Whitecross Street, London
Whitecross Street is a short street in Islington, in Inner London. It features an eponymous street market and a large housing estate.
Location
The street is located in St Luke's, Islington. It runs north-south, between Old Street in the north, where it abuts St Luke Old Street, and the junction with Beech Street (west), Chiswell Street (east) and Silk Street (south, continuing the street) in the south. The southern junction marks the boundary with the City of London: Whitecross and Chiswell (north and east) are in Islington, while Beech and Silk (west and south) are in the City.
History
In his 1720 work, A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, John Strype wrote:
In Whitecross street, King Henry V. builded one fair House; and founded there a Brotherhood of St. Giles, to be kept. Which House, had sometime been an Hospital of the French Order, by the Name of St. Giles without Cripplegate, in the Reign of Edward I. The King having the Jurisdiction, and appointing a Custos thereof, for the Precinct of St. Giles, &c. Which Hospital being suppressed, the Lands were given to the Brotherhood, for the relief of the Poor. In this Street was a White cross; and near it was built an Arch of Stone, under which ran a Course of Water down to the Moor, called now Moorfields."
Whitecross Street Market
Whitecross Street Market, having been in existence for over 150 years, is one of London's oldest markets. It covers the northern half of the street, between Old Street and Fortune Street. In recent times, there has been significant investment from Islington Council, the City of London and English Heritage. It is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, and as well as the general market, there are up to 50 food and drink sellers.[2]
Every year the Whitecross Street Party is held. In 2014, it was on 19-20 July.[3]
Whitecross Street Prison
Whitecross Street Prison was a debtors' prison built 1813-15 to ease overcrowding at Newgate Prison. It had a capacity of 400 prisoners. It closed in 1870, when all of the prisoners were transferred to the newly built Holloway Prison.[4]
Other buildings
The Peabody Trust, one of London's oldest and largest housing associations, has a significant estate of social housing there, the Whitecross Street Estate.
References
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- ↑ "Cripplegate Ward. [The Bounds]". Hrionline. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
- ↑ "Islington Street Markets". Islington Council. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ "Welcome To The Whitecross Street Party & The Rise Of The Non Conformists Website". Wxstreetparty. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
- ↑ "London Metropolitan Archives". Aim25. Retrieved 8 July 2014.