Honey Lane

   North out of Cheapside at No. 111 (P.O. Directory). In Cheap Ward.

   Earliest mention: "Huni lane," 1198-1222 (D. and C. St. Paul's, Press A. Box 1, 543).

   Other forms of name : "Hunylane," 1235 (Cal. Charter Rolls, I. 201-2). "Honilane," 1280-1 (Cal. L. Bk. A. p. 38). "Honylane," 1315-16 (Ct. H.W. I. 260). "Honey lane" (S. 273).

   In former times the lane was more extensive than now, as it occupied the whole site of the Market (Strype, ed. 1720, I. iii. 50).

   So called, Stow says, "not of sweetenes thereof, being very narrow and somewhat darke, but rather of often washing and sweeping, to keepe it cleane" (S. 273).

   Kingsford suggests that the name was probably due to the sale of honey there, many of the other streets out of Cheapside being similarly named, as Milk Street, Wood Street (ed. Stow's Survey, II. 333).

   In digging the foundation of the City of London School, Roman relics were found at a depth of 16 to 18 ft., also tiles, and pavement of an Anglo-Norman church, and coins of Ethelred (Arch. XXVII. 149).