Watling Street, EC4M

Place Name

This should not be confused with the ancient Roman superhighway that ran from Dover, in Kent, to Wroxeter, in Shropshire, via At Albans; although the name of this street has been confounding people since the middle ages. It was first mentioned as Aphelingestrate in 1213 and later as Athelingstrate in 1289, coming from the Old English words ætheling meaning prince or princes and stræt meaning street, although to whom they refer is not recorded. By the early 14thCentury it had mutated to become Watlingstrate and Watheling streete in 1603.

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