It will of course be remembered that the Fleet River ran
along at the bottom of the hill, not bearing the best character in
the world for savouriness even then, but crowded with boats as far as
Holborn. It will be remembered that there was also a gate in the City
Wall, on Ludgate Hill, a little to the west of St. Martin's Church.
The gate had a little chapel within it, but the greater part of the
building was used for a prison. Passing under it, and up Ludgate Hill,
you came to the western gate of the Cathedral Close--a wide and strong
one--spanning the street.[1] There were six of these gates; the second
was at Paul's Alley, leading to the Postern Gate, or "Little
North Door"; third, Canon's Alley; fourth, Little Gate (corner of
Cheapside); fifth, St. Augustine's Gate (west end of Watling Street);
and sixth, Paul's Chain. The ecclesiastical names bear their own
explanation: "Ave Maria" and "Paternoster" indicated that rosaries and
copies of the Lord's Prayer were sold in this street. "Creed" was a
somewhat later name. In olden days, it was Spurrier's Lane, _i.
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