Berewards Lane, All Hallows Barking.-In Tower Ward in parish of All Hallows Barking, 13 Ed. I. (Ct. H.W. I. 71 and Stow, ed. 1598, p. 95).

One end of it at least must have adjoined Tower Street, as a tenement is described as being in Tourstrete at the corner of "Berwardeslane" in parish of All Hallows de Berkyngchirche near the Tower (Ct. H.W. II. 415, A.D. 1418).

It would seem, however, to have extended further south than Tower Street, as in 1285 a messuage and wharf, which would presumably be on the river bank, are described as near the lane called "Berewardeslane" (ib. I. 71).

Perhaps it extended from Thames Street to Tower Street, behind Tower Hill, to the west of the Tower bancke, shown in Leake, 1666, and was not rebuilt after the Fire.

In the Promptorium Parvulorum the word "berewarde" is given as the equivalent of "ursarius" a "bearward" or "keeper of a bear." A note on the word points out that Shakespeare made use of the word and also of "bearard" or "bear-yard." The name suggests a place for bear-baiting in the neighbourhood.

See Beer Lane.

Berewards Lane, Bishopsgate.-Stow describes it as on the east side of Bishopsgate extending to Hogge Lane (Petticoat Lane), and says it was of old time called Berwards Lane, but now Hogge Lane (S. 167).

F In old records it is mentioned in the boundaries of the tenement called "Bruggehous" or "Le Breghus" in the parish of St. Botolph without Bishopsgate, the tenement being bounded on the west by "cursum aque que se ducit de Berewardes lane usque ad cursum aque de mora vocatum Depediche," temp. Ed. I. and II. (MSS. D. and C. St. Paul's, Hist. MSS. Com. 9th Rep. 6b), and 47 Ed. III. 1373 (Cal. L. Bk. G. p. 322).

It must have been on or near the site of the present Artillery Lane (q.v.).

As to the derivation of the name, See above.