SUMMARY OF INNS USED BY CARRIERS AND COACH SERVICES TO LONDON 1637-1738
This table lists all those inns mentioned in four comprehensive directories of services into London from provincial towns of England & Wales.
1637; Carriers Cosmologie
1681; The Present State of London
1691; The Present State of London
1738 The Intelligencer or Merchant's Assistant
The first and last record of the Inn as a terminus in these publications is shown. The Main Road served by the carrier or coach is categorised by the routes describd by Ogilby in 1675 (A to M in order published by Ogilby).
The total number of services per week using the inn in all four publications is shown. Duplicate entries to places on the same road have been removed and those services running on several days have been made as the appropriate number of multiple service entries.
The number of coach and carrier services are distinguished and the percentage of the total number of services that are carriers services is given.
Changes in the Inns used by carriers and coaches to London
The area where the inns have traditionally served carriers are Holbourn in the west, West Smithfield in the north, Bishopsgate in the east and Southwark, south of the river. Between 1637 and 1681, there was an irreversible loss of inns serving carriers in the central area, particularly Cat-Eaton Street, Cheapside, Coleman Street & Lombard Street where inns ceased to serve carriers. In other central locations such as Bread Street and Leadenhall street there was a decline in the inns used by carriers. About a third of the inns mentioned in 1637 were not mentioned 50 years later whereas only another 9% were lost in the following 50 years to 1738.
In the late 1600s the areas acquiring most new inns serving carriers were Aldersgate Street, Holborn, St John's Street and The Strand. Charing Cross, The Strand and Warwick Street, all in the west, were areas where new inns began to serve carrier services. Steady expansion of the existing areas such as Aldgate & Bishopsgate in the east and Southwark in the south occurred in this period.
Almost half the inns serving carriers in 1738 had been terminals for carrier services a century earlier. The number of new inns recruited into this service seems to have been fairly constant over the century. Of the 78 Inns Listed in 1637, 25 did not appear again and are assumed to have been lost including George, Bread Street; Star, Bread Street; St Paul's Head, Carter Lane; Maidenhead, CatEaton Street; Queen's Arms, Holbourn.
Inns serving particular services
Inns serving travellers from the east, around Bishopsgate and north, around Aldersgate, and the south in Southwark, served a mixture of carriers and coach services. In the west there was more polarisation of services with many inns in Holbourn, The Strand, Fleet Street and Charing Cross serving only coach services whereas inns in West Smithfield, Warwick Lane and Wood street served only carriers.
The inns hosting the largest number of services are listed below according to area. Those with more than 8 coach services are emboldened; this highlights the high proportion of the services entering the eastern part of the city and the relatively small number of services entering the north.
In the East
Bishopsgate: Bull, Green Dragon, Four Swans, Dolphin, Vine
Gracechurch Street: Cross Keys, Spread Eagle
Ludgate Hill: Bell Savage.
Aldgate: Saracen's Head, Three Nuns, Blue Boar
In the North Lawrence Lane: Blossoms Inn
Aldersgate Street: Red Lyon, Cock, Three Cups
St John's Street: Swan with 2 necks,
Wood Street: Castle, Bell
Aldermansbury: Axe
In the West
West Smithfield: Ram, Castle, Rose, Bear & Ragged Staff
Friday Street: Saracen's Head
Holbourn Bridge/Snowhill: White Swan, Rose, King's Arms, Saracen's Head, George
Bread Street: Three Cups
Holbourn: Bell, Black Swan
Warwick Lane: Oxford Arms, Bell
Fleet Street: White Horse
The Strand: Talbot
In the South
Southwark: Queen's Head, King's Head, White Hart, Talbot (Tabard), George,
Greyhound, Horseshoe.
A few of the larger inns in the centre of the city had sufficient space to expand to deal with the increasing demands of the coaching and carrier services. The Bell Savage on Ludgate Hill for instance continued to be the terminus for services throughout the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. However, other centrally located inns had neither space nor the ease of access needed to satisfy the carriers and coachmen. The development of inns, particularly to the north and west of the city, must have reflected in part the increasing requirements for space to accommodate goods, services and passengers.
