North from St. Martin's le Grand at No.62 to Goswell Road (P.O. Directory). In Aldersgate Ward Without, but the northern end lies outside the City boundary, in the Borough of Finsbury.
First mention found in records : " Aldredes-gate Street," 44 H. III. (Anc. Deeds, A. 1953).
Other forms of name : " Aldresgatestrete," 33 Ed. I. (Cal. L. Bk. B. p.129). " Aldrichesgate Street," 1332 (Ct. H.W. I.382). Aldergatestrete," 1349 (ib. 620). " Aiderichegatestrete," 1361 (ib. 11.28). " Aldirgastrete," 1383 (lb. 237). " AldersgateStreete" (S. 311).
In Rocque's map 1746 the northern portion from the Barbican to the Bars is called Pick-axe Street," and in Stow and Strype, " Goswell Street." Aldersgate Street" in Horwood, 1799.
Shaftesbury Place, Lauderdale Buildings and Westmoreland Buildings all in this Ward commemorate some of the famous houses which stood in this street in earlier times.
Named after the Gate of Aldersgate.
In the course of excavations for building the French Protestant Church at the eastern end of Bull and Mouth Street, in 1841, portions of Roman buildings were discovered.A portion of the wall ran east to west, and its continuation under the pavement indicated the exact spot where the northern gate of the City stood. A base of flint stones was found at a depth of 11 1/2 feet from the surface, 1 ft. 6 in. in height, on which rested layers of angular uncut stones imbedded in mortar, 4 ft. 6 in. high, covered by two courses of tiles; above the tiles was a ragstone wall 2 ft. 6 ins. high surmounted by two courses of tiles and another course of ragstone terminating 18 ins. under the pavement at that date. The height of the wall was 10 ft., varying in width from 9 1/2 ft. at the base to 6 ft. at the top. The wall was apparently bounded by a ditch on the north, as the workmen had to excavate 20 ft. deep for a foundation through black earth or sediment. Similar walls, etc., were found on the opposite side of Aldersgate Street, being continued to the bastion in Cripplegate Churchyard (Arch. XXX. 522-4. R. Smith, 55).
A Roman wall was found at a depth of 6 ft. 9 in. extending from Aldersgate Street to King Edward Street. A line of buildings based on this wall formed the southern boundary of St. Botolph's Church. It is probable that the church and churchyard occupy the site of the Town Ditch. The length of the wall was 131 ft., height 11-12 ft. A tower also found was apparently of later date (Arch. LII. 609 et seq.).