Tucked between Mayfair to the South and Regent’s Park to the North, Marylebone is one of London’s most elegant areas. Today its beautiful, well-preserved Georgian and Victorian streets are lined with chic independent shops, cafes and restaurants.
But what is the history behind it and where does the name come from?
A Riverside Hamlet
Marylebone started life as a little hamlet, recorded in the Domesday book with less than 50 residents and a value of 52 shillings. It was known at this time as the village of ‘Tyburn’ on the Eastern banks of the river of the same name.
The Tyburn river flowed past here from Hampstead Heath to the Thames at Westminster, now one of London’s ‘lost rivers’, built over and subsumed into the storm drain system beneath the city. The name ‘Tyburn’ came from old English ‘teo-bourne’ meaning ‘boundary stream’ or possibly ‘two streams’. You also find ‘bourne’ in Holborn meaning ‘hollow stream’.
Since at least the 12th century, the area of Tyburn had been where many of London’s public executions would take place, at the crossroads of the two old Roman roads, now Oxford Street and Edgware Road.
The condemned would often be carted from Newgate Prison, where the Old Bailey sits today, down what is now Oxford Street to meet their end.
The first recorded execution at Tyburn is William Fitz Osbert in 1196, for leading a public rebellion and it is thought that just over 3000 people were publicly executed at Tyburn over the centuries until they were stopped here in 1783.
From the 1500s, a three sided gallows was permanently erected, known as the ‘Tyburn Tree’ where up to 24 criminals could be executed at once.
The Village Church
The hamlet of Tyburn had a small church dedicated to St John the Evangelist.
In 1400, the church was rebuilt further North, on the high street, near the Tyburn river and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The village became known initially as ‘Mary-burn’. The French article ‘le’ was probably added in the 17th century, as was fashionable at the time to make Mary-le-bourne. Over the centuries this corrputed to ‘Marylebone’ aka St Mary’s on the bourne/river.
The church was rebuilt again in 1742, when Marylebone had grown into a small village surrounded largely by fields. It was in this church where Lord Byron was baptised in 1788 and the architect James Gibbs was buried in 1751.
As London expanded Westwards, the population of the area grew rapidly.
The grid of streets we have today started to be laid out from the early 1700s, initially around Cavendish Square laid out in 1717 by Edward Harley, the 2nd Earl of Oxford.
In 1739 it had a population of 577 and by 1795 this had grown to 6200. The growing population meant that new church was therefore required once more.
St Marylebone Parish Church
From 1813-1817 the fourth parish church of Marylebone was consecrated, close to the previous church, on the busy Marylebone Road. The road had been laid out from 1756, known originally as ‘New Road’. Interestingly, the third church was not demolished, more on that below.
Designed by Thomas Hardwick, it has a beautiful Corinthian portico facing onto the road, based on The Pantheon in Rome.
It also has an interesting steeple. It has three storeys, the first square with a clock, the second is a circle of twelve columns and the third is in the form of a mini temple held up by eight caryatids (a sculpted female figure that doubled up as a support).
The interior was remodelled in 1883 at the instigation of the rector Reverend William Barker. This included the addition of a marble floor and a marble altar.
St Marylebone was where seven of Charles Dickens’ children were baptised as he lived in a house nearby from 1839-1851. It was where he wrote many of his most famous novels including A Christmas Carol, The Old Curiosity Shop, Little Dorrit and Barnaby Rudge.
There is a bas-relief on the site today depicting some of his characters.
The church was also where Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning were married in 1846.
The Garden of Rest
As mentioned above, the third iteration of the church was not demolished when the fourth was built. It was kept as a chapel of ease before being severely damaged during the Blitz. The remains were then pulled down in 1949 and a ‘Garden of rest’ memorial garden, laid out on the site.
In the garden today you can find many old gravestones including that of Charles Wesley leader of the Methodist movement.
So there we have it, the story behind Marylebone and how it got its name!
The next question of course is how you should pronounce it… ‘Marry-le-bn’, ‘Mar-lee-bone’, ‘Mar-lee-bn’. Let me know in the comments how you think it should be pronounced!
Thank you for reading, more blog posts below to continue your dive into London’s history…
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Great piece Jack, as per…
I’m an adherent of Mar-lee-bn, my Dad’s birthplace the year the Titanic went down 🙂
Mar-lee-bn
Thanks.. so interesting.. my family from Stoke Newington called it Mar-Lee-bone.. which always confused me as where was Mary!
