Chancery Lane
Chancery Lane is a one-way street that forms part of the western boundary of the City of London. The east side of the street is entirely within the City, whilst the west side is in the City of Westminster south of Carey Street and the London Borough of Camden north of that street. The route originated as a 'new lane' created by the Knights Templar from their original 'old Temple' on the site of the present Southampton Buildings on Holborn, in order to access to their newly acquired property to the south of Fleet Street (the present Temple) sometime before 1161.
| Length | 0.3 mi (0.48 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Postal code | WC2, EC4 |
| Nearest Tube station | Chancery Lane |
| Coordinates | 51.5162°N 0.1121°W (approximate midpoint) |
| South end | Fleet Street |
| To | High Holborn |
| Other | |
| Known for | Legal profession |
Chancery Lane, numbered the B400 in the British road numbering scheme, connects Fleet Street at its southern origin with High Holborn. It gives its name to Chancery Lane Underground station which lies at the junction of Holborn and Gray's Inn Road, a short distance from Chancery Lane's northern end.
Historically, the street was associated with the legal profession, an association which continues to the present day; however, consulting firms, ancillary businesses and the Maughan Library also occupy the street. Lincoln's Inn occupies most of the western side north of Carey Street. The side of the street that falls in the City of London is situated in the ward of Farringdon Without. Local government boundaries were changed considerably in this area in 1994 – previously only a small part of the street, on its southern end, was within the City.