The Old Bailey

   South from Newgate Street, at No.2, to 46 Ludgate Hill (P.O. Directory). In Farringdon Ward Without.

   First mention " Old baily," 23 H. VI. (Anc. Deeds, B. 2176).

   Former names and forms: " In ballio," c. 1241-8 (ib. A. 7499). " The Baillie," 35 H. III. (ib. A. 2585). " la Ballie," Is Ed. I. (ib. A. 2699). " The baily," 1276 (Ct H.W. I. 26). " Le Bayl," 1290 (Cal. Ch. Rolls, II. 345). "le Baly," 1305-6 (Ct. H.W. I. 175). " The Baily without Newegate," 1307 (ib. 193). " le Baille without Ludegate," 1311 (ib. 221). " Great Old Bailey," (Rocque, 1746).

   Strype also speaks of the Great and the Little Old Bailey (Ed. 1720, I. iii. 281).

   Stow says he does not know the origin of the name, but suggests that it may have been so called as containing the court of the Chamberlaine of the City (S. 374), and as Newgate seems to have been at one time called "Chamberlain Gate" the suggestion is not an improbable one.

   The northern end was widened towards the end of the 18th century by the removal of the middle row of old tenements, the western side of which had been known as "Little Old Bailey" (q.v.).

   A portion of the old wall of London was found here in the rear of No.8 adjoining the Sessions House, in 1900, 8 ft. high and 8 ft. 3 in. thick, about 18 in. below the street level, 99 ft. 6 in. from the centre of the roadway (Trans. L. and M. Arch. Soc. N.S. I. (4), p.351).