RQMiller

Search

Menu
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Bermondsey Street Festival Prints
    • Poster Prints
    • Greetings Gards
  • News and Events
  • Art and Film
    • Art Projects
    • Film and video
    • Music
    • Portfolio
  • London History
  • Contact
Browse: Home » Five Foot Lane, Bermondsey

Five Foot Lane, Bermondsey

Tanner Street is one of the oldest roads in Bermondsey and can be found on maps long before the leather dressing trade dominated the area. Originally known as Five Foot Lane, the earliest recorded reference I have found appears in 1544 on this early map, from the archives of St Olave’s Grammar School. The shape of Five Foot Lane seems remarkably similar to modern times, although this map shows that it didn’t reach ‘Barmondsey Street’. Horseye Downe was an open field surrounded by houses and gardens with a gate at the west end near where Potters Field in Tooley Street is today.

Plan of Horseye Down 1544

Plan of Horseye Down 1544

Edward Josselyn Beck’s publication, Memorials to Serve for a History of the Parish of St. Mary, Rotherhithe is useful in helping us to understand the origin of the name Five Foot Lane.

The footways are certain approaches to the shore belonging to the parish affording the inhabitants the privilege of landing goods, coal, corn, timber, etc thus saving wharf dues. Some are “five-foot ways” and other “ten-foot ways.” 

Five Foot Lane

A section of the Parish of St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, 1755

This section of the Parish of St Mary Magdalen (above) from 1775, shows the full length of Five Foot Lane as it winds towards Dockhead and St Saviours Dock. The logic that Five Foot Lane probably led to the ‘five-foot way’ at Jones’ Wharf, Dockhead, seems compelling. We can also see extensive gardens to the south. Much of the land in Bermondsey was low lying so would have suffered from regular flooding and this could be a contributory factor in the usage of this area.

The map below, from 1790, whilst not to OS standards, suggests that Five Foot Lane began at Roper Lane and met with Horsleydown Fair Street before joining Dockhead at St Saviour’s Wharf. Roper Lane seems to follow the line of modern day Whites Grounds. Today, the remaining section of Roper Lane runs in front of the Maltings Building (Sarson’s Vinegar Factory) on Tower Bridge Road to Druid Street, so this particular map leaves us somewhat unclear as to how the road network developed.

You’ll also notice from this map, that Bermondsey Street was known as ‘Barnaby Street’, which seems rather odd to the modern eye. I have found no evidence to explain this name and it may well have simply been a corruption of Bermondsey Street during this time.

Five Foot Lane 1790

Barnaby Street and Five Foot Lane, 1790

The parish of St Mary Magdalen was governed by a vestry divided into two precincts, Landside and Waterside. Five Foot Lane fell into both. Records held at the Corporation of London reveals that some of the land was owned by the Bridge House Trust, and that a sewer ran along the road.

In 1826, the House of Commons ordered a report concerning charity. This was charged to investigate charitable donations and directions by individuals by will or testament.

A parishioner of St Mary Magdalen, Owen Clunn, by his Will, dated 22nd August 1563, gave to the use of the poor of the parish of Bermondsey for ever, one messuage [dwelling and outbuildings], one tenement, an orchard and two gardens in Five Foot Lane, together with further property in Bell Yard (off Bermondsey St) to be held by the churchwardens and chief householders of the said parish and their successors for ever…

Clunn directed that rental income buys twelve pence in bread for the poor, every Sunday for ever; and the residue whatever it might be, to be laid out in coals, and distributed between the feasts of All Saints and Christmas, by churchwardens and their successors, and who were thereout to have six shillings and eight-pence, as a repast for their pains.

The same premises appear within parish records in 1620… and again in 1648, where two leases of separate parts of the property in Five Foot Lane, were granted for the term of 61 years, comprising of five houses and premises at a rent reserved at 6 shillings a year. In 1740 the existing lease which had 10 years to run, was purchased by the parish for 20 shillings and the Bermondsey Workhouse was built on the land of what is the modern day Tanner Street Park.

In August 1793, a patent was granted to Mr George Choumert of Five Foot Lane, Bermondsey Street, Surrey. Choumert was a tanner and had invented a machine for cutting, splitting and dividing hides and skins, both in the pelt and after being dressed into leather, for separating the grain from the fleshside.

It was during the 1790’s that Five Foot Lane was renamed Russell Street, in honour of the rich and somewhat eccentric Richard Russell of the same parish. We will hear more of him in my next article.

Five Foot Lane 1792

Bermondsey Street, with Five Foot Lane, 1792

St Saviours Dock, Bermondsey, London SE1

St Saviours Dock

References:
Report of the Commissioners Appointed … to Inquire Concerning …, Volume 16

Read the next chapter on Tanner Street
Russell Street, Bermondsey

Share this...
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Filed under: London History and Tagged: Barmondsey, Barnaby Street, Bermondsey Street, Bermondsey Workhouse, Dockhead, Five Foot Lane, Henry VIII, Horseye Downe, Horsleydown Fair Street, Owen Clunn, Peter Higginbottom, Richard Russell, Roper Lane, Russell Street, St Saviour's Wharf, Tanner Street, Tfl, Tower Bridge Road, Woolstapler
← Previous Next →
  • About Richard Bio

    About Richard

      Originally from Beckenham Kent, I studied Fine Art, (film video and sound) at...

    Read more »
  • Follow me on FacebookFollow me on Facebook
  • Follow me on TwitterFollow me on Twitter
  • 30 years on: remembering a battle on Bankside London History,News and Events

    30 years on: remembering a battle on Bankside

    Just over 30 years ago, I moved to a flat in Tanner Street, just...

    Read more »
  • Southwark Cathedral Film and video

    Southwark Cathedral

    The pandemic and accompanying lockdowns have been difficult for everyone during the past 18...

    Read more »
  • Into the Blue | Shortwave Gallery 20 June-17 July 2018 Art Projects,News and Events

    Into the Blue | Shortwave Gallery 20 June-17 July 2018

    My new exhibition, Into the Blue will run at the Shortwave Cafe and Gallery...

    Read more »
  • The Blues by El Sticks Music

    The Blues by El Sticks

    In the 1980s, I developed an extensive Blues and Jazz record collection. There must...

    Read more »
  • Home
  • Shop
    • Bermondsey Street Festival Prints
    • Poster Prints
    • Greetings Gards
  • News and Events
  • Art and Film
    • Art Projects
    • Film and video
    • Music
    • Portfolio
  • London History
  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 RQMiller.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT