Beverley street names

The street names of Beverley have much to tell about its history. Many have passed to us unchanged from the early Middle Ages. Many contain elements of Scandinavian origin, imported by the Danes who took the area from the Angles in the 9th century. One example is use of the word ‘gate’ to mean a road or lane, which can be seen in street names of other former Danelaw towns e.g. Kirkgate (church gate) in Leeds. Highgate, Keldgate,  Lairgate, Hengate, Eastgate and Flemingate are some of the oldest streets in Beverley. Other examples include Keld (a spring, as in Keldgate, Keldmarsh), Begin (a building, as in Newbegin), Moor (as in Minster Moorgate) and some lost examples such as Briddal Midding Lane (midden=Danish for rubbish heap), Holmkyrk Lane (Kirk = church, old name for Holme Church Lane) and Colmankeld Lane

In the Middle Ages, tradesmen grouped together by trade and gave their name to the street. For example, in the area around Saturday Market were Walkergate, Tenter Lane, Mercer Row and Dyer Lane – all occupations connected with the production of woollen cloth. As most of these processes needed water, they were clustered around the Walker Beck. Other examples were Butcher Row, Bredrow or Baker Lane, and Glover Row. Landress Lane, however, is misleading as it is thought to be a corruption of a family name.

Other names give a clue to lost landmarks; Cross Street is near the site of the mediaeval cross which stood at Cross Bridge (roughly at the junction between Walkergate and Butcher Row). The bridge took the High Street (now Toll Gavel) over the Walker Beck, which had not been culverted in the early Middle Ages and divided the town into two. Trinity Lane is on the site of the mediaveal Preceptory of the Holy Trinity. St Giles Croft is near the site of the mediaeval St Giles Hospital. Holme Church Lane led to the mediaeval St Nicholas Church and Mill Lane led to a mill roughly where Norwood Methodist Church now stands. Tiger Lane, formerly called Cuckstool Lane, led to the Cuckstool or ducking stool on the Westwood. Gallows Lane is of similar origin. Woodlands, also called Union Road, led to the workhouse of the Beverley Poor Law Union.

An excellent glossary of Beverley street names can be found at http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36438 .