Crispin Street was developed in the late 17th century as part of the Wheler estate.
Crispin Street, now curtailed at Brushfield Street, once ran beyond and formed the western edge of Spitalfields Market, running up to Lamb Street.
Spital Field - also part of Lolesworth field - was an open pasture lying south of the line of Brown’s Lane (Hanbury Street). In March 1649 it was conveyed to trustees by William Wheler of Datchet in trust for himself and his wife and then for his seven daughters. At that time the field extended further south and west.
The eastern side was possibly already bounded by the eastern side of the then Red Lion Street. The northern boundary was formed by the later Lamb Street, perhaps partly built-up at that time. Its southern side was defined when Paternoster Row and Datchett or Dorset (now Duval) Street were built, probably in the 1670s.
On its western side, the Spital Field was reduced in size when Crispin Street was built between 1668 and 1670.
In 1675, when the west side was already built but the east side was still largely unbuilt, Crispin Street was one of the parts into which a section of William Wheler’s estate was divided by his daughters.
From 1828 to about 1845 premises at number 36/368 were occupied by the Spitalfields Mathematical Society. In 1842 the premises were described as "a humble building, bearing much the appearance of a weaver’s house and having the words Mathematical Society written up in front and as lowly and inelegant".
Providence Row, a night shelter for destitute men, women and children in Crispin Street, opened in 1860 and operated until 2002 when it moved to new premises in Wentworth Street.
The westward extension of Spitalfields Market in the 1920s included the ground formerly occupied by the northern part of Crispin Street, and also the north-eastern part of the former Old Artillery Ground, including the northern parts of Gun Street and Fort Street.