Whitechapel
Intro
Whitechapel is an area in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is in East London and part of the East End. It is the location of Tower Hamlets Town Hall and, therefore, the borough town center. Whitechapel is 3.4 miles (5.5 km) east of Charing Cross.
The district is primarily built around Whitechapel High Street and Whitechapel Road, which extend from the City of London boundary to just east of Whitechapel station. These two streets together form a section of the originally Roman road from the Aldgate to Colchester, a route that later became known as the Great Essex Road. Population growth resulting from ribbon development along this route led to the creation of the parish of Whitechapel, a daughter parish of Stepney, from which it was separated in the 14th century.
Whitechapel has long been known for its diverse immigrant communities. From the late 19th century until the late 20th century the area had a very high Jewish population, with multiple Yiddish-language theatres, newspapers and synagogues.
Whitechapel and neighboring Spitalfields were the locations of the infamous 11 Whitechapel murders (1888–91), some of which were attributed to the unidentified serial killer known as Jack the Ripper. These factors and others have led to Whitechapel being seen by many as the embodiment of London's East End, and for that reason it is often used to represent the East End in art and literature.
Landmarks include the: London Hospital
History
Whitechapel was originally part of the Manor and Parish of Stepney, but population growth resulting from its position just outside the Aldgate on the Roman Road to Essex resulted in significant population growth, so a chapel of ease, dedicated to St Mary was established so people did not have to make the longer journey to Stepney's parish church St Dunstans. The earliest known rector was Hugh de Fulbourne in 1329.
Whitechapel takes its name from that church, St Mary Matfelon, which like the nearby White Tower of the Tower of London was at one time whitewashed to give it a prominent and attractive appearance. The etymology of the Matfelon element is unclear and apparently unique.
Around 1338, Whitechapel became an independent parish, with St Mary Matfelon, originally a chapel of ease within Stepney, becoming the parish church.
Geography of the Ancient Parish
Whitechapel's spine is the old Roman Road, that ran from the Aldgate on London's Wall, to Colchester in Essex (Roman Britannia's first capital), and beyond. This road, which was later named the Great Essex Road, is now designated the A11. This historic route has the names Whitechapel High Street and Whitechapel Road as it passes through, or along the boundary, of Whitechapel. For many centuries travelers to and from London on this route were accommodated at the many coaching inns that lined Whitechapel High Street.
The area of the parish extended around 1400 meters from the City of London boundary, originally marked by Aldgate Bars around 180 meters east of the Aldgate itself, to vicinity of the junction with Cambridge Heath Road where it met the boundaries of Mile End and Bethnal Green.
The northern boundary included Wentworth Street and parts of Old Montague Street. The parish also included an area around Goodman's Fields, close to the City and south of St Mary's, the parish church.