Sherborne Lane

   South out of King William Street, at No.2, to 1 Abchurch Yard (P.O. Directory). In Waibrook Ward. Earliest mention: 1557 (Ct. H.W. II. 666).

   Former names and forms of name: " Shitteborwelane," 1272-3 (ib. 1.13). "Shiteburn lane," 22 Ed. I. (Ch. I. p.m. 136). " Shiteb(ur)uelane," 1300 (Ct. H.W. I. 147). "Shiteburlane," 1303-4 (ib. 162). "Schiteburuelaue," 1305 (ib. 171). "Shitheburniane," 1311 (ib. 220). " Shitebournelane," 1313 (ib. 240). " Shiteburgh lane," 1321 (Cal. P.R. Ed. II. 1317-21, p. 589). " Schetebournelane," 17 Ed. III. (Anc. Deeds, B. 2103). "Schittebourne lane," 1348-9 (Ct. H.W. I. 528). " Shetebournelane," 41 Ed. III. 2nd, Nos. 40 (Ch. I. p.m.). "Scheteboruelane," 1370 (Ct. H.W. II. 136). "Shitbourn lane," 1394-5 (Cal. L. Bk. H. p.421). " Shirbouruelane" otherwise "Shetbouruelane," 1467 (Ct. H.W. II. 586). "Sithebourne Lane," 1532 (L. and P. H. VIII. V. p. 690). "Shetenborn Lane," 1539 (ib. XIV. Pt. 2, p.591).

   The earliest forms of the name are therefore : " Shitteborwelane," " Shite-burn lane," " Shite-buruelane," and the form " shir " does not occur until the 15th century.

   Stow's derivation from the stream turning south and breaking into small shares, rills, or streams, and so giving the name Shareborne Lane or Southborne Lane must be left out of account as a possible derivation, inasmuch as it ignores the earliest forms of the name to be found.

   The first syllable " shitte," " shite," "schite," presents considerable difficulty, and it is hard to See from what A.S. word it can be derived, as the suggested derivation from A. S. "scir " = a share, "sciran " = to divide, seems to leave the "t" out of account. The word "borwe," "borue" suggests O.E. "burh," "burgh," "borough," rather than "burn" or "bourne," as the original form. "Burgh " = fortress, walled town, later perhaps "a mansion," "fortified house."

   Where the word occurs as a place name, as in Shirburn in Oxfordshire, Sherbourn in Warwickshire, and Sherborne in Dorsetshire, the earliest forms are: "Scirburne," "Scireburne," "Shirburn," "Sireburn," "Shyreborn"; and the derivation is regular enough.

   The early forms here suggest the personal names " Schet," "Scheot," "Scytta.,"

   Prior to the formation of King William Street, 1832, this lane extended into Langbourn Ward, and was considerably longer than it is at the present time. Its northern end communicating with St. Swithin's Lane was cut off for the formation of King William Street.