London’s Alleys: Pear Tree Court, EC1

This is a passage in Farringdon that came into existence after a monastery was closed down, turned into slums and is now lined with offices and social housing.What is today the top end of Farringdon Lane is an ancient route north out of London and was at one time occupied by the medieval nunnery of St Mary. The nunnery was one one of the last to be shut down as part of King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. The lands were sold to the Duke of Norfolk. He later swapped them for la