Brill Row, NW1

Road in/near St Pancras, existed between the 1780s and 1864

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(51.53095 -0.12721, 51.53 -0.127) 
MAP YEAR:18001810182018301860190019502024 
 
Road · * · NW1 ·
MARCH
1
2021
Brill Row was one of many small streets which became the basis for a Somers Town market.

In the mid 1750s, the New Road (now Euston Road) had been built as an east-west toll road. Part of its function as a turnpike was to allow for the rapid transfer of troops, bypassing the congestion of London. The New Road was also partially designed to be a prototype green belt - containing urban growth on the London side of it.

In the area immediately to new road’s north, there was an inn called The Brill House, standing alone in fields. Not simply a rustic idyll, the pub and the area had been a location for dog fighting and bull-baiting.

Despite the good intentions of the theory of new wide roads limiting urban growth, by 1784, the first housing had jumped the bypass and was being built north of the New Road amid brick works and market gardens. It became known as Somers Town. Somers Town had been named after Charles Cocks (1725–1806), Baron Somers of Evesham. He inherited the land from John Somers (1651–1716), Lord Chancellor to King William III. Other land here was owned by the Brewers’ Company and Skinners’ Company, hence the names for future local streets.

The land of Somers Town was sold off in small lots for cheaper housing. By the time St Luke’s Church, near King’s Cross, was demolished to make way for the construction of St Pancras Station, there were some twelve thousand inhabitants of Somers Town. The area had become especially notable for poorer French Huguenot refugees - less poverty-stricken Huguenots were settling in Spitalfields.

The previously rural Brill House tavern found itself now surrounded by housing at the eastern end of the new road called Chapel Street, where Brill Row met Skinner Street. By 1795, the local streets were fully laid out and the area became a Sunday market called ’The Brill’. Henry Mayhew in the 1850s listed a 300 pitch market at the Brill and on Chapel Street. It was the second largest street market in London after Hampstead Road and Tottenham Court Road. Selling everything from vegetables and meat to clothes and shoes, it was especially noted for the loud cries of the stallholders.

After the late 1830s, the construction of the railway lines into Euston, St Pancras and King’s Cross changed the locality for the worse. Somers Town had never attracted wealthier residents and, squeezed into a smaller space by the 14 acres taken over by the Midland Railway, the area rather than simply being poor degenerated into a slum. The railway company did not offer replacement housing to the displaced - by then largely Irish immigrants. Remaining houses were simply further subdivided, with entire families having to live in one room.

Brill Row itself did not suffer this fate. It was swept away to make space for Midland Road which served the western side of the new St Pancras station. In 1867, about the same time, the Metropolitan Streets Act made market trading subject to regulation by the police. By 1887 the former site of The Brill had been demolished to make way for the Midland Railway Good Depot but by 1893, the market had simply moved slightly west and re-established itself with police approval - Chalton Street Market was described as "comprising 97 stalls on a Friday and 32 on a Saturday selling food as well as clothing and second-hand goods".

The mark the passing of the name Brill, there is now a new Brill Place laid out at the northern side of the Francis Crick building. This covers the area of a number of former streets with the Brill name.



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Main source: Somers Town and Euston Square | British History Online
Further citations and sources



NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE
’Royal Blue’ horse omnibus outside 5 Euston Road The bus carries route information and an advert for Selfridge’s.
Old St Pancras Churchyard Old St Pancras churchyard, served not only as a burial place for the parishioners but also for Roman Catholics from all around London.
Ossulston Estate The Ossulston Estate is a multi-storey council estate built by the London County Council in Somers Town between 1927 and 1931.
Somers Town Somers Town is a district close to three main line rail termini - Euston, St Pancras and King’s Cross.

