Alsatia

Alsatia was the name given to an area lying north of the River Thames covered by the Whitefriars monastery.

Between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries Alsatia near Blackfriars had the privilege of being a sanctuary.
Credit: User unknown/public domain

Between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries it had the privilege of a sanctuary and as a result it was the refuge of the perpetrators of every grade of crime, debauchery, and offence against the laws.

The execution of a warrant there, if at any time practicable, was attended with great danger, as all united in a maintenance in common of the immunity of the place. It was one of the last places of sanctuary used in England, abolished by Act of Parliament named The Escape from Prison Act in 1697 and a further Act in 1723.

Eleven other places in London were named in the Acts (The Minories, The Mint, Salisbury Court, Whitefriars[disambiguation needed], Fulwoods Rents, Mitre Court, Baldwins Gardens, The Savoy, The Clink, Deadmans Place, Montague Close, and Stepney).

Alsatia was named after the ancient name for Alsace, Europe, which was itself outside legislative and juridical lines, and, therefore, they were literally places without law. The name is thought to be a cant term for the area and is first known in print in the title of The Squire of Alsatia, a 1688 play written by Thomas Shadwell.

The name was used into the 20th century as a term for a ramshackle marketplace, protected by ancient custom and the independence of their patrons.

TIP: If you choose an historical map, an 'opacity' control will appear top right. Slide it to fade in the old map compared to a new map.

Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence

NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE

Alsatia Alsatia was the name given to an area lying north of the River Thames covered by the Whitefriars monastery.

Alsatia

City Thameslink City Thameslink is a central London railway station within the City of London, with entrances on Ludgate Hill and Holborn Viaduct.

City Thameslink

Old and New London: Temple Bar Temple Bar was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, in 1670–72.

Old and New London: Temple Bar

Temple Bar Temple Bar is the point in London where Fleet Street, City of London, becomes the Strand, Westminster, and where the City of London traditionally erected a barrier to regulate trade into the city.

Temple Bar

The Temple The Temple is one of the main legal districts in London and a notable centre for English law.

The Temple

NEARBY STREETS

Amen Court, EC4M Many of the highways and byways around the precincts of St Paul’s Cathedral bear names which have ecclesiastical origins. (City of London)

Amen Court, EC4M

Andrews Crosse, EC4A Andrews Crosse stood on the site of the courtyard of the former Andrews Crosse Inn (City of London)

Andrews Crosse, EC4A

Apothecary Street, EC4V Apothecary Street leads to Apothecaries’ Hall (City of London)

Apothecary Street, EC4V

Ashentree Court, EC4Y Ashentree Court was named after the ashen trees formerly located here at the Whitefriars’ monastery (City of London)

Ashentree Court, EC4Y

Bell Yard, EC4A Bell Yard is a small lane off the Strand where the Bell Inn once stood (City of London)

Bell Yard, EC4A

Black Friars Lane, EC4V Black Friars Lane was known as Water Lane until 1940 (City of London)

Black Friars Lane, EC4V

Blackfriars House, EC4V Blackfriars House is a block on New Bridge Street (City of London)

Blackfriars House, EC4V

Blackfriars Lane, EC4V Blackfriars Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Blackfriars Lane, EC4V

Bolt Court, EC4A Bolt Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area (City of London)

Bolt Court, EC4A

Bouverie House, EC4A Bouverie House is a block on Fleet Street (City of London)

Bouverie House, EC4A

Bouverie Street, EC4Y Bouverie Street is named for the Pleydell-Bouveries, Earls of Radnor, who were landowners in this area (City of London)

Bouverie Street, EC4Y

Brick Court, EC4Y Brick Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Brick Court, EC4Y

Bride Court, EC4Y Bride Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Bride Court, EC4Y

Bride Lane, EC4Y Bride Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Bride Lane, EC4Y

Bridewell Place, EC4V Bridewell Place is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Bridewell Place, EC4V

Burgon Street, EC4V Burgon Street is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Burgon Street, EC4V

