Exploring GB

Mercery Lane in Canterbury is a picturesque cobbled street that still retains its medieval width.

It’s one of the most photographed places in Canterbury - and it’s clear to see why!

The name "Mercery" itself harks back to the time when the street bustled with merchants trading in textiles, fabrics, and other mercantile goods, dating back to the Middle Ages.

The architecture along Mercery Lane exudes an old-world charm, with its timber-framed structures adorned with colourful shopfronts and unique facades.

Some of the buildings on this historic street are Grade II listed, making them ‘of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve it.’

It leads from the High Street, the spine of the city which is in fact Watling Street, to the Christ Church Gateway of Canterbury Cathedral, which dominates the little market place known as the Buttermarket.

Mercery Lane, like the even more famous The Shambles at York, retains its mediaeval width, and the upper floors of the timber framed houses on either side almost touch each other.

The houses on the West side were all part of the Chequers Inn, with its dormitory containing a hundfred beds.

The Chequers had originally been built as a hostel for the multitudes of pilgrims who visited the shrine of the murdered Thomas a Becket.

On the East side of the lane, Boots the Chemist is built on top of two floors of vaulted stone cellars, which go down 30 feet, and dates from the 13th century.

At the height of Canterbury's mediaeval prosperity as a pilgrimage centre, Mercery Lane was lined with stalls selling healing water from Becket's Well.

Today, visitors can lose themselves in a treasure trove of antiques, handcrafted goods, souvenirs, and local artworks, each item bearing a piece of Canterbury's essence.

The shops' facades are adorned with intricate signs, some carrying symbols and emblems that date back centuries, adding to the mystique of this charming lane.

These emblems often symbolize the trade practiced within these walls centuries ago, showcasing the historical significance of the merchants who once plied their trade here.

Why did they build such narrow streets in the middle ages?

The Shambles in York gives another good impression of what a medieval town's street would have looked like.

The streets are very narrow and signs outside shops would have helped people who were largely illiterate to identify what they sold, or what trade was practised there.

The narrow streets in medieval England (and in many other medieval European cities) were not deliberately designed to be narrow; rather, they often evolved over time due to various factors:

Organic Growth: Many medieval towns and cities developed organically, with streets forming around existing buildings and structures.

They were not meticulously planned as modern cities are.

As populations grew, these pathways between buildings became established routes, resulting in narrow, winding streets.

Defense: Narrow streets were sometimes a deliberate choice for defence purposes.

Narrow, winding roads made it difficult for invaders or attackers to maneuver large groups of soldiers or siege equipment through the town.

It also made it easier for defenders to control and defend the town.

Resource Limitations: Building materials and costs could also influence street width.

Constructing wider streets required more resources, including land and materials, which were often limited or expensive. Hence, streets tended to be narrow to conserve resources.

Property Ownership: Buildings were often constructed very close together due to limited space and high population density.

The layout of streets was influenced by property boundaries and the desire to maximise available space for housing and businesses.

Climate and Comfort: Narrow streets also provided shade and helped keep buildings cooler during hot summers.

Additionally, the closeness of buildings could offer some protection from harsh weather conditions.

Trade and Commerce: Narrow streets might have been beneficial for commercial activities.

They created a more intimate and bustling atmosphere, encouraging social interaction and trade between merchants and customers.

Over time, some cities expanded and modernised, widening streets to accommodate increased traffic and new urban planning concepts.

However, in many cases, the original narrow medieval streets still exist as historical remnants, preserving the charm and character of these old towns and cities.

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