Londonist's Back Passage

A tribute to the capital’s alleys, ginnels and snickleways.

27. Cobb's Court

Where? Northern strand in a City cavalcade of passages. This one's located in the snickety heaven south-west of St Paul's.

What? Cobb's Court was a new, if modest, addition to the City after the Great Fire, built on ground formerly occupied by St Anne, Blackfriars. Passage-master Ivor Hoole suggests the name may come from Paul Cobb, Mayor of Bedford, who had documented liason's with the best-named builder in London's history - Nicholas If-Jesus-Had-Not-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned Barbon. (No, really.) Hilariously, the southern section was formerly called Postboy Passage. The now familiar trickle of dubious liquid was, we're happy to report, just a leaky drain.

Why use? Hmm, well, if you want to pass unnoticed from the overgenerously named Ludgate Broadway to Carter Lane, then this is for you. Otherwise, one of the less worthy entries in our series. Nice, but BOR-ING.

See each and every one of our back passages mapped here.