editor
hiraethified
There's not a lot to look at here, but what is the red cow that this Clerkenwell street is named after?
http://www.urban75.org/london/red-cow-yard.html
The Mystery of Red Cow Yard
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There's not a lot to look at here, but what is the red cow that this Clerkenwell street is named after?
http://www.urban75.org/london/red-cow-yard.html
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
I have no idea and can't say I remember seeing it in my London Street Names book either.
Maybe red cows were once sold there?
Maybe red cows were once sold there?
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
I'm guessing here, but I'd imagine it might have summink to do with the local proximity of smithfields - where the carcasses of a lot of reddish-brown cows end up - or with the fact they use to drive cattle and other farm beasts through clerkenwell
Frankie Jack
Not a bloke..
Minnie_the_Minx
someinenhhanding menbag and me ah bollox
editor said:
Well pubs had pub signs because people were illiterate. They named streets after activities that were carried on in the area, so maybe it's something to do with that IFKWIM
Sorry, busy eating my dinner
Maybe cos red/roan-coloured cows are fairly rare hence noteworthy, perhaps more valuable too.
Red animals seem to end up in heraldry too, eg the Welsh Red Dragon, and the Red Lion, symbol of the Stuarts. James I decreed that the Red Lion be displayed thoughout England, hence its popularity as a pub name.
Red animals seem to end up in heraldry too, eg the Welsh Red Dragon, and the Red Lion, symbol of the Stuarts. James I decreed that the Red Lion be displayed thoughout England, hence its popularity as a pub name.
Monkeynuts
Hello sailor
editor said:
I don't think you should be admitting that on a public forum
"Red Cow" could also be a Biblical reference, used in the pub name.
See (for example) the ritual prescribed in Numbers 19:
In the past couple of years there was some nonsense about a pure "red" cow being found in Jerusalem, with millenarian Jewish nutters claiming that if it had no non-"red" hairs at all its sacrifice would bring the Time of the Third Temple, or shit like that. Then they found a grey hair.
On the other hand, I can imagine sarcastic churchgoers asking each other "Shall we go for a bit of purification, then?" "Don't mind if we do."
See (for example) the ritual prescribed in Numbers 19:
In the past couple of years there was some nonsense about a pure "red" cow being found in Jerusalem, with millenarian Jewish nutters claiming that if it had no non-"red" hairs at all its sacrifice would bring the Time of the Third Temple, or shit like that. Then they found a grey hair.
On the other hand, I can imagine sarcastic churchgoers asking each other "Shall we go for a bit of purification, then?" "Don't mind if we do."
HeroineSheep
Where was I again?
Snufkin! said:
I used to live round the corner from the original one.
It's now called Magpie Lane. More palatable for the tourists.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
There are several references to red cows linked with Clerkenwell Workhouse, run by the Quakers in the 18th Century. People drinking "Red cow's milk" gets several mentions in 'Richard Hutton's Complaints Book: The Notebook of the Steward of the Quaker Workhouse at Clerkenwell, 1711-1737'
One presumes they would have had to keep their red cows somewhere!
One presumes they would have had to keep their red cows somewhere!
Reg in slippers
Well-Known Member
not really related, but:
read peter ackroyd's the house of doctor dee, based around there, may or may not have a clue
scratch that:
apparently medieval cattle quite closely resembled the dexter breed:
a certain ruddiness methinks
read peter ackroyd's the house of doctor dee, based around there, may or may not have a clue
scratch that:
apparently medieval cattle quite closely resembled the dexter breed:
a certain ruddiness methinks
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
The map reference to streetmap.co.uk is buggered - it doesn't bring up anywhere near Old Street.
From the distinctive canted tower block in the background, is this on the north side of Old Street between Goswell Road and Central Street.
But the only yard shown on the north side of this strecth of Old Street in Horwood's 1792 plan is Dolphin (Close?) and none of the larger number of alleys further east off Old Street had this name - they're much more memorable like Porridge Pot Alley
It is a long way from the only Red Cow I know in Clerkenwell, which used to be one of the boundaries of St Bartholomew's parish.
From the distinctive canted tower block in the background, is this on the north side of Old Street between Goswell Road and Central Street.
But the only yard shown on the north side of this strecth of Old Street in Horwood's 1792 plan is Dolphin (Close?) and none of the larger number of alleys further east off Old Street had this name - they're much more memorable like Porridge Pot Alley
It is a long way from the only Red Cow I know in Clerkenwell, which used to be one of the boundaries of St Bartholomew's parish.
editor
hiraethified
Oops. I've changed that but I'm still not entirely sure where it is on the map (it was on the north side of Old Street, and your description is about right).lang rabbie said:
Weird that it doesn't seem to appear on any modern maps though, innit?
Maybe it might be time to give Robert Elms a call!
lang rabbie
Je ne regrette les gazebos
But I've just found that it is in Rocque's map of 1746.
Proceedings of the Old Bailey
References to villains who lived or plotted in pubs called the Red Cow seem to outnumber thefts of actual red cows about 5:1 on that site.
Proceedings of the Old Bailey
References to villains who lived or plotted in pubs called the Red Cow seem to outnumber thefts of actual red cows about 5:1 on that site.
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
About the Red Cow pub in Hammersmith:
Red cows were special, rare and valuable animals, worth naming a pub after.
red cows, being rare, were lucky
Another Red Cow pub:
The name of the pub is believed to have originated from the Herefordshire breed of cows, known as `Red Cows', often sold in the adjacent cattle market.
Loads of references to Red Cows here:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/search.asp
Red cows were special, rare and valuable animals, worth naming a pub after.
red cows, being rare, were lucky
Another Red Cow pub:
The name of the pub is believed to have originated from the Herefordshire breed of cows, known as `Red Cows', often sold in the adjacent cattle market.
Loads of references to Red Cows here:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/search.asp
Epona said:
Ahhhh....
Then, of course, there were the Welsh Dairies in London. Can't find the proper general history, but here's one specific tale.
If the pub was pre-1800 I'm still going for the Biblical reference, though.
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