NEARBY STREETS
Albion Walk, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (King’s Cross)
Albion Yard, N1 Albion Yard lies off of Balfe Street (King’s Cross)
Aldenham House, NW1 Aldenham House is located on Aldenham Street (Somers Town)
Aldenham Mews, NW1 Aldenham Mews was situated off Aldenham Street (Somers Town)
Aldenham Street, NW1 Aldenham Street – Richard Platt, 16th century brewer and local landowner, gave land for the endowment of Aldenham School, Hertfordshire (Somers Town)
Argyle Place, WC1H Argyle Place was also known as Argyle Terrace and Sion Terrace (Bloomsbury)
Argyle Square, WC1H Argyle Square is one of the streets of the Battle Bridge Estate (King’s Cross)
Argyle Street, WC1H Argyle Street, originally Manchester Street, was named after the former Argyle House (Bloomsbury)
Argyle Walk, WC1H Argyle Walk is named for Argyll in Scotland (Bloomsbury)
Balfe Street, N1 Balfe Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Barclay Street, NW1 Barclay Street led from Aldenham Street northwards to Medburn Street (Somers Town)
Battle Bridge Place, N1C Battle Bridge Place is the traditional name for a newer area of King’s Cross (King’s Cross)
Battle Bridge Road, N1C Battle Bridge Road ran beside the gasholders of Kings Cross (King’s Cross)
Battlebridge Court, N1 Battlebridge Court is sited on Wharfdale Road (King’s Cross)
Belgrove Street, WC1H Belgrove Street, formerly Belgrave Street, leads south from Euston Road (Bloomsbury)
Bidborough Street, NW1 Bidborough Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
Birkenhead Street, WC1H Birkenhead Street is a street opposite Kings Cross Station, and adjoining Euston Road (King’s Cross)
Bravingtons Walk, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (King’s Cross)
Brewer Street, N1C Brewer Street was formerly a main street of the area, named for landowners the Brewers’ Company (St Pancras)
Bridgeway Street, NW1 Bridgeway Street was a new 1937 name for Bridgewater Street (Somers Town)
Brighton Street, WC1H Brighton Street became Whidbourne Street in 1891 (9157) (Bloomsbury)
Brill Place, NW1 Brill Place is named after the former Brill Row in the area (Somers Town)
Brill Row, NW1 Brill Row was one of many small streets which became the basis for a Somers Town market (St Pancras)
Caledonia Street, N1 Caledonia Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Chalton House, NW1 Chalton House is a block on Chalton Street (Somers Town)
Chalton Street, NW1 Chalton Street was formerly Charlton Street, and runs parallel to Ossulston Street (Somers Town)
Charlwood House, WC1H Charlwood House is a block on Midhope Street (Bloomsbury)
Charrington Street, NW1 Charrington Street runs south to north and is a continuation of Ossulston Street (Somers Town)
Chenies Place, NW1 Chenies Place is named after local landowners the dukes of Bedford, also titled Barons Russell of Chenies (Somers Town)
Chill Lane, N1C Chill Lane is a location in London (King’s Cross)
Christopher Place, NW1 Christopher Place leads off Chalton Street (St Pancras)
Church Hill, NW1 Church Hill replaced the Pancras Wells (St Pancras)
Churchway, NW1 Churchway, as ’Church Way’, formed part of old pathway to St Pancras Old Church (Euston)
Clarendon Grove, NW1 Clarendon Grove ran south from Clarendon Square (Somers Town)
Clarendon House, NW1 Clarendon House is a block on Werrington Street (Somers Town)
Coach Road, N1C Coach Road is a road in the N1C postcode area (St Pancras)
Cooper’s Lane, NW1 Cooper’s Lane gives its name to the Cooper’s Lane Estate (St Pancras)
Cranleigh Street, NW1 Cranleigh Street was named in connection with the Barons Ossulston peerage (Somers Town)
Crestfield Street, WC1H Crestfield Street was previously Chesterfield Street (Bloomsbury)
Crinan Street, N1 Crinan Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Cromer Street, WC1H Cromer Street originally gave access from Gray’s Inn Road to Greenland Place and a bowling green (Bloomsbury)
Denton Street, N1C Denton Street disappeared under the construction of St Pancras station (St Pancras)
Doric Way, NW1 Doric Way is named for the doric Euston Arch, built in 1837 and demolished in 1961 (Somers Town)
Drummond Crescent, NW1 Drummond Crescent named after Lady Caroline Drummond (Euston)
Duke’s Road, WC1H This is a street in the WC1H postcode area (St Pancras)
Edith Neville Cottages, NW1 Edith Neville Cottages lies between Drummond Crescent and Doric Way (Euston)
Elstree Street, N1C Elstree Street once laid off of St Pancras Road (St Pancras)
Equity Buildings, NW1 Equity Buildings was replaced by Walker Court (Somers Town)
Euston House, NW1 Euston House is a block on Eversholt Street (Euston)
Euston Road, WC1H The easternmost section of the Euston Road lies in the N1 postcode and runs along the facade of Kings Cross Station (King’s Cross)
