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The Old Town of Bristol Used to Have a “Fockynggroue”
In modern English, that place name translates to “F**king Grove”
Like most people in medieval times, the English were a very pragmatic lot. This pragmatism extended to the names of places.
In Merrie Olde England, if you wanted to go the the main shopping area, where everyone goes to be seen, you head to High Street. Baker Street was where the bakers were, Swinegate for the pork butchers, Goldsmith Street was where the goldsmiths had their shops.
It was normal practice for medieval street names to reflect the type of commodities or services available there. Which is why most old towns in England have streets with names like Silver Street, Fish Street, Church Street, Abbey Road, Miller Street, Tanner Street etc.
What commodities or services then, were available on Cock Lane?
Located in the City of London in an area known as Smithfield just north of St Paul’s Cathedral, Cock Lane was known in medieval times as Cokkes Lane. As you may have guessed, Cokkes Lane (the modern Cock Lane) was Ye Olde Red Light District. In the 13th Century, London prostitutes were all forced to move there. The lane became, for quite a while, the only place in the City of London where prostitutes…