Here lies our mutton-eating king, Whose word no man relies on; He never said a foolish thing, And never did a wise one. There are also streets still in existence but with names that were changed for, sometimes it would seem, no good reason. The lane was nothing to do with salad leaves; the name was, apparently, a corruption of Green Lattice Lane and comes from a lattice gate that opened into what is now Cannon Street.
There is as is so often the case with London streets a much jollier explanation. That one holds that, although lattice in its corrupted form does play a part, it was not a gate. In earlier days taverns were designed so that customers could see out without being observed by people going past. This was sometimes achieved with latticework over the window, traditionally painted green or red. It later became Great and Little Elbow Lanes and then, in , was renamed College Street to commemorate the college established by Sir Richard Whittington the Dick Whittington of legend, much of which is inaccurate.
Sir Richard founded the College of St Spirit and St Mary in order, apparently, to ensure that his soul would be well received by the right parties after his death. Fan Court was in the heart of what was the meat centre of London. The butchers used to have a scalding house in Pudding Lane, and what was scalded had to be cooled.
Flying Horse Court was named from a tavern that was very old in the late 19th century. The flying horse is, naturally, Pegasus, and was used as an heraldic symbol by the Knights Templar who were originally the Knights of the Temple of Solomon of Jerusalem — nine very poor knights who vowed to protect pilgrims travelling to Jerusalem.
By the 12th century they were well established in London. Before long they had been so well showered with gifts that they were rich, powerful, and privileged enough for them to be put in the Tower and have their property confiscated. Fyefoot Lane was, at least in theory, five feet wide. There was a time when lanes and streets had to fulfil certain minimum width requirements. A lane had only to be wide enough for two men to roll a barrel along it — hence Five Foot, or Fyefoot, Lane.