Euston Square, NW1 This is a street in the NW1 postcode area (St Pancras)
Evergreen House, NW1 Evergreen House is a block on Euston Road (St Pancras)
Flaxman Terrace, WC1H Flaxman Terrace connects Burton Street with Cartwright Gardens (Bloomsbury)
Gatesden House, WC1H Gatesden House is a block on Cromer Street (King’s Cross)
Gatti’s Wharf, N1 Gatti’s Wharf is a road in the N1 postcode area (King’s Cross)
Goldington Street, NW1 Goldington Street was formerly part of the Duke of Bedford’s Figs Mead Estate (later Bedford New Town). The Duke also owned land in Goldington, Bedfordshire (St Pancras)
Goods Way, N1C Goods Way runs from Pancras Road to York Way (King’s Cross)
Grafton Place, NW1 Grafton Place originally formed part of the Duke of Grafton’s FitzRoy Estate (Euston)
Gridiron Building, N1C A street within the N1C postcode (King’s Cross)
Hamilton House, WC1H Residential block (Bloomsbury)
Hampden Close, NW1 Hampden Close is a street in Camden Town (Somers Town)
Hampden Street, NW1 Hampden Street was renamed as part of Polygon Road in 1938 (Somers Town)
Harrison Street, WC1H Harrison Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
Hastings Street, WC1H Hastings Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
Ian Hamilton House, NW1 Ian Hamilton House is a block on Doric Way (Euston)
Jessel House, WC1H Jessel House is a building on Judd Street (Bloomsbury)
John Dodgson House, WC1H John Dodgson House is sited on Bidborough Street (Bloomsbury)
Judd Street, WC1H Judd Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
Kellet House, WC1H Kellet House is a block on Tankerton Street (Bloomsbury)
Kelvin House, WC1H Kelvin House is a block on Judd Street (Bloomsbury)
Keystone Crescent, N1 Keystone Crescent has the smallest radius of any crescent in Europe, and has a collection of old preserved houses (King’s Cross)
King’s Boulevard, N1C King’s Boulevard is a road in the N1C postcode area (King’s Cross)
King’s Cross Square, N1C King’s Cross Square is a road in the N1C postcode area (King’s Cross)
Kings Cross Bridge, N1 Kings Cross Bridge is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Kings Place, NW1 Kings Place (sometimes King’s Place) was once a turning off Pancras Road (St Pancras)
Lancing Street, NW1 Lancing Street is a street in Camden Town (Euston)
Lavina Grove, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (King’s Cross)
Lighterman House, N1 Lighterman House can be found on Wharfdale Road (King’s Cross)
Lighthouse Building, N1 Lighthouse Building is a building on Pentonville Road (King’s Cross)
Loxham House, WC1H Loxham House is a block on Argyle Walk (Bloomsbury)
Mabledon Place, WC1H After Mabledon in Kent - home county of local 16th-century landowner Andrew Judd (Bloomsbury)
Marcello House, N1 Marcello House is a block on Pentonville Road (King’s Cross)
Medburn Street, NW1 Medburn Street is named after a farm between Elstree and Radlett in Hertfordshire (Somers Town)
Middlesex Street, NW1 Middlesex Street was north of Chapel Street and partly lost to the Midland Railway Somers Town Goods Depot (St Pancras)
Midhope Street, WC1H Midhope Street was once known as Wood Street (Bloomsbury)
Midland Road, N1C Midland Road is named after the adjacent railway line, built by the Midland Railway Company (St Pancras)
New Wharf Road, N1 New Wharf Road is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Noahs Yard, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (King’s Cross)
North Place, WC1H North Place ran along what is now Argyle Walk to Brighton Street, marking the boundary between the Battle Bridge and Cromer-Lucas estates. (Bloomsbury)
Northam’s Buildings, NW1 Northam’s Buildings was swept away by the building of St Pancras station (St Pancras)
Northdown Street, N1 Northdown Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Oakshott Court, NW1 Oakshott Court was built in 1974 (Somers Town)
Omega Place, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (King’s Cross)
One Kings Cross, N1C A street within the N1C postcode (King’s Cross)
One Pancras Square, N1C A street within the N1C postcode (King’s Cross)
Ossulston Street, NW1 Ossulston Street, a principal north-south route through Somers Town, begins at Euston Road. (St Pancras)
Pancras Road, NW1 Pancras Road links the eastern side of St Pancras station, crossing under a bridge, with Camden Town on the west side (St Pancras)
Pancras Square, N1C This is a street in the N1C postcode area (King’s Cross)
Park View House, NW1 Park View House (previously Cecil Rhodes House) was constructed on the Goldington Estate (St Pancras)
Penryn Street, NW1 Penryn Street - as Percy Street - first appeared in rate books during 1852, when eighteen houses were occupied (St Pancras)
