Farringdon
Encyclopedia
Farringdon is a historic area of the City of London
, represented today by the Wards
of Farringdon Within
and Farringdon Without
. Farringdon is also used informally to refer to the area around Farringdon Station
in the London Borough of Islington
, some distance north of the historic locality.
— this was also the case for the Wards of Bridge Within and Bridge Without. These Wards cover a fairly considerable part of the City, though before 2004 these Wards covered an even wider area: Farringdon Without stretched from Chancery Lane
including Middle Temple
, Inner Temple
and across to Smithfield
while Farringdon Within covered the area within the Walls across to Cheapside at Wood Street and included New Change and Blackfriars Bridge. Blackfriars and St Bartholomew's Hospital
.
A major review of the City's Wards in 2003, effected in 2004, removed from Farringdon Without the areas north of Fleet Street between Fetter Lane and Farringdon Street and south of Fleet Street between New Bridge Street and Temple Avenue to Castle Baynard
Ward. However a 'corridor' connects the western area along Holborn to Smithfield. The area of Farringdon Within at Cheapside was transferred to Bassishaw
Ward; the area around Blackfriars Lane and the Blackfriars Bridge was assigned to Castle Baynard.
A map based on Stow c 1600 shows the Fagswell Brook south of Cowcross Street as the northern boundary of the City with the bar at Long Lane.
Until 1993, a small triangle of land south of Cowcross Street was within the City of London and formed part of the Farringdon Without ward. The boundary between the City of London and the London Borough of Islington was locally realigned in 1993 with exchanges of land between each; in this area the boundary was moved slightly south to align with Charterhouse Street
.
which is sometimes referred to as Farringdon cannot be exactly defined; this contemporary usage is most likely a back-formation
and its use is similar to that in the Victoria
area.
The station and its immediate environs are located at the southernmost tip of Clerkenwell
in the London Borough of Islington
very close to the northern boundary of the City of London
and the eastern boundary of the London Borough of Camden
. Farringdon Station and its environs were previously within the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury
and are now within the London Borough of Islington.
Planned redevelopment and expansion of Farringdon Station is expected to have a significant impact on the local area. The station is currently served by the Thameslink
north-south rail route; it is planned that this will be supplemented by a future east-west Crossrail
service which will require the construction of additional station entrances. Crossrail opened an Information Exchange in Farringdon in 2004 to aid consultation with local stakeholders. A proposed upgrade of the Thameslink route
would also have an impact on the local area, including the construction of further station entrances, the pedestrianisation of Cowcross Street and the demolition of several buildings. The area forms part of the City Fringe Partnership, an initiative between the City of London and other local authorities to revive parts of Inner London
immediately adjacent to the City. In 2008 a plan to significantly redevelop the area, including the demolition of part of Smithfield Market
, was rejected by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
in England called Farringdon; all meaning fern covered hill. William and Nicholas de Faringdon, whose name is likely to have originated from one of these places, were two related prominent citizens and Aldermen
in the early 13th century. Nicholas purchased the area of the Farringdon ward of the City of London in 1279 and became its Alderman in 1281. In 1394 the ward was split into the still extant Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without.
Farringdon Station was built close to Farringdon Road
, a northern continuation of Farringdon Street outside the City, after which it was originally named when first opened in 1863 as Farringdon Street Station. Farringdon Street was built over the River Fleet
in 1737 and takes its name from either the Farringdon Wards of the City or was named in honour of Nicholas de Faringdon. The road was widened in 1829. The area was previously the location of Farringdon Market
, established for the sale of fruit and vegetables on November 20, 1826 when the earlier Fleet Market
was cleared to enable the laying out of Farringdon Street The station was renamed Farringdon & High Holborn in 1922 and finally Farringdon in 1936.
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, represented today by the Wards
Wards of the City of London
The City of London , in the United Kingdom, is constituted of 25 wards. The City is the historic core of the much wider metropolis of London, with an ancient and sui generis form of local government, which avoided the many reforms enacted to local government elsewhere in the country in the 19th and...
of Farringdon Within
Farringdon Within
Farringdon Within is a ward in the City of London, England.The ward covers an area from Blackfriars, in the south, to Barbican station, in the north....
and Farringdon Without
Farringdon Without
Farringdon Without is a Ward in the City of London, England. The Ward covers the western fringes of the City, including the Middle Temple, Inner Temple, Smithfield Market and St Bartholomew's Hospital, as well as the area east of Chancery Lane...