The large coaching inns that dominated the provision of services in the 19th century were still to emerge as leading centres in the early 18th century. The Bolt & Tun in Fleet Street, Swan with Two Necks in Lad Lane and Bull & Mouth in Aldersgate were used by a small number of carriers and coaches but were not amongst the most frequently used inns in their areas. The Inns in Piccadilly such as the White Bear and The White Horse Coffee House or the Elephant & Castle, south of the river, were not mentioned in the early 18th century.
|
Inn |
Street |
FirstRcd |
Last Rcd |
Ogilby Road |
Total Serve |
Total Coach |
Total Carry |
% Carry |
|
Holbourn |
1681 |
1681 |
E |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
|
Angel |
Southwark (Blackman St) |
1738 |
1738 |
L |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0% |
|
Angel |
St Clements (backside) |
1637 |
1738 |
ADEK |
11 |
6 |
5 |
45% |
|
Angel |
St Giles |
1637 |
1681 |
AJ |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100% |
|
Axe |
Aldermanbury |
1637 |
1738 |
CJ |
17 |
0 |
17 |
100% |
|
Basinghall Street |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
5 |
0 |
5 |
100% |
|
|
Bear & Ragged Staff |
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
16 |
0 |
16 |
100% |
|
Bell |
Aldersgate Street |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
11 |
5 |
6 |
55% |
|
Bell |
Coleman Street |
1637 |
1637 |
C |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Bell |
Friday Street |
1637 |
1738 |
EFJK |
18 |
0 |
18 |
100% |
|
Bell |
Holbourn |
> 1637 |
1738 |
AEJ |
16 |
10 |
6 |
38% |
|
Bell |
St John's Street |
1637 |
1637 |
J |
2 |
1 |
1 |
50% |
|
Bell |
The Strand |
1681 |
1738 |
ADFKM |
10 |
6 |
4 |
40% |
|
Bell |
Warwick Lane |
1681 |
1738 |
A |
14 |
0 |
14 |
100% |
|
Bell |
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
12 |
2 |
10 |
83% |
|
Bell |
Wood Street |
1681 |
1738 |
AFKJ |
20 |
2 |
18 |
90% |
|
Bell & Bear |
Southwark (St Margarets Hill) |
1738 |
1738 |
N |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
Bell Savage |
Ludgate Hill |
1637 |
1738 |
DEFJ |
33 |
17 |
16 |
48% |
|
Black Bull |
Aldgate |
1738 |
1738 |
C |
5 |
4 |
1 |
20% |
|
Black Bull |
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1637 |
J |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Black Horse |
Mews-gate (near) |
> 1681 |
1681 |
D |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Black Lyon |
Water Lane |
1681 |
1738 |
DFK |
5 |
5 |
0 |
0% |
|
Black Swan |
Holbourn |
1637 |
1738 |
EJ |
12 |
11 |
1 |
8% |
|
Blossoms Inn |
Lawrence Lane |
1637 |
1738 |
FJ |
29 |
2 |
27 |
93% |
|
Blue Boar |
Aldgate (without) |
1637 |
1738 |
CH |
15 |
11 |
4 |
27% |
|
Blue Boar |
Holbourn |
1681 |
1738 |
AJ |
6 |
6 |
0 |
0% |
|
Blue Boar |
White-chappel |
1681 |
1691 |
H |
8 |
4 |
4 |
50% |
|
Boar & Castle |
St Gile's Pound |
1738 |
1738 |
J |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Bolt & Tun |
Fleet Street |
1681 |
1738 |
DF |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0% |
|
Bull |
Aldgate (without) |
1738 |
1738 |
H |
3 |
2 |
1 |
33% |
|
Bull |
Basinghall Street |
1691 |
1691 |
J |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Bull |
Bishopsgate (within) |
1637 |
1738 |
CH |
50 |
26 |
24 |
48% |
|
Bull |
Holbourn |
1681 |
1738 |
ADE |
12 |
6 |
6 |
50% |
|
Bull |
Leadenhall Street |
1637 |
1637 |
C |
0 |
0 |
0 |
#### |
|
Bull & Mouth |
Aldersgate (by) |
1681 |
1738 |
ADFJK |
19 |
1 |
18 |
95% |
|
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1691 |