Perry Street, N1C Perry Street was buried by St Pancras station (St Pancras)
Phoenix Road, NW1 Phoenix Road, together with Brill Place, is the suggested direct walking route between Euston and St Pancras stations (Somers Town)
Platt Street, NW1 Platt Street formed part of the Aldenham School (Brewers’ Company) Estate (Somers Town)
Pollard House, N1 Pollard House is a block on Northdown Street (King’s Cross)
Polygon Road, NW1 Polygon Road’s name commemorates the innovative Polygon building that once dominated the former Clarendon Square’s centre. (Somers Town)
Purchese Street, NW1 Purchese Street was named after Frederick Purchese, local resident, vestryman, county council member and Mayor of St Pancras (Somers Town)
Railway Street, N1 Railway Street is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Ryedale House, NW1 Ryedale House is a block on Eversholt Street (Somers Town)
Sandwich House, WC1H Sandwich House is a block on Sandwich Street (Bloomsbury)
Seaford Street, WC1H Seaford Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
Seymour House, NW1 Residential block (Euston)
Sidmouth Street, WC1H Sidmouth Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
Sinclair House, WC1H Residential block (Bloomsbury)
Smith Street, N1C Smith Street was buried under St Pancras station (St Pancras)
Somers Close, NW1 Somers Close is a modern southern extension of Penryn Street (Somers Town)
Speedy Place, WC1H Speedy Place is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
St Chads Place, WC1X St Chads Place is one of the streets of London in the WC1X postal area (King’s Cross)
St Chads Street, WC1H St Chads Street was formerly Derby Street (King’s Cross)
St Margarets House, NW1 St Margarets House is a block on Polygon Road (Somers Town)
St Martin’s House, NW1 St Martin’s House is a block on Polygon Road (Somers Town)
St Peter’s House, WC1H St Peter’s House is sited on Regent Square (Bloomsbury)
St Richard’s House, NW1 St Richard’s House is a block on Eversholt Street (Somers Town)
Stibbington Street, NW1 Stibbington Street was absorbed into Chalton Street in 1938 (Somers Town)
Tankerton House, WC1H Tankerton House is a building on Tankerton Street (Bloomsbury)
Tankerton Street, WC1H Tankerton Street is a road in the WC1H postcode area (Bloomsbury)
Terrett’s Place, N1 Terrett’s Place is a road in the N1 postcode area (King’s Cross)
Thanet House, WC1H Thanet House is a block on Thanet Street (Bloomsbury)
Thanet Street, WC1H Thanet Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
The Circle, N1C The Circle is a road in the N1C postcode area (St Pancras)
The Gridiron, N1C A street within the N1C postcode (King’s Cross)
The Hub, N1 Block in Kings Cross (King’s Cross)
The Macmillan Building, N1 The Macmillan Building is a block on Crinan Street (King’s Cross)
The Polygon The Polygon was an early housing estate, a Georgian building with 15 sides and three storeys that contained 32 houses. (Somers Town)
The Stanley Building, N1C The Stanley Building, constructed in the 1860s, was an early social housing project designed to accommodate railway workers. (King’s Cross)
Tonbridge Street, WC1H Tonbridge Street is one of the streets of London in the WC1H postal area (Bloomsbury)
Trematon Walk, N1 A street within the N1C postcode (King’s Cross)
Union Street, NW1 Union Street was absorbed into Stibbington Street which itself became part of Chalton Street (Somers Town)
Unity Mews, NW1 Unity Mews is a cul-de-sac off Chalton Road’s northern section near Goldington Crescent (Somers Town)
Varnishers Yard, N1 A street within the N1 postcode (King’s Cross)
Walker House, NW1 Walker House is a building on Unnamed Road (Somers Town)
Watford Street, NW1 Watford Street was cleared away in the 1860s to make way to St Pancras station (St Pancras)
Wellesley House, NW1 Wellesley House can be found on Wellesley Place (Euston)
Werrington Street, NW1 Werrington Street was an incorporation of Clarendon Street and the west side of Clarendon Square (Somers Town)
Weston Street, NW1 Weston Street disappeared under the then-new St Pancras station during the 1860s (St Pancras)
Wharfdale Road, N1 Wharfdale Road is one of the streets of London in the N1 postal area (King’s Cross)
Whidborne Street, WC1H Whidborne Street was developed as Brighton Street early in the 19th century (Bloomsbury)
Whittlebury Street, NW1 Whittlebury Street once laid to the west of Euston station (Euston)
Wilsted Street, NW1 Wilsted Street was the original name for the lower end of Ossulston Street (St Pancras)
Wolcot House, NW1 Wolcot House is a block on Werrington Street (Somers Town)
York Way, N1 York Way has been a thoroughfare since the twelfth century (King’s Cross)


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