Minories

The Minories is an area of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets close to the Tower of London and City of London. The street called Minories runs north-south between Aldgate and Tower Hill underground stations.

Its name is derived from the Abbey of the Minoresses of St. Mary of the Order of St. Clare, founded in 1294, which stood on the site. A "minoress" was a nun. The area was a papal peculiar outside the jurisdiction of the English bishops. The abbey was dissolved in 1539, the property passing to the crown. The former abbey was used as an armoury and workhouse. In 1686, the area became part of the Liberties of the Tower of London. It was the location of Minories railway station, built in 1840. The site is now occupied by Tower Gateway DLR station.

The name is pronounced /ˈmɪnɚi:z/, not /ˈmaɪnɚi:z/.

[edit] References

Pennant, Thomas (1816). Some Account of London. London: J Faulder (digital edition from New York Public Library, 2007), p372.
Thornbury, Walter (1878). Old and New London: Volume 2. London: Cassel (digital edition from University of London & History of Parliament Trust, 2007), pp245-250.