Topic summary
Stratford-atte-Bow
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Bow, London.
Bridges
In 1110, Queen Matilda reputedly fell into the water at the ford on her way to Barking Abbey, and consequently ordered a distinctively bow-shaped, three-arched bridge to be built over the River Lea, The like of which had not been seen before. The area became known variously as Stradford of the Bow, Stratford of the Bow, Stratford the Bow, Stratforde the Bowe, and Stratford-atte-Bow (at the Bow) which over time was shortened to Bow to distinguish it from Stratford Langthorne on the Essex bank of the Lea. Land and Abbey Mill were given to Barking Abbey for maintenance of the bridge, who also maintained a chapel on the bridge dedicated to St Katherine, occupied until the 15th century by a hermit. This endowment was later administered by Stratford Langthorne Abbey. By 1549, this route had become known as The Kings Way, and later became known as the Great Essex Road.