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The Street Names of Dover - F to J

Farthingloe Road - Takes it's name from Farthingloe Farm, which in a deed of 1385 is spelled “Ffarnynglo.” This name is supposed to have been derived from Matilda de Ffarnynglo who held the Manor Court Farm at Farthingloe from the owner the Prior of Dover Monastery. 

Fector’s Place - In the middle of the last century the site of Dover gas works but now occupied only by a coal yard, was named after the Fector family, well-known Dover bankers, who owned property hereabouts.

Finnis Hill - On this hill formerly stood the residence workshops and yard of Mr. Finnis (great grandfather of Mr. John Finnis of Brook House) till about 1830.  When the name was painted up it was spelt with two S's and another added after the apostrophe. Before the hill received the name it was called Upper Walton Lane the Lower Lane of that name being one leading from Strond Street to Limekiln Street.  This was cleared away in one of the many alterations in the Pier District.  Probably a man named Walton had his premises at the corner of the Lower Lane hence it’s name.

Fishmonger’s Lane- This lane which is hardly known stands between King Street and Mill Lane. Near the entrance to this once stood Fishers Gate where the fishermen washed their nets in the river. Opposite the Lane was another Gate called Butchery Gate. Till1819 a part of this old gate of the town was used as a lock-up, and under it was a pathway leading to the sea-side, and horses and carts also went into the river near here, as they can only do nowadays at Charlton Green. In later years the Lane bounded on one side a small fish market.  In an old rate book of 1665 many of the ratepayers are described as living in “Fisherman’s Street” but this place is now called Middle Row and is at the other end of the town.

Five Post Lane - This lane joins Adrian Street and Snargate Street running down the side of “The Trocadero” public house and it got the name because 5 posts were erected there to stop all but pedestrian traffic.

Florida Way -  Named after the American state of that name.

Flying Horse Lane - Took the name of a public house, which for long stood here and had an interesting history.  Originally known as the Fleur de Lis the name was changed when it became a Posting Station.  Tradition has it that it was here that Richard Dawkes and others prepared the plot by which eleven local people seize the Castle for Cromwell during the Commonwealth.  The guard was surprised and thinking the assault party to be more numerous surrendered.  They themselves numbered only 20.  The Castle remained in the hands of Parliament until surrendered to Charles II on his restoration. Cromwell visited the Castle while he was Lord Protector.

 

 

Folkestone Road - Dover does not abound with roads, which give no obvious indication of their direction - there is no Canterbury Road or Deal Road . As a main route Folkestone Road is not ancient although there is a track to the Elms valley.  As the main outlet to Folkestone it was formed in 1762 under the Turnpike Acts.  The toll house stood near the existing flint cottages at the junction with Elms Vale Road and for some years before it’s demolition in 1877 was a lollipop shop kept by George Rummery.

Fox Passage - This is a narrow right of way between Townwall Street and St. James Street.  It seems likely that it took its name from Mr. Thomas Fox a well-known local lawyer of the last century who lived at 2 Townwall Street.

Franklins Walk and Friars Way - Two more of the pilgrims whose stories go to make up Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.”

Freeman’s Cottages - Were a row of four cottages behind the upper part of Biggin Street on the south side about where the General Post Office is now situated.  They were owned in the latter half of last century by Mr. R. Freeman a tailor who re-named them. They having been previously called Reynolds Court .  Mr. Freeman’s shop in front of the cottages was on the site of an ancient farmhouse, which fronted the street and it is thought to have been the Priory Farm before the dissolution of the monastery.  There was built into the front of Freeman's Cottages a device in tiles, which included a pair of scales and three sheaves of wheat.  It is thought that this may have come from the original farmhouse where it had been a symbol of just dealing.

Frith Road - This road leads straight to a farm on the hill beyond the Castle called Frith Farm (pronounced by many people Fright).  It used to be called “ Love Lane” before it was improved widened and built upon because it was a favourite walk of lovers in summer evenings.  On the left hand side of this road is a portion of land known as “The Danes,” which was converted into a recreation ground in 1890.  The road also leads to Copt Hill and Coombe Hole, both British words, the one meaning hill and the other meaning valley, so these two words carry us back in thought to very early days.                                                

Gardiner’s Lane - This was the original name of Worthington Street and was so-called as early as the reign of James I although no family of that name appears in Dover histories. The route became Worthington Lane about 1800.  The "Worthington's" being a well-known family.