J |
29 |
0 |
29 |
100% |
|
|
Castle |
Wood Street |
1637 |
1738 |
AEJ |
23 |
0 |
23 |
100% |
|
Castle & Falcon |
Aldersgate Street |
1681 |
1738 |
J |
13 |
0 |
13 |
100% |
|
Chequers |
Holbourn |
1637 |
1691 |
AC |
6 |
3 |
3 |
50% |
|
Chequers Inn |
Charing Cross (near) |
1681 |
1738 |
DK |
6 |
6 |
0 |
0% |
|
Church |
Aldersgate Street |
1738 |
1738 |
J |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Coach & Horses |
Charing Cross |
1738 |
1738 |
BD |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0% |
|
Coach & Horses |
The Strand |
1738 |
1738 |
D |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Cock |
Aldersgate Street |
1637 |
1738 |
HJ |
20 |
3 |
17 |
85% |
|
Cock & Dolphin |
Grays Inn Lane |
1681 |
1738 |
J |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0% |
|
Cross Keys |
Gracechurch Street |
1637 |
1738 |
BCH |
42 |
25 |
17 |
40% |
|
Cross Keys |
Holbourn |
1637 |
1637 |
C |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Cross Keys |
St John's Street |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100% |
|
Cross Keys |
Whitecross Street |
1681 |
1681 |
AJ |
3 |
1 |
2 |
67% |
|
Cross Keys |
Wood Street |
1681 |
1738 |
AD |
5 |
1 |
4 |
80% |
|
Crown |
Aldgate (without) |
1637 |
1691 |
H |
12 |
7 |
5 |
42% |
|
Crown |
Holbourn |
1637 |
1738 |
AE |
7 |
6 |
1 |
14% |
|
Crown |
Southwark (Blackman St) |
1738 |
1738 |
|
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Crown |
The Haymarket |
1681 |
1681 |
D |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Billingsgate |
1681 |
1738 |
G |
3 |
2 |
1 |
33% |
|
|
Dolphin |
Bishopsgate (without) |
1637 |
1738 |
CH |
16 |
8 |
8 |
50% |
|
The Strand |
1681 |
1681 |
AD |
2 |
1 |
1 |
50% |
|
|
Southwark |
1637 |
1637 |
B |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
|
Flying Horse |
Bishopsgate (within) |
1691 |
1691 |
C |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Four Swans |
Bishopsgate Street |
1637 |
1738 |
CH |
24 |
12 |
12 |
50% |
|
Fox & Knot |
Cow Lane |
1738 |
1738 |
AJ |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100% |
|
Aldersgate Street |
1681 |
1738 |
AEJ |
18 |
4 |
14 |
78% |
|
|
George |
Bread Street |
1637 |
1637 |
DFK |
6 |
0 |
6 |
100% |
|
George |
Holbourn Bridge/Snowhill |
1637 |
1738 |
AEJ |
21 |
0 |
21 |
100% |
|
George |
Kings Street, Westminster |
1691 |
1691 |
D |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
George |
Lombard Street |
1637 |
1637 |
H |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
George |
Southwark |
1637 |
1738 |
CMN |
16 |
2 |
14 |
88% |
|
George |
West Smithfield |
1681 |
1738 |
AEJ |
19 |
2 |
17 |
89% |
|
Gerrards Hall (Crown) |
Basing Lane |
1637 |
1738 |
DFK |
11 |
0 |
11 |
100% |
|
Golden Cross |
Charing Cross |
1738 |
1738 |
K |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Golden Lion |
St John's Street |
1691 |
1738 |
AJ |
8 |
4 |
4 |
50% |
|
Golden Lion |
The Strand |
1738 |
1738 |
D |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Green Dragon |
Bishopsgate Street |
1637 |
1738 |
C |
28 |
17 |
11 |
39% |
|
Green Dragon |
Southwark |
1637 |
1637 |
N |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Gresham College |
Bishopsgate Street |
1738 |
1738 |
H |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
Greyhound |
Holbourn |
1681 |
1691 |
AE |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
Greyhound |
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
2 |
1 |
1 |
50% |
|
Greyhound |
Southwark |
1637 |
1738 |
BLN |
16 |
3 |