. Farringdon is also used informally to refer to the area around Farringdon Station
Farringdon station
Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington...
in the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
, some distance north of the historic locality.
City of London wards
In the City of London there are two Wards for Farringdon — Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without — a situation caused by the splitting of the original Farringdon Ward in 1394. "Without" and "Within" denote whether the Ward fell outside or within the London WallLondon Wall
London Wall was the defensive wall first built by the Romans around Londinium, their strategically important port town on the River Thames in what is now the United Kingdom, and subsequently maintained until the 18th century. It is now the name of a road in the City of London running along part of...
— this was also the case for the Wards of Bridge Within and Bridge Without. These Wards cover a fairly considerable part of the City, though before 2004 these Wards covered an even wider area: Farringdon Without stretched from Chancery Lane
Chancery Lane tube station
Chancery Lane is a London Underground station in central London. It is on the Central Line between St. Paul's and Holborn stations. The station is located at the junction of High Holborn, Hatton Garden and Gray's Inn Road with subway entrances giving access to the ticket office under the roadway...
including Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
and across to Smithfield
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
while Farringdon Within covered the area within the Walls across to Cheapside at Wood Street and included New Change and Blackfriars Bridge. Blackfriars and St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital
St Bartholomew's Hospital, also known as Barts, is a hospital in Smithfield in the City of London, England.-Early history:It was founded in 1123 by Raherus or Rahere , a favourite courtier of King Henry I...
.
A major review of the City's Wards in 2003, effected in 2004, removed from Farringdon Without the areas north of Fleet Street between Fetter Lane and Farringdon Street and south of Fleet Street between New Bridge Street and Temple Avenue to Castle Baynard
Castle Baynard
Castle Baynard is one of the 25 wards of the City of London, the historic core of the English capital. It covers an irregular shaped area, somewhat akin to a tuning fork bounded on the east by the wards of Queenhithe and Bread Street, the River Thames to the south and Farringdon Without to the...
Ward. However a 'corridor' connects the western area along Holborn to Smithfield. The area of Farringdon Within at Cheapside was transferred to Bassishaw
Bassishaw
Bassishaw is a ward in the City of London. This small ward is bounded on the east by Coleman Street ward, to the south by Cheap ward, to the north by Cripplegate ward, and on the west by Aldersgate ward...
Ward; the area around Blackfriars Lane and the Blackfriars Bridge was assigned to Castle Baynard.
A map based on Stow c 1600 shows the Fagswell Brook south of Cowcross Street as the northern boundary of the City with the bar at Long Lane.
Until 1993, a small triangle of land south of Cowcross Street was within the City of London and formed part of the Farringdon Without ward. The boundary between the City of London and the London Borough of Islington was locally realigned in 1993 with exchanges of land between each; in this area the boundary was moved slightly south to align with Charterhouse Street
Charterhouse Street
Charterhouse Street is a street in Smithfield, on the northern boundary of the City of London, forming the boundary with both the London Borough of Camden and the London Borough of Islington...
.
Informal use
The extent of the area around Farringdon StationFarringdon station
Farringdon station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Clerkenwell, just north of the City of London in the London Borough of Islington...
which is sometimes referred to as Farringdon cannot be exactly defined; this contemporary usage is most likely a back-formation
Back-formation
In etymology, back-formation is the process of creating a new lexeme, usually by removing actual or supposed affixes. The resulting neologism is called a back-formation, a term coined by James Murray in 1889...
and its use is similar to that in the Victoria
Victoria, London
Victoria is a commercial and residential area of inner city London, lying wholly within the City of Westminster, and named after Queen Victoria....
area.
The station and its immediate environs are located at the southernmost tip of Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
in the London Borough of Islington
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
very close to the northern boundary of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
and the eastern boundary of the London Borough of Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
. Farringdon Station and its environs were previously within the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury
Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury
The Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury was a Metropolitan borough within the County of London from 1900 to 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Islington to form the London Borough of Islington.- Boundaries :...
and are now within the London Borough of Islington.
