn Fields in the north. Shoe Lane, EC4A Shoe Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area. Short Street, SE1 Short Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Snowhill, EC1A Snowhill is one of the streets of London in the EC1A postal area. South Bank, SE1 South Bank is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. St Brides Avenue, EC4Y St Brides Avenue is a narrow alley which leaves Fleet Street almost opposite Shoe Lane. Star Yard, WC2A Star Yard is one of the streets of London in the WC2A postal area. Strand, WC2B Strand is one of the streets of London in the WC2B postal area. Surrey Street, WC2R Surrey Street was built on land once occupied by Arundel House and its gardens. Sutton Walk, SE1 Sutton Walk is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Tallis Street, EC4Y This street honours Thomas Tallis, composer whose name is engraved on the façade of the nearby former building of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Temple Pier, WC2R Temple Pier is one of the streets of London in the WC2R postal area. The Cut, SE1 The Cut is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. The Strand, WC2R The Strand is one of the streets of London in the WC2R postal area. The Studio, SE1 The Studio is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Theed Street, SE1 Theed Street is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Tooks Court, EC4A Tooks Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area. Tweezer’s Alley, WC2R Tweezer’s Alley probably got its name after the tweezers used by smiths to heat items in the forge that stood there.
Upper Ground, SE1 Upper Ground is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area. Vernon Rise, WC1X Vernon Rise is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area. Vine Hill, EC1R Vine Hill now displays no evidence on the vines that once flourished in the grounds on which it stands. Warner Yard, EC1R Warner Yard is one of the streets of London in the EC1R postal area. Watergate, EC4Y Watergate is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area. Waterloo Bridge, SE1 Waterloo Bridge, as well as being the bridge itself, lends its name to the southern approach road. Wren Street, WC1X Wren Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1Xpostal area. York Road, SE1 York Road is one of the streets of London in the SE1 postal area.
Chancery Lane originated as a 'new lane' created by the Knights Templar from their original 'old Temple' on the site of the present Southampton Buildings on Holborn, in order access to their newly acquired property to the south of Fleet Street (the present Temple) sometime before 1161.Historically, the street was associated with the legal profession, an association which continues to the present day; however, consulting firms, ancillary businesses and the Maughan Library also occupy the street. Lincoln's Inn occupies most of the western side north of
Carey Street.
The principal building of the Law Society, the professional body for solicitors in England and Wales, is at No. 113. Ede and Ravenscroft, the oldest tailors in London, have their main (and historic) outlet and offices at No. 93, which is also their outlet for legal dress. The
London Silver Vaults are located at the northern end of Chancery Lane.
Note that the marker shows the location of the tube station rather than the street.
Chancery Lane tube station lies at the junction of
Holborn and Gray's Inn Road, a short distance from Chancery Lane's northern end.
The station was opened by the Central London Railway (CLR) on 30 July 1900. The original, disused station building is on the north side of
High Holborn at nos. 31–33, approximately 400 feet to the west, closer to
High Holborn's junction with Chancery Lane. Originally, provided with four lifts between ground and platform levels, the station was rebuilt in the early 1930s to operate with escalators. It was not possible to construct the inclined escalator shaft between the platforms and the existing entrance and so a new sub-surface ticket hall was constructed below the road junction. The old entrance building became redundant and, in recognition of the location of the new entrance, the station was renamed Chancery Lane (Gray's Inn), although the suffix subsequently fell out of use.
It is one of eight London Underground stations which has a deep-level air-raid shelter underneath it. After World War II this was turned into
Kingsway telephone exchange. Access to the shelter was via the original station building and lift shaft as well as subsidiary entrances in
Furnival Street and Took's Court.
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