13 |
81% |
|
Southwark |
1681 |
1738 |
L |
7 |
0 |
7 |
100% |
|
|
Harts Hornes |
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1637 |
J |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Horseshoe |
Goswell Street |
1738 |
1738 |
C |
3 |
1 |
2 |
67% |
|
Horseshoe |
Southwark (Blackman St) |
1738 |
1738 |
BM |
16 |
8 |
8 |
50% |
|
Cullum Street |
1681 |
1738 |
EH |
7 |
4 |
3 |
43% |
|
|
Covent Garden |
1738 |
1738 |
J |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
|
Southwark |
1637 |
1681 |
BL |
5 |
2 |
3 |
60% |
|
|
Katherine Wheel -Old |
Bishopsgate (without) |
1681 |
1738 |
CH |
8 |
1 |
7 |
88% |
|
King's Arms |
Cheapside |
1637 |
1637 |
C |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
King's Arms |
Holbourn Bridge |
1681 |
1738 |
DK |
27 |
0 |
27 |
100% |
|
King's Arms |
Leadenhall Street |
1637 |
1738 |
H |
12 |
3 |
9 |
75% |
|
King's Arms |
Southwark (Barnaby-St) |
1681 |
1681 |
N |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
King's Head |
Charing Cross (nr)/The Strand |
1681 |
1691 |
AD |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0% |
|
King's Head |
Grays Inn Lane |
1681 |
1691 |
J |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0% |
|
King's Head |
Old Change |
1637 |
1738 |
EF |
13 |
0 |
13 |
100% |
|
King's Head |
Southwark |
1637 |
1738 |
BGILM |
25 |
2 |
23 |
92% |
|
St Clements |
1691 |
1691 |
E |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
|
Cat-eaton Street (Guildhall) |
1637 |
1637 |
AJ |
4 |
0 |
4 |
100% |
|
|
Maidenhead |
St Giles |
1681 |
1681 |
AH |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100% |
|
Mermaid |
Carter Lane |
1637 |
1681 |
AEFJ |
9 |
0 |
9 |
100% |
|
Aldgate (without) |
1681 |
1738 |
H |
6 |
3 |
3 |
50% |
|
|
Bishopsgate (without) |
1691 |
1691 |
C |
6 |
1 |
5 |
83% |
|
|
Oxford Arms |
Warwick Lane |
1691 |
1738 |
AFK |
16 |
2 |
14 |
88% |
|
Aldersgate Street |
1637 |
1637 |
J |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
|
Peacock |
Clare Market |
1738 |
1738 |
AEDK |
9 |
0 |
9 |
100% |
|
Pewter Plater |
St John's Street |
1681 |
1691 |
J |
4 |
0 |
4 |
100% |
|
Pewter Pot |
Leadenhall Street |
1681 |
1738 |
CH |
6 |
1 |
5 |
83% |
|
Prince's Arms |
Leadenhall Street |
1637 |
1637 |
CH |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
Holbourn |
1637 |
1637 |
K |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100% |
|
|
Queen's Head |
Southwark |
1637 |
1738 |
BLMN |
28 |
2 |
26 |
93% |
|
Queen's Head |
St Giles |
1637 |
1637 |
AE |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1738 |
EJ |
38 |
3 |
35 |
92% |
|
|
Ram's Head |
Fenchurch Street |
1681 |
1691 |
GH |
6 |
0 |
6 |
100% |
|
Red Lyon |
Aldersgate Street |
1681 |
1738 |
J |
26 |
5 |
21 |
81% |
|
Red Lyon |
Bishopsgate (without) |
1681 |
1738 |
H |
8 |
2 |
6 |
75% |
|
Red Lyon |
Holbourn |
1681 |
1681 |
A |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Red Lyon |
Redcross Street |
1681 |
1691 |
J |
4 |
0 |
4 |
100% |
|
Rose |
Holbourn Bridge |
1637 |
1738 |
K |
28 |
0 |
28 |
100% |
|
Rose |
West Smithfield |
1637 |
1738 |
EJ |
20 |
0 |
20 |
100% |
|
Rose & Crown |
Holbourn |
1637 |
1637 |
E |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Rose & Crown |
St John's Street |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
4 |
0 |
4 |
100% |
|
Carter Lane |
1637 |
1637 |
EF |
4 |
0 |
4 |
100% |
|
|
Saracan's Head |
Aldgate (within) |
1681 |
1738 |
HC |
16 |
6 |
10 |
63% |
|
Saracan's Head |
Carter Lane |
1637 |
1738 |
AEFJ |
12 |
0 |
12 |
100% |
|