Carmelite House, EC4Y Carmelite House is sited on Victoria Embankment (City of London)

Carmelite House, EC4Y

Carmelite Street, EC4Y Carmelite Street continues south from Whitefriars Street, which itself is just off Fleet Street (City of London)

Carmelite Street, EC4Y

Carpmael Building, EC4Y Carpmael Building is a block on Crown Office Row (City of London)

Carpmael Building, EC4Y

Church Entry, EC4V Church Entry is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Church Entry, EC4V

Cliffords Inn Passage, EC4Y Cliffords Inn Passage is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area (City of London)

Cliffords Inn Passage, EC4Y

Cliffords Inn, EC4A Cliffords Inn is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area (City of London)

Cliffords Inn, EC4A

Cobham House, EC4V Cobham House is a block on Black Friars Lane (City of London)

Cobham House, EC4V

Crane Court, EC4Y Crane Court lay beside the Two Crane Inn Tavern. (City of London)

Crane Court, EC4Y

Creed Court, EC4M Creed Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4M postal area (City of London)

Creed Court, EC4M

Creed Lane, EC4V Creed Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Creed Lane, EC4V

Crown Office Row, EC4Y Crown Office Row is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Crown Office Row, EC4Y

Daniel House, EC4A Daniel House is a block on Fleet Street (City of London)

Daniel House, EC4A

Devereux Court, EC4Y Devereux Court lies on the south side of the Strand, opposite the Law Courts (Westminster)

Devereux Court, EC4Y

Doctor Johnsons Buildings, EC4Y Doctor Johnsons Buildings is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Doctor Johnsons Buildings, EC4Y

Dorset Rise, EC4Y Dorset Rise is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Dorset Rise, EC4Y

Dr Johnson’s House, EC4A Dr Johnson’s House is a block on Gough Square (City of London)

Dr Johnson’s House, EC4A

Essex Court, EC4Y Essex Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Essex Court, EC4Y

Falcon Court, EC4Y Falcon Court is a courtyard off the south side of Fleet Street between Chancery Lane and Fetter Lane. (City of London)

Falcon Court, EC4Y

Farringdon Road, EC4V Farringdon Road is a road in the EC4A postcode area (City of London)

Farringdon Road, EC4V

Farringdon Street, EC4M Farringdon Street was constructed over the Fleet river (City of London)

Farringdon Street, EC4M

Fleet Street, EC4A Fleet Street is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Fleet Street, EC4A

Fleetbank House, EC4Y Fleetbank House is located on Salisbury Square (City of London)

Fleetbank House, EC4Y

Fountain Court, EC4Y Fountain Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (Westminster)

Fountain Court, EC4Y

Francis Taylor Building, EC4Y Francis Taylor Building is a block on Kings Bench Walk (City of London)

Francis Taylor Building, EC4Y

Garden Court, EC4Y Garden Court is a pedestrian thoroughfare in the Temple area (City of London)

Garden Court, EC4Y

Hamilton House, EC4Y Hamilton House is a block on Temple Avenue (City of London)

Hamilton House, EC4Y

Hanging Sword Alley, EC4Y Hanging Sword Alley is an alley running between Whitefriars Street and Salisbury Square (City of London)

Hanging Sword Alley, EC4Y

Harcourt Buildings, EC4Y Harcourt Buildings is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Harcourt Buildings, EC4Y

Hare Court, EC4Y Hare Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Hare Court, EC4Y

Hare Place, EC4Y Hare Place is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Hare Place, EC4Y

Harmsworth House, EC4Y Harmsworth House lies near the Inner Temple (City of London)

Harmsworth House, EC4Y

Hat and Mitre Court, EC4Y Hat and Mitre Court is a road in the EC1M postcode area (City of London)

Hat and Mitre Court, EC4Y

Hind Court, EC4Y Hind Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area (City of London)

Hind Court, EC4Y

Hood Court, EC4Y Hood Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Hood Court, EC4Y

