London’s Alleys and Passages - Archive Articles

London’s Alleys: Albemarle Way, EC1

This is a Clerkenwell alley that seems likely to owe its origins to the dissolution of the monasteries and the sell-off of their land.

London’s Alleys: Cavendish Court, EC2/EC3

This is a narrow winding alley close to Liverpool Street station that's been here in some shape or form since Tudor times.

London’s Alleys: Holly Mount Steps, NW3

This is a pretty little winding passage, with, unsurprisingly, a lot of steps that run from the main Hampstead streets up the hill to Holly Mount and the locally famous Holly Bush pub.

London’s Alleys: Hogarth Place, SW5

The passage is also one of the oldest in the Earl's Court part of London, appearing long before the rest of the area was developed.

London’s Alleys: Padbury Court, E2

This mixed passageway in Bethnal Green echoes many post-war areas, lined with cobbled paving and remnants of old buildings, but also a long row of 1960s flats.

London’s Alleys: Red Cow Yard, EC1

This is an exceptionally short stump of an alley on Old Street that resembles a post-war gap where a house wasn't rebuilt until you spot the street name sign and realise it's the remains of a once slightly longer passage.

London’s Alleys: Coach House Yard, NW3

This small covered entrance to a small Hampstead courtyard seems to have slipped through history, leaving barely a disturbance in its wake.

London’s Alleys: Miniver Place, EC4

This is a very short alley just to the south of Mansion House tube station that was recently refurbished but also sealed off.

London’s Alleys: Angel Alley, E1

This is a short, characterful, dead-end alley in Whitechapel with a very rich history.

London’s Alleys: Streatley Place, NW3

This busy back alley winds through Hampstead with lots of steps and a distinctive chimney landmark to look out for.

Londons Alleys: Anchor Yard, EC1

This short cobbled passage off Old Street is the surviving remnant of a once much longer alley.

London’s Alleys: Rose and Crown Court, EC2

This is an alley close to St Paul's Cathedral that owes its origins to a long lost churchyard.

London’s Alleys: Cree Church Buildings, EC3

This covered passage near Aldgate leads to a courtyard that was once a garden for the neighbouring church, St Katherine Cree.

London’s Alleys: Old Brewery Mews, NW3

This is a Hampstead alley that gives away its history the moment you look at it, with a covered entrance proudly announcing a brewery was here.

London’s Alleys: White Horse Yard, EC2

This is an alley in the heart of the City that likely has been around since the Great Fire of London, but seems to have left barely an echo in the historical records.

London’s Alleys: Well Court, EC4

This is an alley near Bank in the City of London with two very different appearances because until recently, it was two separate alleys.

London’s Alleys: Christchurch Passage, NW3

This is a narrow passage in Hampstead that, unsurprisingly for its name, runs past a large church, and then over a hill and back down past blocks of housing.

London’s Alleys: Tavistock Court, WC2

This is an alley in Covent Garden I suspect many readers will know when they see it, even if they never noticed its name -- as it runs alongside the London Transport Museum.

London’s Alleys: Golden Yard, NW3

This is a very well hidden and pretty courtyard space that can be found off another alley just moments from Hampstead tube station.

London’s Alleys: John Milton Passage, EC4

This is a short modern passage near St Paul's Cathedral, obviously named after the English poet, John Milton, most famous for his 1667 epic, Paradise Lost.

London’s Alleys: Well Passage, NW3

This is a steep alley between grand houses in Hampstead, and is notable for the medicinal well at the bottom of the slope.

London’s Alleys: Church Path, SW14

This is the remains of a once much longer path that later lost its southern half and would once have linked two main roads running through Mortlake in south London

London’s Alleys: Globe Yard, W1

This is a narrow slip of a passage that runs behind some of the posh shops on Mayfair's South Molton Street.

London’s Alleys: Cockpit Yard, WC1

This is a rough looking former stables mews that today is a mix of municipal yard and arts centre.