Place name
Named after one of the original outer defences, this road marks the route of the City’s original fortified rampart, called a baille meaning enclosure in Middle English, that ran between Ludgate and Newgate. It was first written down as Bali sometime around 1166, le Bail in 1298 and Le Baillie in 1311 taking on the name Old Baily in 1444 and tholde Baylye in 1549.