Paris Garden and Street
Early-attested site in the Parish of Southwark
Historical Forms
- Parysgardeyn 1453 Pat
- Parrisgarden 1558–79 ECP
- Wideflete 1113 Dugdv,96
- Wythyflete 1318 Inqaqd
- Wythiflete 1319 Pat
- Wylos 1464 VCHiv,148
- Pares garden otherwise Wylys c.1470 Ct
- le Willes 1661 VCHiv,148
Etymology
Paris Garden and Street are antiquarian revivals of the name of the old Southwark manor of Paris Garden, Parysgardeyn 1453 Pat, Parrisgarden 1558–79 ECP. The earliest name for this manor seems to have been Wideflete 1113 Dugd v, 96, Wythyflete 1318 Inq aqd, Wythiflete 1319 Pat, i.e. 'withy creek,' v. fleot , with reference probably to some inlet in the Thames bank here.A later name was Wylos 1464 VCH iv, 148, Pares garden otherwise Wylys c. 1470Ct , le Willes 1661 VCH iv, 148. The name probably means 'the willows,' v. welig . From time to time efforts have been made to associate a family named (de ) Parys with Paris Garden, but no valid evidence for this has been found.It may be that Paris is simply the OFr parais , 'enclosure.'Cf. Paris Street (PN D 23).