Place Name
There are two possible theories as to how this was named. The traditional one is that it was from a builder called Birchervere, who owned the houses. However it is now thought that it means the lane of beard-cutters or barbers from the Old English beordceorfere meaning beard carver. It was first recorded as Bercheruere lane in 1193 and later as Berchervereslane in 1250. By 1386 the name was spelt Birchenlane, and since 1472 in the present style.