Farringdon, London

infobox UK place
official_name= Farringdon
latitude= 51.520905
longitude= -0.103675
london_borough= Islington
constituency_westminster= Islington South and Finsbury
post_town= LONDON
postcode_area= EC
postcode_district= EC1
dial_code= 020
os_grid_reference= TQ315818
country= England
region= London
map_type= Greater London

Farringdon is an historic area of the City of London, represented today by the wards of Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without. Farringdon is also used informally to refer to the area around Farringdon station in the London Borough of Islington, some distance north of the historic locality.

City of London wards

In the City of London, Farringdon Within and Farringdon Without form two wards covering a wide area; Farringdon Without covers the area east of Chancery Lane including Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Smithfield [ [https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/719D0041-FEF0-4625-9F32-45D9D09DCD58/0/farringdonwithout.jpgCorporation of London] - Farringdon Without. Retrieved 20 October 2006. ] while Farringdon Within covers Blackfriars and St Bartholomew's Hospital. [ [https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/032503D2-A4C0-4806-A3F8-18E10E47C02C/0/farringdonwithin.jpgCorporation of London] - Farringdon Within. Retrieved 20 October 2006.]

City boundary

A map based on Stow c 1600Ekwall, E., "Street-names of the City of London", (1954)] shows the "Fagswell Brook" south of Cowcross Street as the northern boundary of the City with the bar at Long Lane.

Until 1993, a small triangle of land south of Cowcross Street was within the City of London and formed part of the Farringdon Without ward. [Corporation of London, "City of London unitary development plan", (1984)] [Corporation of London, "City of London unitary development plan", (1989)] The boundary between the City of London and the London Borough of Islington was locally realigned in 1993 with exchanges of land between each; in this area the boundary was moved slightly south to align with Charterhouse Street. [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1993/Uksi_19931445_en_1.htm OPSI] - "The City and London Borough Boundaries Order 1993". Retrieved 20 October 2006.] [Corporation of London, "City of London unitary development plan", (1993)]

Informal use

The extent of the area around Farringdon station which is sometimes referred to as Farringdon cannot be exactly defined; this contemporary usage is most likely a back-formation and its use is similar to that in the Victoria area.

The station and its immediate environs are located at the southernmost tip of Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington very close to the northern boundary of the City of London and the eastern boundary of the London Borough of Camden. [ [http://www.islington.gov.uk/DownloadableDocuments/TransportandStreets/Pdf/wayfinding_south_islingtonmap.pdf Islington London Borough Council] - High detail map with City/Islington boundary shown (PDF). Retrieved 26 October 2006. ] Farringdon station and its environs were previously within the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury [ [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/bound_map_page.jsp?first=true&u_id=10135540&c_id=10001043 Vision of Britain] - Historic boundaries of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. Retrieved 28 October 2006.] and are now within the London Borough of Islington. [Islington London Borough Council, "Islington development plan", (1978)]

Planned redevelopment and expansion of Farringdon station is expected to have a significant impact on the local area. The station is currently served by the Thameslink north-south rail route; it is planned that this will be supplemented by a future east-west Crossrail service which will require the construction of additional station entrances. [ [http://www.crossrail.co.uk/80256B090053AF4C/Files/stationinformation-central/$FILE/5393_c20.r3.1_farringdon.pdf Crossrail] - Farringdon (PDF). 28 October 2006] Crossrail opened an "Information Exchange" in Farringdon in 2004 to aid consultation with local stakeholders. [ [http://www.crossrail.co.uk/pages/andspitalfieldsinformationexchanges.html Crossrail] - "Crossrail launches Round 2 Consultation with new Farringdon and Spitalfields Information Exchanges". Retrieved 28 October 2006.] A proposed upgrade of the Thameslink route would also have an impact on the local area, including the construction of further station entrances, the pedestrianisation of Cowcross Street and the demolition of several buildings. [ [http://www.networkrail.co.uk/documents/3422_StatementOfCase.pdf Network Rail] - Statement of Case (PDF). Retrieved 28 October 2006.] Clerkenwell forms part of the City Fringe Partnership, an initiative between the City of London and other local authorities to revive parts of Inner London immediately adjacent to the City. [ [http://www.cityfringe.org.uk/html/aboutus.asp City Fringe Partnership] - About us. Retrieved 28 October 2006.]

Etymology

There are numerous places in England called Farringdon; all meaning "fern covered hill". William and Nicholas "de Farindon", whose name is likely to have originated from one of these places, were two related prominent citizens and aldermen in the early 13th Century.Mills, A., "Oxford Dictionary of London Place Names", (2000)] Nicholas purchased the area of the Farringdon ward of the City of London in 1279 and became alderman of it in 1281. Smith, A., "Dictionary of City of London street names", (1970)] In 1394 the ward was split into the still extant Farringdon Within [ [http://www.victorianlondon.org/organisations/farringdonwithin.htm Victorian London] - Farringdon Within. Retrieved 26 October 2006. ] and Farringdon Without. [ [http://www.victorianlondon.org/organisations/farringdonwithout.htm Victorian London] - Farringdon Without. Retrieved 26 October 2006.]

Farringdon station was built close to Farringdon Road, a northern continuation of Farringdon Street outside the City, after which it was originally named when first opened in 1863 as "Farringdon Street station".cite book
last = Rose
first = Douglas
title = The London Underground: A diagrammatic history
publisher = Capital Transport Publishing
year = 1999
isbn = 1854142194] Farringdon Street was built over the River Fleet in 1737 and takes its name from either the Farringdon wards of the City or was named in honour of Nicholas de Farindon. The road was widened in 1829. [Ekwall, E., "Street names of the City of London", (1954)] The area was previously the location of Farringdon Market, established for the sale of fruit and vegetables on November 20, 1826 when the earlier Fleet Market was cleared to enable the laying out of Farringdon Street cite book
author = SAVE Britain's Heritage
authorlink = Save Britain's Heritage
title = Don't Butcher Smithfield. The threat to Britain's finest group of market buildings.
series =
year = 2007
isbn = 0-905978-45-5
url = http://www.persona.uk.com/smithfield/Core_docs/CD-25-1.pdf
accessdate = 2007-11-06] [ [http://www.perseus.org/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2000.01.0026%3Aid%3Dc.13.105 Perseus Digital Library] - Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor: Volume 1. Retrieved 28 October 2006.] The station was renamed "Farringdon & High Holborn" in 1922 and finally "Farringdon" in 1936.

Gallery

References