The Streets of London Trivia Quiz

Answer: Threadneedle Street

The Bank of England is often referred to as "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" as a result of its situation on there.

There are many other theories about the street's name including that it may be derived from the Anglo-Saxon word "thread", meaning "to prosper", or that it was once named "Three Needle Street" after the signs that tailors of the Middle Ages displayed to attract business.

Answer: Poultry

It is thought that the street was named in the fifteenth century for the trade that took place there - namely the sale of poultry. Other roads nearby include Milk Street and Bread Street, and all are close to "Cheapside", which means "market-place" in Old English.

Answer: Old Jewry

William the Conqueror encouraged Jews to immigrate to England following his conquest of the country. Many settled in the eastern end of the city in concentrated areas which became ghettos. Jews were expelled form England in 1290, but later returned, and the areas of Old Jewry and nearby Jewen Street were, for a long time, considered the Jewish quarter of London.

Answer: Hanging Sword Alley

Later, the street also became known informally as "Blood Bowl Alley" as it was located an area that was exempt from City laws after the Reformation, and therefore full of criminals.

Answer: Catherine Wheel Alley

The alley used to lead to a tavern named "The Catherine Wheel" which was frequented by notorious highwayman Dick Turpin. A pub called "Dirty Dick's" now stands on Bishopsgate (at the end of Catherine Wheel Alley).

A Catherine wheel is now considered to be the name of a firework which spins in a circle, but it originally described the death of Catherine of Alexandria (later, Saint Catherine) who was condemned to be tied to a wheel and bludgeoned to death. Legend has it that the wheel broke into pieces when she touched it and so she was beheaded instead.

During the time of Oliver Cromwell's Lord Protectorship, the alley was renamed "Cat and Wheel Alley" to satisfy the ruling Puritans that no saint was being honoured. This was later changed back to the original name.

Answer: Knightrider Street

The Medieval historian John Stow suggested that this street was named after "Knights well armed and mounted at the Tower Royal, riding from thence through that street west to Creed Lane, and so out at Ludgate towards Smithfield, where they were there to tourney, joust, or otherwise to show activities before the King and States of the realm" in his 1598 "Survey of London".

Answer: Bleeding Heart Yard

It is more likely that the courtyard was named after a nearby tavern sign which showed the Virgin Mary's heart being pierced by five swords. The morbidly named courtyard was very popular in Victorian literature, having been mentioned in many published works, including R.H. Barham's "The Ingoldsby Legends" and Charles Dickens' "Little Dorrit".

Answer: Cornhill

The three hills were Corn Hill, Tower Hill and Ludgate Hill.

Cornhill is a traditional city dividing line and has long been considered an important thoroughfare. It had the first mechanically pumped water supply in London (1582) and the first coffee house in 1652.

Answer: Candles

The street's name first appears in records as "Candelwrichstrete Street" in 1190, which is an Old English version of "Candlewright's Street". The area around the street was the residence of candle makers at that time. It is thought that, over time, the name was shortened through dialect and slang and eventually became Cannon Street.

Answer: Houndsditch

The Romans first constructed the ditch but it was later filled in. It was reconstructed in around in 1210 as a part of the London Wall's defences, but almost immediately it began to be used for waste by adjacent houses. Several medieval dogs' skeletons were found there in 1989.