Minories
Encyclopedia
The Minories is the name of both an area and street in the City of London
close to the Tower of London
. The street called Minories runs north-south between Aldgate
and Tower Hill
underground stations
. The border between the City and Tower Hamlets ran haphazardly between Minories and Mansell Street, until boundary changes in 1994 resulted in the present-day border along Mansell Street, resulting in Minories falling entirely within the City of London.
Its name is derived from the Abbey
of the Minoresses of St. Mary
of the Order of St. Clare, founded in 1294, which stood on the site; a "minoress" was a nun
. The area was a papal peculiar
outside the jurisdiction of the English bishops. The abbey was dissolved
in 1539, the property passing to the Crown. The chapel of the former abbey was used as the parish church of Holy Trinity, Minories
; and other buildings became an armoury and later workhouse. In 1686, the area became part of the Liberties of the Tower of London
.
It gave its name to the Minories railway station
, built in 1840 as a part of the London and Blackwall Railway
– a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) cable railway. The site is now occupied by a DLR station, opened in 1989 as the western terminus of the system. The system was extended in 1991 to Bank DLR station leaving this as an 'alternate terminus'; now open again following platform extension works in 2009.
Opposite the station are some of the buildings of the City Campus of London Metropolitan University
.
The nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Tower Gateway
and the nearest London Underground stations are Aldgate
and Tower Hill
.
The area traditionally hosted a large Jewish community
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...
close to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
. The street called Minories runs north-south between Aldgate
Aldgate tube station
Aldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London.The station is on the Circle Line between Tower Hill and Liverpool Street. It is also the eastern terminus of the Metropolitan Line...
and Tower Hill
Tower Hill tube station
Tower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London...
underground stations
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
. The border between the City and Tower Hamlets ran haphazardly between Minories and Mansell Street, until boundary changes in 1994 resulted in the present-day border along Mansell Street, resulting in Minories falling entirely within the City of London.
Its name is derived from the Abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
of the Minoresses of St. Mary
Order of Poor Ladies
The Poor Clares also known as the Order of Saint Clare, the Order of Poor Ladies, the Poor Clare Sisters, the Clarisse, the Minoresses, the Franciscan Clarist Congregation, and the Second Order of St. Francis, , comprise several orders of nuns in the Catholic Church...
of the Order of St. Clare, founded in 1294, which stood on the site; a "minoress" was a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
. The area was a papal peculiar
Peculier
Peculier may refer to:* A Royal Peculiar , an area including one or more places of worship under the jurisdiction of the British monarchy* Old Peculier, a beer brewed by Theakston Brewery, named in honour of the Peculier of Masham...
outside the jurisdiction of the English bishops. The abbey was dissolved
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in 1539, the property passing to the Crown. The chapel of the former abbey was used as the parish church of Holy Trinity, Minories
Holy Trinity, Minories
Holy Trinity, Minories was a church outside the eastern boundaries of the City of London; but within the Liberties of the Tower of London. The liberty was incorporated in the Metropolitan Borough of Stepney in 1899, and today is within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The district lay within the...
; and other buildings became an armoury and later workhouse. In 1686, the area became part of the Liberties of the Tower of London
Liberties of the Tower of London
The Liberties of the Tower, or the Tower Liberty was an area adjoining the Tower of London, which was outside the jurisdiction of either the City of London or the County of Middlesex....
.
It gave its name to the Minories railway station
Minories railway station
Minories railway station was a railway station located on the east side of Minories, near Tower Hill, London.It opened on 6 July 1840 as the City terminus for the London and Blackwall Railway . Minories was soon supplemented by a new station several hundred yards west, at Fenchurch Street, designed...
, built in 1840 as a part of the London and Blackwall Railway
London and Blackwall Railway
Originally called the Commercial Railway, the London and Blackwall Railway was a railway line in east London, England. It ran from the Minories to Blackwall via Stepney, with a branch line to the Isle of Dogs, thus connecting central London to many of London's docks in the 19th and 20th centuries...
– a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) cable railway. The site is now occupied by a DLR station, opened in 1989 as the western terminus of the system. The system was extended in 1991 to Bank DLR station leaving this as an 'alternate terminus'; now open again following platform extension works in 2009.
Opposite the station are some of the buildings of the City Campus of London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University , located in London, England, was formed on 1 August 2002 by the amalgamation of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University . The University has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington.The University operates its...
.
The nearest Docklands Light Railway station is Tower Gateway
Tower Gateway DLR station
Tower Gateway is a Docklands Light Railway station near the Tower of London. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. It adjoins the tracks to Fenchurch Street station and is on the site of the closed Minories railway station....
and the nearest London Underground stations are Aldgate
Aldgate tube station
Aldgate tube station is a London Underground station located at Aldgate in the City of London.The station is on the Circle Line between Tower Hill and Liverpool Street. It is also the eastern terminus of the Metropolitan Line...
and Tower Hill
Tower Hill tube station
Tower Hill is a London Underground station at Tower Hill in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.The station is in Travelcard Zone 1 and near the Tower of London...
.
The area traditionally hosted a large Jewish community