Grub Street, situated near London’s impoverished Moorfields district, ran from Fore Street east of St Giles-without-Cripplegate to Chiswell Street until the early 19th century. The street was characterised by narrow alleyways and courts, often named after early signboards. Its bohemian atmosphere thrived amidst low-rent lodgings, brothels and coffeehouses.
The area became renowned for its concentration of struggling writers, poets and small-scale publishers, existing on the fringes of London’s literary scene. Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary defined it as a place “much inhabited by writers of small histories, dictionaries and temporary poems”, noting that “any mean production is called grubstreet”. Johnson himself had resided there early in his career. Alexander Pope further popularised this image in his work, The Dunciad.
The street’s name likely derived from a nearby refuse ditch, with historical variations including Grobstrat, Grobbestrate and Grubbelane. ’Grub’ also serves as a disparaging term for a person of limited abilities or unkempt appearance.
Later renamed Milton Street, parts of it were absorbed by the Barbican Estate development, though a section remains. Whilst the street name no longer exists, ’Grub Street’ has become a derogatory term for poor-quality writing and impoverished authors.
Mr Milton was a carpenter and builder who in 1830, at the time of the name change, owned the building lease of the street.
