Brickhill Lane

   South out of Upper Thames Street at No. 77 to Greenwich Street (P.O. Directory). In Vintry Ward.

   Earliest mention: O. and M. 1677.

   Former names : "Brickhill Alley" (Leake, 1666). "Brikels lane" (S. 241). "Herber or Herbierlane," 32 Ed. III. (MSS. D. and C. St. Paul's, Press A. Box 15). "Erber lane," 1439 (Ct. H.W. II. 487) and 1448 (ib. 516). "Harbour lane," 1440 (End. Ch. Rep. 1903, All Hallows the Great, p. 5).

   But whether this was permanent, or merely coincident with the sherriff's term of office, it is not easy to determine.

   Stow places the Bread Street Compter on the west side of the street, and if he is correct in this, it cannot at that date have been identical with the "Brokenselde," as no part of the west side of Bread Street lies in the parish of St. Mary Magdalene.

   The name is curious, and may be compared with Brokenwharf. It suggests that the seld was at one time in a ruinous and dilapidated condition, perhaps from the same cause as led to the neglected state of the wharf (q.v.). The form of the word makes it unlikely that the name commemorated a former owner, in which case we should have expected to find the form "Brokes."

   See under Selds.