Really interesting , thanks . I’d go for marry-le- bn myself ! I’ve lived in Rotherhithe / now Surrey Quays for last 40 years . If you’d like me to introduce you to some of the hidden gems ? First church to be destroyed in blitz , Russia dock woodland , sands film studios etc I’d be happy to for your next blog/post !
Fab piece!
I’ve always said Mar-lee-bone but have heard so many variations from different people!
For decades I thought Marylebone (Marleebone) was named after an heiress of the area Mary LeBone! Thank you
Very interesting – thank you! I’ve always said Marleebone
Nice piece and yes it’s a lovely area to walk.
Mar-la-bone
I’ve heard it more as “MAHR-le-bun.”
My step dad, who worked around there for many years always insisted it was marry-le-bn and woould always correct us as kids. As he did with ‘Brodwick’ St in Soho. (Broadwick)
Blimey!! That challenge engendered a good few replies…all wrong, obviously , cos it’s Marry-le-bone.
Glad that’s sorted.
That was a really interesting post. The speed of change always amazes me. The population grew tenfold in 50 years, spawning all the new roads etc etc. Back in the 70s I spoke with a very old lady who had been born and raised in a little country village called…Chelsea!
That’s a lovely bas- relief of Dickens. Beautifully observed distinction between the noble “photographically ” carved Dickens and the more cartoonist depictions of his fictional characters. I wonder who sculpted it.
I never noticed those 3 trees before.
This is a really interesting post. I stayed several times in an Hotel in Welbeck St. and I walk around the Marylebone but didn’t know all the the hidden gems. Thank you.
Great post as always Jack! We lived in Marylebone for a few years before returning to Fitzrovia, and I attended St. Marylebone CofE School (part of which can be seen in your photo of The Garden of Rest; strictly out-of-bounds to pupils!) All the major services were held in the Church and on one occasion a friend and I had been sent to collect something. We were on the right hand side of the upper balcony and I saw the outline of a woman in period dress on the opposite balcony. My friend didn’t see her but she went very cold! Apparently it was the ghost of The Grey Lady.
It was great to appreciate it differently through your photos. Thank you.
Re pronunciation, I’ve always said Marry-le-bone (quickly).
My dad called it Marr le bone – he was from Hackney – but my mother insisted we called it Marry le bone and she was from Shoreditch!
I was born in East London and we always pronounced it Marry-le-bone. I cringe when I hear it pronounced by a Tube announcer
Another brilliant nugget to read Jack, and topical as I will be arriving at Marylebone station in a couple of weeks. My good friend Mary says it can only be Mary le Bone as her name is Mary Bone. Biased she is, but funny!
It’s Mareebun…unless you want people to think you’re posher than you are!
Grew up off the High Street, in Ossington Buildings, when it was more like a village than now, when it’s referred to as a village. Dad grew up playing on the bomb sites that is now a Car Park behind Waitrose. Believe there’s a covenant that stops it being redeveloped into something more meaningful. Cycled and played in Paddington Gardens just around the corner. Uncle used to work for a decorators down the side street.
Also attended the 1st St Marylebone Cubs & Scouts and the local Grammar School before they closed it. Like Dickens kids , I was baptised in the church.
Great insight to one of the best parts of London. I always say Mary-lee-bone.
We have a Mariebonne in Wigan ( NW England)
I always called it Marylebone but the street sign says Mariebonne ! Often wondered about it!
What a beautiful church! Thanks for sharing the history. Fascinating as always. I’m not British, but have always heard it stated as “Mar-le-bone”. That may be the way the Tube announcer pronounces it that makes the one reader cringe. 🙂
I go with “marry-le-bone”!
My Mum was a Londoner born & bred & pronounced it Marry-le-bone
I’ve always pronounced it badly (Mary-le-bon) a bit in the French way; but my daughter’s (English) boyfriend taught me to say “Mar-lee-bn”
I was born at Elephant & Castle and our family have always pronounced it Mar Lee Bone.
Another great article – thanks Jack!
I pronounce it Marry-lebone.
My family lived in Marlebone during the Second World War having been bomb out from the east end. They moved to Ossington buildings.we have always pronounced this area Marrowbone yes like a animal bone. That’s the cockney in us.