Distaff Lane, EC4M

Place Name

Industrial Heritage. It was here that medieval producers of distaffs sold their products, the distaff being a cleft stick which held raw wool or flax and a necessity to all spinning, whether by hand or wheel. From the Middle English word distaf. This was previously Little Distaff Lane, as it lay off the main Distaff Lane, which was later absorbed into Cannon Street. It was first recorded as Distavelane in 1200 and Distaflane in 1270.

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