Inner Temple Lane, EC4Y Inner Temple Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Inner Temple Lane, EC4Y

Ireland Yard, EC4V Ireland Yard is an alleyway leading off of Playhouse Yard (City of London)

Ireland Yard, EC4V

John Carpenter House, EC4Y John Carpenter House is a block on John Carpenter Street (City of London)

John Carpenter House, EC4Y

John Carpenter Street, EC4Y John Carpenter was town clerk of the City of London in the fifteenth century, and founder of the City of London School (City of London)

John Carpenter Street, EC4Y

Kildare House, EC4Y Kildare House can be found on Dorset Rise (City of London)

Kildare House, EC4Y

King’s Bench Walk Temple, EC4Y A street within the EC4Y postcode (City of London)

King’s Bench Walk Temple, EC4Y

King’s Bench Walk, EC4Y King?s Bench Walk is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

King’s Bench Walk, EC4Y

Kings Bench Walk, EC4Y Kings Bench Walk is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Kings Bench Walk, EC4Y

Lamb Building, EC4Y Lamb Building is a block on Pump Court (City of London)

Lamb Building, EC4Y

Limeburner Lane, EC4M Limeburner Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4M postal area (City of London)

Limeburner Lane, EC4M

Ludgate Broadway, EC4M Ludgate Broadway is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Ludgate Broadway, EC4M

Ludgate Circus, EC4M Ludgate Circus is a junction in the City of London where Farringdon Street and New Bridge Street cross Fleet Street/Ludgate Hill (City of London)

Ludgate Circus, EC4M

Ludgate Hill, EC4M Ludgate Hill is one of the streets of London in the EC4M postal area (City of London)

Ludgate Hill, EC4M

Ludgate House, EC4M Ludgate House is located on Fleet Street (City of London)

Ludgate House, EC4M

Ludgate Square, EC4M Ludgate Square is one of the streets of London in the EC4M postal area (City of London)

Ludgate Square, EC4M

Magpie Alley, EC4Y Magpie Alley marks the position occupied by the dorter (dormitory) of the Friary of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel, commonly called the Whitefriars Monastery (City of London)

Magpie Alley, EC4Y

Masters House Temple Church, EC4Y Masters House Temple Church is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Masters House Temple Church, EC4Y

Middle Temple Lane, EC4Y Middle Temple Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Middle Temple Lane, EC4Y

Mintel House, EC4V Mintel House can be found on Playhouse Yard (City of London)

Mintel House, EC4V

Mitre Court Buildings, EC4Y Mitre Court Buildings is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Mitre Court Buildings, EC4Y

New Bridge Street House, EC4V New Bridge Street House is a building on New Bridge Street (City of London)

New Bridge Street House, EC4V

New Bridge Street, EC4V New Bridge Street is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

New Bridge Street, EC4V

New Court, EC4V New Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

New Court, EC4V

Old Mitre Court, EC4Y Old Mitre Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Old Mitre Court, EC4Y

Old Seacoal Lane, EC4M Old Seacoal Lane is one of the streets of London in the EC4M postal area (City of London)

Old Seacoal Lane, EC4M

Pageantmaster Court, EC4M Pageantmaster Court was Ludgate Court and renamed in the summer of 1993 (City of London)

Pageantmaster Court, EC4M

Paper Buildings, EC4Y Paper Buildings is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Paper Buildings, EC4Y

Pilgrim Street, EC4V Pilgrim Street connects New Bridge Street with Ludgate Hill (City of London)

Pilgrim Street, EC4V

Playhouse Yard, EC4V Playhouse Yard is named after the Blackfriars theatre which stood here in Shakespeare’s time and where his play’s were performed (City of London)

Playhouse Yard, EC4V

Pleydell Court, EC4A Pleydell Court runs off Pleydell Street - formerly Silver Street (City of London)

Pleydell Court, EC4A

Pleydell House, EC4Y Pleydell House is a block on Pleydell Street (City of London)

