Place Name
Directional, the road leading to Farringdon, it does not enter Farringdon Ward. The street takes its name from the ward which in turn originates from the Farringdon family who held it since 1281 with Sir William de Farnedon, a warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company. It was originally called Ward of Anketill de Auvergne and passed from father to son. It did not take its present name until 1363 when Sir Nicholas de Faringdon was appointed Lord Mayor of London for “as long as it shall please him” by King Edward II. John Stow wrote: “Thre whole great ward of Farindon tooke name of W. Farindon. Goldsmith, Alderman of this ward. This Aldermanry descended to Nicholas Farendon son to the said William and to his heyres.” Farringdon Road is a continuation of the older Farringdon Street. It was created during the slum clearance of 1856 when the area was “inhabited by many persons of a vicious and immoral character” and covered over the malarial River Fleet. The work destroyed many small yards and lanes which were “almost impassable for carriages”.
