Petticoat Lane

Stow describes (in 1598) an area he had known well in 1558.

'This Hog Lane (now Middlesex St or 'Petticoat Lane) stretcheth north towards St Mary Spittle without Bishopsgate, and within these forty years had on both sides fair hedgerows of elm trees, with bridges and easy stiles to pass over into the pleasant fields, very commodious for citizens therein to walk, shoot and otherwise recreate and refresh their dull spirits in the sweet and wholesome air, which is now within a few years made a continual building throughout, of garden-houses and small cottages; and the fields on either sides be turned into garden-plots, tenter yards, bowling alleys, and such like, from Houndes Ditch in the west, as far as White Chappell, and further towards the east'.

It is now famous for its market. After the arrival of nylon stockings in England during World War 2 nylon stockings were soon on sale in Petticoat Lane. Sealed in a cellophane envelope,it was not until the purchaser arrived home that it was discovered that each nylon stocking had two feet!