Once, a parrot might have been watching you. We are standing in Pope Court. This narrow passage off Fleet Street has a story to tell. It is a story of birds, writers, and maybe even a famous nanny.
Pope Court was once known as Poppin’s Alley. It was originally Popyngay Alley. This alley led to Poppin’s Court. This was an open courtyard.
The alley’s history goes back to medieval times. Fleet Street was developing. Properties and religious establishments lined the street. Pope Court led to the Abbot of Cirencester’s Inn. This inn was also called Popinjay Inn. Popinjay is an old word for parrot. Some say the inn was named after a bird on a coat of arms.
During the building of Farringdon Street, Pope Court was cut in half. St Bride’s Street appeared. A carving of a parrot once sat over the court’s entrance. Sadly, it was lost during the road building. The shrunken alley then took the name of the court. So Pope Court got its current name.
The apostrophe in Poppin’s Court has been inconsistent over the years. It appears and disappears randomly.
Here’s a fun fact. Some people think Mary Poppins got her name from this alley. P. L. Travers, the author, worked as a journalist on Fleet Street. She likely knew Pope Court and its history. Did the alley inspire her? We may never know.
Today, Pope Court is a simple gap between buildings. It is very clean and modern. Some might say it lacks character. But the buildings around it are interesting.
To the east is Ludgate House. It was built in 1872 for Thomas Cook’s headquarters. It has rich decorations. To the west is Aitken House. It repaired a mistake from the millennium.
Fleet Street is famous for the Daily Express building. This is an art-deco office from the 1930s. In the mid-1970s, the Daily Express needed more space. They built a pale imitation next door. Fortunately, it was demolished in 2000. Aitken House now stands there. Its blandness makes the Daily Express building stand out.
An old pub was also lost. It had light deflectors. These were common in narrow passages before modern lighting. They were charming street features.
Finally, it is thought that Pope Court appears in a Sherlock Holmes story. In “The Red-Headed League,” it is called Pope’s Court. The Red Headed League was located here.
So, next time you are in Pope Court, remember its layers of history. Think of the parrots, the writers, and the mysteries that may have passed through this very spot.