Gaol Lane - This lane still exists uniting Queen Street with Market Square through the Gaol, which gave the name to the Lane, which was pulled down in 1830 having only been rebuilt on the site of the old one in 1820. On this Gaol was an iron rod ornamented with four fish, which moved when the treadmill was in use.

George Street - The owner of the land on which this street is built named it after the Christian name of his foreman one George Fry.

Georgia Way - Named after the cotton and tobacco producing American State  

Gloster Way - Here again the immortal Shakespeare who helped to make famous the nearby cliff has given us a local street name. The Duke of Gloucester is one of the principal characters in “King Lear”.  It is he who speaks the famous line “Dost thou know Dover?” and it is to him that his son Edgar gives the even more famous description of Shakespeare Cliff  “half-way down one that gathers samphire-dreadful trade!  Me thinks he seems no bigger than his head the fisherman that walk upon the beach appear like mice.”

Godwyne Road - Built in 1870 and named Godwyne after the Earl of Kent who was Governor of Dover Castle in 1057.  He was a man with many possessions and had great power. His son Harold later became King of England   

Gorely Almshouses - This is another name worth mentioning even though it does not properly fall within the purview of these articles.  The Almshouse’s were founded in 1877 by Mrs. Susan Gorley who lived at a farm between Ladywell and Wood Street.

Goshen Road - The third road on the Astor Avenue estate which is named after a prominent Liberal politician of the second half of the 19th Century who parted from Mr. Gladstone over the Home Rule for Ireland Question and later joined a Government formed by the Conservative Lord Salisbury who was himself associated with Dover as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1895 until his death in 1903.

 

Granville Street and Granville Gardens - This name was given these two places in honour of Lord Granville the Minister of Foreign Affairs who was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1863-1888.  The public gardens known by this name were laid out in 1877.  The oval garden, which was there before that time for the use of dwellers in Camden Crescent being enlarged and given a name.  Before Camden Crescent was built this piece of land was encircled with posts and chains and used as a Parade Ground.  On Sundays a military band played here and when peace was proclaimed in 1814 it was here that Congreve rockets were fired off.  The space was used by Wombell's Menagerie and such like travelling shows.  Old people tell of a polar bear who came as part of one of these shows being made so restless by smelling the sea that is owners had to move their booths further inland.

Great Street - This was a short thoroughfare between Bulwark Street and Beach Street but so wide at one time that it was known as Great Square .                         

Grubbin’s Lane - Was the old name for Chapel Lane. It had then only one residence where Grubbin's lived. The name was changed when the Unitarian Chapel was built at the upper end about 1820.

Guilford Lawn - One of the two pleasant open spaces, which formerly pierced the Marine Parade frontage. Guilford Lawn as with the remainder of the area was laid out on Harbour Board property.  Guilford is a name, which has long been associated with Dover and particularly the harbour and port.  As long ago as the middle of the 14th Century an Andrew de Guilford was Constable of Dover Castle and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.  Sir Edward Guilford held these offices from 1521 to 1533 and had the duty of making arrangements for Henry VIII to embark at Dover for the Field of the Cloth of Gold.  Coming to more recent times and to those who spelt their name Guilford a Lord Guilford was for many years a member of the Harbour Board and Frederick, Lord North afterwards the second Earl of Guilford was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1778 to 1792.  Another Earl Guilford and probably the one who gave his name to this lawn was a leading man in the district when the Marine Parade area was laid out in the 1830’s.  An amusing story is told of this Earl.  He refused to attend the banquet given to the Duke of Wellington on August 30th 1839 in Priory Meadow because Lord Broughon had been asked to propose the health of the Duke.  The Mayor sought to put matters right by asking Brougham when he arrived in the town to allow the Earl to perform this duty.  But Brougham said that not only had he written his speech but had sent it to the newspapers!  Later the Duke of Wellington called on Earl Guilford at Waldershare and told him of Brougham’s action, which so amused the Earl that he forgot his grievance.

