Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
The Origin of Mayes Road, Wood Green
I've been digging round in the history of Wood Green somewhat recently. As part of that I've turned up more historic images of Wood Green. After posting one of those, I got into a discussion about Mayes Road which sparked my interest.
It wasn't a road I'd given much thought to before. It was just another road full of Victorian buildings. But, having dug around a little for a while now, I've come to realise that it's a very old road.
Though unnamed, it is clearly shown on the Dorset Survey map of 1619. This takes it back at least 500 years. However, other pieces of evidence regarding buildings around Wood Green Common, suggest that it might go back a few hundred years more at the very least. (More of that another time).
Given that it's such an old road, I wondered where its name came from and when it was adopted. I haven't had much luck on the when so far, but I think I may have a good suggestion for the why.
The earliest printed mention of the road named as Mayes Road that I've been able to turn up so far is from 1860 in this advert in the Clerkenwell News:
As far as the why is concerned, here's what I think. But first a word about my chief source of reference, the Dorset Map. The map is an invaluable source, but it's a bit of a pain to work with because, like most maps at the time, it was published with north towards the bottom of the page. In our 21st Century minds, it's upside-down. So I'm never sure whether to produce the map in its original orientation or one that suits our way of looking at things. On this occasion, since reading what's written on the map is the primary focus, I'm going for original orientation (but if you want to see the larger map excerpt re-oriented for the 21st century mind, click on my second link above).
Extract from Dorset Survey Map, 1619, ©Bruce Castle Museum
In the map above, what became Mayes Road is the roadway leading diagonally from Ducketts Meade to Wood Greene.
Looking at the map, I noticed a field (just below the 'RN ' of 'Harnsey'), which I'm pretty sure says 'Nayes'.
In his book of 1840*, William Robinson writes of a piece of land he calls 'Naves' as being in the possession of one of the big land owning families in 1600. I've found inaccuracies in the work of mid-Victorian historians before and the writing on the map isn't clear, but comparing other letters 'v' and 'y' on the map, if I had to stake my life on it, I'd say Robinson (or his printer) is mistaken and the word is definitely Nayes and not Naves.
If this is so and that was indeed Nayes field, with how names shifted over time and/or given the odd transliteration, that probably gives us the origin for Mayes road.
I also found a mention of the road in a newspaper of 1862, referring to it as Mayes Lane. Lanes were often routes that were named after places they to which led. So this supports the idea that Mayes Road was named after a destination, in this case, Nayes Field.
During the development of Shopping City in the 1970s, Mayes Road was truncated and its ancient southern section connecting to the High Road was built over.
With regards to the v or y issue, decide for yourself.
Nayes/Naves
Another letter 'v' on the map
Another letter 'y' on the map
*The History and Antiquities of the Parish of Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex: Volume 1 - Link
Tags for Forum Posts: mayes road, wood green history
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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Mine's a 19th century mind, but that damn map's still upside down.
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Permalink Reply by JoeW on
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Must've been a nightmare for traffic in those days with two rivers and only a couple of bridges! (Is the other river the Moselle?)
If North is at the bottom then why is Tottenham still on the right?
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Yes the Moselle is the one nearer the top of the map and below it, the New River flowed across Wood Greene (now Wood Green Common).
The Tottenham on the right of the is part of a truncated Tottenham Wood. Most of that was later felled to form Tottenham Wood Farm and much of it eventually became Alexandra Park.
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Permalink Reply by Mayes FF on
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Very interesting. I've always wanted to know about the road I was named after!
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Permalink Reply by Geoff watts on
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Have great memories of Mayes Road lived at no 105 in the late 1950s early 1960s. 105 Mayes Road was owned by Barratts Sweets,my dad was a lorry driver for Barratts so was able to rent house,when Barratts decided to widen their front gate they demolished houses 105 and 107 to do so. we then moved into another Barratts house around the corner at number 8 Coburg Road. So lucky to have so many great memories of which was a fantastic place to live at that time.
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There are a few houses still remaining n Mayes Road from around 1850. Looking at my 1863 Ordnance survey map and Google Maps, it looks like there's still a 105 and that it is one of a pair of mid-nineteenth century houses. See picture form Google below (The pair on the right).
I wonder whether your old house got a reprieve or perhaps the road has been renumbered.
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hugh on the right hand side of the photo is a new build house the 105 we lived in was a old Victorian house the same as the ones next door,ours was a bit taller though as the attic was my brothers and mine bedroom not a good room in winter
which looked over Barratts main yard.
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I remember the shops in Mayes road well, I used to do a paper round for frank at the tobacconist and confectionary shop in Mayes road also remember the butchers,chemist and radio shop long gone now
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