Planned redevelopment and expansion of Farringdon Station is expected to have a significant impact on the local area. The station is currently served by the Thameslink
Thameslink
Thameslink is a fifty-station main-line route in the British railway system running north to south through London from Bedford to Brighton, serving both London Gatwick Airport and London Luton Airport. It opened as a through service in 1988 and by 1998 was severely overcrowded, carrying more than...
north-south rail route; it is planned that this will be supplemented by a future east-west Crossrail
Crossrail
Crossrail is a project to build a major new railway link under central London. The name refers to the first of two routes which are the responsibility of Crossrail Ltd. It is based on an entirely new east-west tunnel with a central section from to Liverpool Street station...
service which will require the construction of additional station entrances. Crossrail opened an Information Exchange in Farringdon in 2004 to aid consultation with local stakeholders. A proposed upgrade of the Thameslink route
Thameslink Programme
The Thameslink Programme, originally Thameslink 2000, is a £6 billion project in south-east England to upgrade and expand the Thameslink rail network to provide new and longer trains between a wider range of stations to the north and to the south of London without requiring passengers to change...
would also have an impact on the local area, including the construction of further station entrances, the pedestrianisation of Cowcross Street and the demolition of several buildings. The area forms part of the City Fringe Partnership, an initiative between the City of London and other local authorities to revive parts of Inner London
Inner London
Inner London is the name for the group of London boroughs which form the interior part of Greater London and are surrounded by Outer London. The area was first officially defined in 1965 and for purposes such as statistics, the definition has changed over time. The terms Inner London and Central...
immediately adjacent to the City. In 2008 a plan to significantly redevelop the area, including the demolition of part of Smithfield Market
Smithfield, London
Smithfield is an area of the City of London, in the ward of Farringdon Without. It is located in the north-west part of the City, and is mostly known for its centuries-old meat market, today the last surviving historical wholesale market in Central London...
, was rejected by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Etymology
There are numerous placesFarringdon
Farringdon is a historic area of the City of London, represented today by the Wards of Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without. Farringdon is also used informally to refer to the area around Farringdon Station in the London Borough of Islington, some distance north of the historic locality.-City...
in England called Farringdon; all meaning fern covered hill. William and Nicholas de Faringdon, whose name is likely to have originated from one of these places, were two related prominent citizens and Aldermen
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in the early 13th century. Nicholas purchased the area of the Farringdon ward of the City of London in 1279 and became its Alderman in 1281. In 1394 the ward was split into the still extant Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without.
Farringdon Station was built close to Farringdon Road
Farringdon Road
Farringdon Road is a road in Clerkenwell, Central London. Its construction, which took almost 20 years between the 1840s and the 1860s, is considered one of the greatest urban engineering achievements of the nineteenth century...
, a northern continuation of Farringdon Street outside the City, after which it was originally named when first opened in 1863 as Farringdon Street Station. Farringdon Street was built over the River Fleet
River Fleet
The River Fleet is the largest of London's subterranean rivers. Its two headwaters are two streams on Hampstead Heath; each is now dammed into a series of ponds made in the 18th century, the Hampstead Ponds and the Highgate Ponds. At the south edge of Hampstead Heath these two streams flow...
in 1737 and takes its name from either the Farringdon Wards of the City or was named in honour of Nicholas de Faringdon. The road was widened in 1829. The area was previously the location of Farringdon Market
Farringdon Market
Farringdon Market was a market erected in 1829 to replace the Fleet Market, which had been cleared for the widening of Farringdon Street and Farringdon Road. The market was between Farringdon Street east and Shoe Lane west, north of Stonecutter Street, in the City of London ward of Farringdon...
, established for the sale of fruit and vegetables on November 20, 1826 when the earlier Fleet Market
Fleet Market
The Fleet Market was a market erected in 1736 on the newly culverted River Fleet. The market was located approximately where the modern Farringdon Street stands today, to the west of the Smithfield livestock market....
was cleared to enable the laying out of Farringdon Street The station was renamed Farringdon & High Holborn in 1922 and finally Farringdon in 1936.