Place name
Named after Sir John Philpot (1330 – May 25, 1384), a wealthy grocer who was Lord Mayor of London from 1378 to 1379. This was the original 14thCentury alley that led to his house. Philpot was a man of action at a time of political and social unrest. Commerce was facing a number of challenges including the on-going war with France, which threatened trade routes; the ascension of a minor, Richard II, to the throne; John Wycliffe’s attacks on the church; and the aftermath of the Peasants’ Revolt. The street name was first recorded in 1480.
