Elden, Eldenes Lane

   See Old Dean's Lane.

   The entries relating to this lane are rather confusing, and it may be well to set out in order such of them as cannot be satisfactorily regarded as referring to the present Warwick Lane.

   "Messuage in Heldesdenes Lane in parish of St. Sepulchre extra "Newegat," 14 Ed. I. 1286 (MS. D. and C. St. Paul's, Press A., Box 23, No. 1669).

   Tenements in Eldesdenes lane, Cockes lane, Secollane, etc, in parish of St. Sepulchre (H. MSS. Com. 9th Rep. p. 23).

   "Tenements near Eldenes lane and Seintbrides lane in parish of St. Brigid," 1379 (Ct. H.W. II. 209).

   "Tenements in Fletsstrete and Bowyerrowe in parish of St. Martin within Ludgate near the lane called Elden lane," 1411-12 (Ct. H.W. II.392).

   The messuages referred to in the first two entries would appear to be situated in the parish of St. Sepulchre extra Newgate, those in the third in the parish of St. Bride, those in the fourth in the parish of St. Martin Ludgate.

   To deal with the last entry first, if it could be established that Ave Mary Lane formed at an early period a portion of Warwick Lane, then this entry would present no difficulty, as the whole of the western side of that lane was in the parish of St. Martin Ludgate. But read in conjunction with the other entries, it is not unreasonable to see if there is any one point at which the three parishes mentioned in these four entries meet and join each other, and this is found to be the case in the neighbourhood of the Belle Sauvage Yard.

   Possibly there may have been a lane called Elden Lane in this neighbourhood somewhere between the Old Bailey, Ludgate Hill, Fleet Lane and the present Farringdon Street, on a site which cannot now be precisely identified, and it may be well to bear this in mind and not assume too hastily that all the entries under this name refer to Warwick Lane.