Farringdon Street
Preserved but no longer current.
Its history was as dismal as the building itself. Originally used for prisoners committed by the Star Chamber, on the abolition of that court it became a prison for debtors, bankrupts, and persons charged with contempt of court. It was in charge of a warden, who bought the job and reimbursed himself from the exorbitant fees he charged pris9ners for board, lodging, and innumerable privileges they never received.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Farringdon Street” mean?
Its history was as dismal as the building itself. Originally used for prisoners committed by the Star Chamber, on the abolition of that court it became a prison for debtors, bankrupts, and persons charged with contempt of court. It was in charge of a warden, who bought the job and reimbursed himself from the exorbitant fees he charged pris9ners for board, lodging, and innumerable privileges they never received.
Is “Farringdon Street” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.