treet, under Rosebery Avenue, into Farringdon Street, creating steep
banks on its flanks, which still remain the measure and evidence of its
ancient energy; until, finally, it debouched into that tidal estuary
from the Thames mediaevally known as the Fleet. Holborn Viaduct, at a
much higher altitude, now spans the hollow where once stood Holeburn
Bridge, at the wharves on either side of which "boats with corn, wine,
firewood, and other necessaries" would unload. But in 1598 John Stow
knew of this burn only as Turnmill Brook. Now it no longer exists; the
damming of its waters for the erection of mills in the Middle Ages, and
its more recent absorption by the water companies, have led to its
complete disappearance.

The Manor of Holeburn, which was bounded on the east by the southern
part of the Farringdon Street portion of this stream, included both
sides of Shoe Lane; but how far west or north it originally extended is
not known. In the year 1300, Saffron Hill, Fetter (or Faytour) Lane, and
Fleet Street were all outside its bounds. Shoe Lane was known as Sho
Lane, at one end of which was a well, called Show Well, from which the
neighbourhood drew its water.[75]

It was here that the Dominicans, or Black Friars, made their first
settlement in 1222;[76] their monastery was in Shoe Lane, and in 1286,
when they moved to the eastern side of the Fleet, by Baynard's Castle,
Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who was lord of the manor and a
justiciar, bought their old houses and established the first Lincoln's
Inn.[77] Two other inns of that name, one next to Staple Inn and one in
Chancery Lane, came into existence later, as we shall see presently.
Here the earl died in 1311, and he was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.
By his will, proved in the Court of Hustings at the Guildhall, he
directed that the houses which he had acquired from the monks should be
sold;[78] but the inheritance of the manor of Holeburn descended to his
son-in-law, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, the King's cousin and Steward of
the kingdom. Legal business was certainly transacted at his Inn. The
yearly accounts of the Earldom of Lancaster for that period show that at
his house in Shoe Lane, from Michaelmas, 1314, to Michaelmas, 1315, the
amount of L314 7s. 41/2d. was spent for 1,714 lbs. of wax, with vermilion
and turpentine to make red wax, and L4 8s. 31/4d. for one hundred and
twenty-nine dozen of parchment, with ink.[79] He was beheaded in 1322,
leaving no iss