London’s Alleys: Thavies Inn, EC1

This is a courtyard space hidden behind a fairly distinctive building at Holborn Circus, which will soon not be there.The area is likely named after John Thavie, a local armour maker who lived in the area in the middle of thre 14th century. In his will, he left a considerable sum of money and land to the nearby church of St Andrews, and the charity set up by that bequest still exists today, as the St Andrew Church Foundation.
There is considerable confusion about the land, which may, or may not,