Saracan's Head |
Friday Street |
1637 |
1738 |
ADFK |
29 |
14 |
15 |
52% |
|
Saracan's Head |
Snowhill (Newgate without) |
1637 |
1738 |
AEFJ |
27 |
2 |
25 |
93% |
|
Ship |
Southwark |
1691 |
1691 |
N |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Spread Eagle |
Gracechurch Street |
1637 |
1738 |
H |
36 |
18 |
18 |
50% |
|
Spur |
Southwark |
1637 |
1738 |
N |
13 |
1 |
12 |
92% |
|
Star |
Bread Street |
1637 |
1637 |
K |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100% |
|
Star |
Fish Street Hill |
1681 |
1738 |
I |
8 |
7 |
1 |
13% |
|
Sun-Dial |
Old Street/Swan Alley |
1681 |
1681 |
J |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Swan |
Norton Falgate |
1738 |
1738 |
H |
0 |
0 |
0 |
#### |
|
Swan |
The Strand/Somerset House (near) |
1681 |
1738 |
DK |
4 |
4 |
0 |
0% |
|
Swan |
The Strand |
1637 |
1637 |
A |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Swan with Two Necks |
St John's Street/Lad Lane |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
25 |
2 |
23 |
92% |
|
The Strand |
1681 |
1738 |
ADEM |
12 |
9 |
3 |
25% |
|
|
Talbot (or Tabbard) |
Gracechurch Street |
1637 |
1637 |
H |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Talbot (or Tabbard) |
Southwark |
1637 |
1738 |
LMN |
18 |
2 |
16 |
89% |
|
Three Cups |
Aldersgate Street |
1681 |
1738 |
J |
16 |
5 |
11 |
69% |
|
Three Cups |
Bread Street |
1637 |
1738 |
ADF |
16 |
1 |
15 |
94% |
|
Three Cups |
St John's Street |
1691 |
1738 |
J |
5 |
0 |
5 |
100% |
|
Three Horseshoes |
Aldersgate Street |
1637 |
1637 |
J |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Three Nuns |
Aldgate (without) |
1681 |
1738 |
H |
16 |
8 |
8 |
50% |
|
Two Necked Swan |
Billingsgate (Sommers Key) |
1637 |
1637 |
G |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
Two Swans (see one) |
Bishopsgate (without) |
1738 |
1738 |
CH |
8 |
0 |
8 |
100% |
|
The Haymarket |
1681 |
1691 |
D |
2 |
1 |
1 |
50% |
|
|
Old Street |
1681 |
1681 |
J |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
|
Vine |
Bishopsgate Street |
1637 |
1738 |
C |
15 |
4 |
11 |
73% |
|
Lime Street |
1681 |
1681 |
H |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
|
White Hart |
Aldgate (without) |
1691 |
1691 |
H |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
White Hart |
Charing Cross |
1681 |
1681 |
DK |
2 |
1 |
1 |
50% |
|
White Hart |
Coleman Street |
1637 |
1637 |
J |
2 |
0 |
2 |
100% |
|
White Hart |
Cripplegate (without) |
1637 |
1637 |
J |
1 |
0 |
1 |
100% |
|
White Hart |
High-Holbourn (Drury Lane) |
1637 |
1681 |
E |
3 |
0 |
3 |
100% |
|
White Hart |
Southwark |
1637 |
1738 |
BGLMN |
25 |
5 |
20 |
80% |
|
White Hart |
St John's Street |
1738 |
1738 |
J |
4 |
0 |
4 |
100% |
|
White Horse |
Cripplegate (without) |
1637 |
1738 |
J |
14 |
0 |
14 |
100% |
|
White Horse |
Fetter Lane |
1691 |
1691 |
F |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
White Horse |
Fleet Street |
1681 |
1738 |
DM |
14 |
11 |
3 |
21% |
|
White Horse |
Friday Street |
1691 |
1738 |
AEFK |
10 |
0 |
10 |
100% |
|
White Horse |
Holbourn |
1738 |
1738 |
DE |
6 |
1 |
5 |
83% |
|
Southwark |
1681 |
1691 |
ILN |
6 |
1 |
5 |
83% |
|
|
White Swan |
Holbourn Bridge |
1637 |
1738 |
DEK |
33 |
4 |
29 |
88% |
|
White Swan |
Bishopsgate (without) |
1681 |
1681 |
C |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0% |
|
Windmill |
Shoe Lane |
1681 |
1681 |
ADK |
4 |
0 |
4 |
100% |
|
Windmill |
St John's Street |
1691 |
1738 |
J |
7 |
0 |
7 |
100% |
|
TOTAL IN EACH TYPE |
1553 |
414 |
1139 |
73% |
||||
