At the east end of Stockwell, it comes to an abrupt end and the street turns almost ninety degrees to the south to become East Stockwell Street. This runs right up to the High Street. It is another street on the medieval grid laid out by the Saxons in the 10th century. It originally would have continued north of this corner up to Northgate Street and the town wall.
However, this part of the town centre wasn’t really developed until the 19th century so this part only survives as Ball Alley, a narrow pedestrian path between the houses. In the late 14th century East Stockwell Street was called Calayse Street. 'Estokkewell strets’ appears in the Court Rolls of 1406, but by 1692 it was called Bear Lane (from an inn on the corner of the High Street), and by 1748 it was St Martin’s Lane. It seems to have become East Stockwell Street by 1841. It is part of the Dutch Quarter and contains a fine collection of medieval timber houses, some with fake Georgian brick fronts. It also has later Georgian and Victorian houses along with some modern ones built in a traditional style.
If you would like to find out more about the Dutch Quarter join me on one of my Walking Tours.