The alleyways and courtyards of London: Q

Quality Court WC2

A wonderful labyrinth of alleys and courts used to straggle between Chancery Lane and Fetter Lane, but sadly, of these dozens of minute burrows, only a handful now remain. Quality Court, as we might devise from its name, was one of the more ‘classy’ addresses in the district. It was built about 1700, although not specifically with the view of attracting the upper crust of society to its confines, but with its stylish houses and spacious accommodation that is just what happened. When the properties went up for sale they came in droves, but, of course, the dwellings were few and so the speculators made their offers to the highest bidders.

John Strype, writing up his survey in 1720 says this is ‘a very handsome, large and airy Court, lately built, with very handsome brick houses…’ It was then called New Court but resulting from the life style of the new inhabitants was commonly known as Quality Court – much in the same way as we now refer to selected roads where the supremely wealthy reside, as ‘Millionaires Row’. Strype continues ‘for the goodness of the houses, and the inhabitants, is by some called Quality Court.’

Quality Court is still rich in quality with its old stone flag paving and potted shrubbery dotted here and there. Situated at the far end of the Court, at number 45, is the Patent Office, from where patents are issued and where the Patent Roll, recording the patents issued in the United Kingdom within any year, is kept. There is no doubting that this is Quality Court – its name is boldly displayed in wrought iron letters over its covered access in Chancery Lane.

Queen’s Head Yard SE1
UG: London Bridge
Bus: 21 35 40 133 344 P3 P11
Follow the directions for George Inn Yard but continue past George Inn Yard and cross Talbot Yard. Queens Head Yard is then about 35 yds on the left.
Only a memory of the Queen’s Head now remains; the old inn had stood on this site since the early 15th century and ended its days in 1886. It was rebuilt once, owing to the savage fire of 1676, which swept with amazing speed along the Borough High Street taking everything in its path. The inn started life as the Cross Key Inn but presumably its name was changed in an effort to please Elizabeth I, who by all accounts was not of the most tolerant breading.

During the early 17th century the inn was owned by John Harvard, born the son of a butcher in 1607, baptised in St Mary Overy and attended St Saviour’s Grammar School. Through the sale of the inn in 1637 he supplemented his already substantial fortune and on his death in America he endowed Massachusetts University with a significant portion of his wealth, and library. To reflect his generosity the name of the University was subsequently changed in his honour. In about 1668, after going through a succession of owners, the buildings to the rear of the inn were given over for the use of St Saviour’s Grammar School and the Company of Saddlers’. A year later the inn was bought by local brewer, John Applebee, in whose charge it remained until it was pulled down.

This is one of the less tampered-with Yards of Borough High Street where some of the old cobbles stones of former days still remain, although they are now patched up with Tarmac. Interestingly, the Yard still has the old running stones laid in the ground to prevent rutting by horse pulled vehicles; they run down into the wider part of the Yard which is partly covered with a seasoned wooden structure. On a high level, just inside the Yard entrance is the remains of a wrought iron bracket which once carried a gas lamp, and just below, all that is left of the gas feed-pipe.


The alleyways and courtyards of London

This page is taken from Ivor Hoole’s defunct GeoCities site listing the alleys and courtyards in Central London, last updated in 2004 and now taken offline.
The Underground Map blog lists this information as is, with no claim of copyright.

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