Halisfred Terrace - This terrace of cottages in Lower Road obtained it’s name by a fusion of the names of Mr. Fred Lewis who built them and his daughter Alice.

Hamilton Road - In choosing names for the new roads on the Astor Avenue estate the corporation in two instances had recourse to names, which have appeared in an old map showing earlier proposed extension of Tower Hamlets.  Most of the streets on this map were named after politicians and members of the Conservative Party and this one is believed to refer to the Duke of Hamilton.         

Hammond Place - This is part of Liverpool Street, but since the more correct numbering of the street the name was dropped out of use.  It was given in honour of Mr. Hammond of St. Albans Kent, who was a member of the Harbour Board.  Being land reclaimed from the sea as may be proved when foundations are dug in that locality for instead of earth or chalk beach stones are disclosed.

Hardwick Road - The first Earl of Hardwick was son of Mr. Philip York, a much respected Attorney living in Dover in 1690.  He became Lord Chancellor in the year 1737 and was then raised to the peerage.

Harold Street - Passage and Terrace - For this name our townsmen went back to the olden days, and chose the name of the son of Earl Godwyne, whom he succeeded as Earl of Kent, and of whom mention has been made under the head of Godwyne Road.  Prior to 1863 Harold Passage was known as Dee Stone Lane.  Harold was the second Lord Warden to the Cinque Ports.

Hartley Street - Is one of the small streets, which has been cleared from the Durham Hill area.  Prospect House now the Prince of Wales Sea Training School, was built around the end of the eighteenth century by a Mr. Hartley who there established an academy for young gentlemen.  Property at the rear belonged to Mr. Hartley and when it was built upon one row was named after him.

Harveyan Place - This name was given when property at the upper end of Bridge Street was re-built about the turn of the century, but unlike Paul's Place and Matthews Place, Harveyan Place was not a separate thoroughfare but merely a terrace facing Bridge Street . Until 1840 the land was used by the Turnpike Trustees as a stone yard. The terrace took it’s name from the “Admiral Harvey” public house, which has stood in Bridge Street though not in the same building, for over a century.

Hawkesbury Street - This Street was once part of the harbour and called “Paradise Pent” but in 1798 being only a useless swampy ground, it was properly drained and made into land more fit for building purposes. The name was given it in honour of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports at that time Lord Hawkesbury who afterwards became Lord Liverpool.

Herbert Street - The owner of the land on which this little street was built gave the name of his servant Herbert when he was required to find a name.

High Street - One of the nine changes of names to which the main street is subjected between the monument and Buckland Bridge. About 1400 it was known as Hole Street but about 150 years ago was called Charlton High Road.

Hillside Road - Was a very appropriate but not a very novel name. Chosen when the houses on this steep hillside were erected at the end of the last century.

Hobart Crescent - Tasmania 's contribution to the 1939-45 war is commemorated by giving the name of her capital city to this semi- circular road at the lower end of Buckland Valley estate. Tasmania is one of the commonwealth territories and also has a town named Dover.           

Hole Street - Was the name used as long ago as 1400 for what is now High Street.

Hubert Passage - This passage from old St. James Church to Castle Hill was the old Canons path to the castle and presumably took the Christian name of Hubert de Burgh the famous Constable of Dover Castle who founded the Maison Dieu.

Hubert TerraceThis was named in memory of the famous Hubert de Burgh who was twice the Constable of Dover Castle in the reigns of King John and Henry III. He was also Sheriff of Kent and the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports . He bravely kept the Castle during a siege in 1216.  And in the reign of King John he built the Maison Dieu so Dover people have cause to remember him. His portrait appears in several windows in the restored Hall of the Maison Dieu. He died in 1243 De Burgh Street is also named after him.

Johannesburg Road - On the “South African” section of the Buckland Valley estate Johannesburg Road and Natal Road both join Melbourne Avenue to Durban Crescent .

 


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