Shoreditch High Street
Encyclopedia
Shoreditch High Street is the old main street of Shoreditch
, London
. It is part of the A10 road and connects Norton Folgate
to the south with Kingsland Road
to the north. It constitutes a segment of the Roman Ermine Street
, which ran directly north from London to Lincoln
and York
. The parish church of St Leonard's, Shoreditch
is situated at the north-east end of the road at the crossroads where it intersects with Hackney Road
. This part of the road is wholly within the London Borough of Hackney
; below Boundary Street, the eastern side lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
. The high street enters the City of London
at Norton Folgate.
In the past, Shoreditch High Street boasted of both a prestigious theatre and a music hall, though these are now long gone, with no trace of their previous existence apparent.
The National Standard Theatre at 2/3/4 Shoreditch High Street opened in 1837. By the late 19th century this was one of the largest theatres in London. In 1926 it was converted into a cinema called The New Olympia Picturedrome. The building was demolished in 1940. Sims Reeves, Mrs Marriott and James Anderson all performed here; as well as programmes of classical opera and even Shakespeare, with such luminaries as Henry Irving.
The Shoreditch Empire aka The London Music Hall, which opened in 1856 was situated at 95-99 Shoreditch High Street. It lasted longer than most East End halls but finally closed in 1935.
Traversing the inner city
area which is modern day Shoreditch the road is lined with (sometimes derelict) commercial premises. To the east is the Boundary Estate
, formerly the infamous "Jago" of Arthur Morrison
's 1896 novel A Child of the Jago. Continuing the tradition of low-life of particular note, today, is the concentration of striptease
pubs along the road, though some recent trendy bars which cater to the affluent residents of nearby Hoxton
indicate that 'regeneration' may prevail over degeneration.
Shoreditch
Shoreditch is an area of London within the London Borough of Hackney in England. It is a built-up part of the inner city immediately to the north of the City of London, located east-northeast of Charing Cross.-Etymology:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It is part of the A10 road and connects Norton Folgate
Norton Folgate
Norton Folgate is a short length of street in London, connecting Bishopsgate with Shoreditch High Street on the northern edge of its financial district, the City of London. It constitutes a very small section of the A10, the former Roman Ermine Street...
to the south with Kingsland Road
Kingsland Road
Kingsland Road is the name of a road, part of the A10, in the London Borough of Hackney in England. It runs from the junction with Old Street and Hackney Road north to the junction with Balls Pond Road and Dalston Lane, where it changes its name to Kingsland High Street...
to the north. It constitutes a segment of the Roman Ermine Street
Ermine Street
Ermine Street is the name of a major Roman road in England that ran from London to Lincoln and York . The Old English name was 'Earninga Straete' , named after a tribe called the Earningas, who inhabited a district later known as Armingford Hundred, around Arrington, Cambridgeshire and Royston,...
, which ran directly north from London to Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
and York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
. The parish church of St Leonard's, Shoreditch
St Leonard's, Shoreditch
St Leonard's, Shoreditch is the ancient parish church of Shoreditch, often known simply as Shoreditch Church. It is located at the intersection of Shoreditch High Street with Hackney Road, within the London Borough of Hackney. The current building dates from about 1740...
is situated at the north-east end of the road at the crossroads where it intersects with Hackney Road
Hackney Road
Hackney Road is a London arterial route running from Shoreditch Church to Cambridge Heath. It occupies a no mans land in between Bethnal Green and Haggerston...
. This part of the road is wholly within the London Borough of Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
; below Boundary Street, the eastern side lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
. The high street enters the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
at Norton Folgate.
In the past, Shoreditch High Street boasted of both a prestigious theatre and a music hall, though these are now long gone, with no trace of their previous existence apparent.
The National Standard Theatre at 2/3/4 Shoreditch High Street opened in 1837. By the late 19th century this was one of the largest theatres in London. In 1926 it was converted into a cinema called The New Olympia Picturedrome. The building was demolished in 1940. Sims Reeves, Mrs Marriott and James Anderson all performed here; as well as programmes of classical opera and even Shakespeare, with such luminaries as Henry Irving.
The Shoreditch Empire aka The London Music Hall, which opened in 1856 was situated at 95-99 Shoreditch High Street. It lasted longer than most East End halls but finally closed in 1935.
Traversing the inner city
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
area which is modern day Shoreditch the road is lined with (sometimes derelict) commercial premises. To the east is the Boundary Estate
Boundary Estate
The Boundary Estate is a housing development, formally opened in 1900, in the East End of London, England. It is situated in the north western corner of Bethnal Green in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and on the boundary with Shoreditch, in the London Borough of Hackney.The estate, constructed...
, formerly the infamous "Jago" of Arthur Morrison
Arthur Morrison
Arthur George Morrison was an English author and journalist known for his realistic novels about London's East End and for his detective stories....
's 1896 novel A Child of the Jago. Continuing the tradition of low-life of particular note, today, is the concentration of striptease
Striptease
A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
pubs along the road, though some recent trendy bars which cater to the affluent residents of nearby Hoxton
Hoxton
Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regent's Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.Hoxton is also a...
indicate that 'regeneration' may prevail over degeneration.