Pleydell House, EC4Y

Pleydell Street, EC4Y The Pleydell-Bouveries, Earls of Radnor, were landlords of this area (City of London)

Pleydell Street, EC4Y

Plowden Buildings, EC4Y Plowden Buildings is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Plowden Buildings, EC4Y

Poppins Court, EC4A Poppins Court is an historic alley off Fleet Street. (City of London)

Poppins Court, EC4A

Printing House Square, EC4V Printing House Square - formerly part of Blackfriars Monastery - became a printing district in the 17th century (City of London)

Printing House Square, EC4V

Priory Court, EC4M Priory Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Priory Court, EC4M

Puddle Dock, EC4V Puddle Dock is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

Puddle Dock, EC4V

Pump Court, EC4Y Pump Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Pump Court, EC4Y

Quadrant Court, EC4M A street within the EC4M postcode (City of London)

Quadrant Court, EC4M

Red Lion Court, EC4A Red Lion Court forms part of labyrinth of little passages behind the shops on the north side of Fleet Street. (City of London)

Red Lion Court, EC4A

Salisbury Court, EC4Y Salisbury Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Salisbury Court, EC4Y

Salisbury Square, EC4Y Salisbury Square is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Salisbury Square, EC4Y

Santander House, EC4M Santander House is a block on Ludgate Hill (City of London)

Santander House, EC4M

Serjeants Inn, EC4Y Serjeants Inn is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Serjeants Inn, EC4Y

St Andrew’s House, EC4V St Andrew’s House is a block on St Andrew’s Hill (City of London)

St Andrew’s House, EC4V

St Andrews Hill, EC4V St Andrews Hill is one of the streets of London in the EC4V postal area (City of London)

St Andrews Hill, EC4V

St Brides Avenue, EC4Y St Brides Avenue is a narrow alley which leaves Fleet Street almost opposite Shoe Lane (City of London)

St Brides Avenue, EC4Y

Stationers Hall Court, EC4M Stationers Hall Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4M postal area (City of London)

Stationers Hall Court, EC4M

Strand, EC4Y A small section of Strand lies beyond Temple Bar in the City of London (City of London)

Strand, EC4Y

Tallis House, EC4Y Tallis House is a block on Tallis Street (City of London)

Tallis House, EC4Y

Tallis Street, EC4Y This street honours Thomas Tallis, composer whose name is engraved on the façade of the nearby former building of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama (City of London)

Tallis Street, EC4Y

Temple Avenue, EC4Y Temple Avenue is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Temple Avenue, EC4Y

Temple Bar House, EC4Y Temple Bar House is a block on Fleet Street (City of London)

Temple Bar House, EC4Y

Temple Chambers, EC4Y Temple Chambers is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Temple Chambers, EC4Y

Temple Gardens, EC4Y Temple Gardens is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Temple Gardens, EC4Y

Temple House, EC4Y Temple House is a block on Temple Avenue (City of London)

Temple House, EC4Y

Thanet Place, EC4Y Thanet Place ran south off Strand (City of London)

Thanet Place, EC4Y

Tudor Street, EC4Y Tudor Street is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Tudor Street, EC4Y

Unilever House, EC4Y Unilever House is a block on Victoria Embankment (City of London)

Unilever House, EC4Y

Victoria Embankment, EC4Y Victoria Embankment is part of the Thames Embankment scheme of 19th-century civil engineering that reclaimed land next to the River Thames (City of London)

Victoria Embankment, EC4Y

Watergate, EC4Y Watergate is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Watergate, EC4Y

Whitefriars Street, EC4Y Whitefriars Street is one of the streets of London in the EC4Y postal area (City of London)

Whitefriars Street, EC4Y

Wine Office Court, EC4A Wine Office Court is one of the streets of London in the EC4A postal area (City of London)

Wine Office Court, EC4A

Click here to explore another London street
We now have 681 completed street histories and 46819 partial histories

Click here to see photos of the area