# Bristol: (rude) street name ID



## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

According to today's Wikipedia front page, there was once (-as apparently there was in many towns and cities) a street called Gropecunt Lane.

Unsurprisingly, most streets with this name seem to have been renamed at some point in history.  

Does anybody know where it was in Bristol, and what it's now called (-assuming it still exists in some form)?...

All I can find on the internet so far is that there was once _'a Cunte Street in Bristol (-later renamed Host Street)'_, which is/was at the bottom of Christmas Steps.

<??>


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 9, 2009)

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=192202&highlight=Gropecunt+Bristol

Post No. 25 directs you to another thread which suggests maybe Grope became Grape?


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## gentlegreen (Jul 9, 2009)

I once worked in a factory with someone in a band called Zed Alley - another little street around there ..

/off topic


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=192202&highlight=Gropecunt+Bristol
> 
> Post No. 25 directs you to another thread which suggests maybe Grope became Grape?



Thanks, yes, I found that thread earlier, when I Googled the street name. 

Can't see so far that there's a Grape Street in Bristol though...


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## kyser_soze (Jul 9, 2009)

Grape St, just down the road from St Paul's Cathederal, used to be a Gropecunt Alley


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Jul 9, 2009)

and so the annual rude street names thread kicks off


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

gentlegreen said:


> I once worked in a factory with someone in a band called Zed Alley - another little street around there ..
> 
> /off topic



Yeah, I've heard of Zed Alley, but I'm not too sure where it is/was.  

This thread is purely for locating Bristol's Gropecunt Lane/Street though, so before anybody else bothers: we'll have none of the usual Blackboy/Whiteladies stuff, no There And Back Again Lane, no King Dick's Lane, and no Johnny Ball Lane.  Thangyouverymuch.


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## DaveCinzano (Jul 9, 2009)

I think this topic is covered in _Naked Guide To Bristol_, but I don't have a copy to hand right now.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

DaveCinzano said:


> I think this topic is covered in _Naked Guide To Bristol_, but I don't have a copy to hand right now.



Very helpful Dave, cheers.


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## DaveCinzano (Jul 9, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Yeah, I've heard of Zed Alley, but I'm not too sure where it is/was.



It's on Colston Street by the Sports Club, sort of parallel to Christmas Steps.


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## DaveCinzano (Jul 9, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Very helpful Dave, cheers.



HTH


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

DaveCinzano said:


> It's on Colston Street by the Sports Club, sort of parallel to Christmas Steps.



Ah, yeah, _that_ one.


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## DaveCinzano (Jul 9, 2009)

I felt guilty, so I did look for my copy, but can't find it.

Maybe give Richard Jones from Tangent Books a ring?

http://www.tangentbooks.co.uk/index.php?pageNo=386

Or ask on Twitter.

Or use Aardvark - you ask a question, it puts it out into the ether, through Twitter, Facebook, IM etc, asking people that would likely know the answer, and then emailing you with their suggestions. Sounds odd, but it worked for me!


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## fogbat (Jul 9, 2009)

Threadneedle Street was once a Gropecunt Lane, too, according to some sources.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

DaveCinzano said:


> I felt guilty, so I did look for my copy, but can't find it.
> 
> Maybe give Richard Jones from Tangent Books a ring?
> 
> ...



Cheers, now you're genuinely being a bit too helpful.  

This matter is so important to me though, that I think I'll just have to have a cheeky skim through _Naked Guide To Bristol_ whenever I'm next in Waterstones...


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

kyser_soze said:


> Grape St, just down the road from St Paul's Cathederal, used to be a Gropecunt Alley





fogbat said:


> Threadneedle Street was once a Gropecunt Lane, too, according to some sources.



_Bristol_ please!


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## butchersapron (Jul 9, 2009)

> Inquisition and return: Date to be returned to Chancery: 03/11/1433. Attached is the inquisition made at Bristol before Richard Forster, Sheriff, on Fri., 30/10/1433. Thomas Erle held in demesne at the time of the recognisance and afterwards, a tenement with three adjacent shops in the market in the suburb of Bristol, which are worth 40s.a year; also a tenement in the suburb of Bristol in Lewynesmede, worth 20s. clear; 3 shops in the suburb of Bristol in Temple Street, worth 30s. a year clear after expenses; a hall, with an adjacent shop, in the suburb of Bristol, in Marsh Street, worth 20s. clear; another hall and a chamber, 4 shops and a garden, in the suburb of Bristol in Marsh Street, worth 30s. clear. *On the day of the inquisition he held for his life, on a lease from the Mayor and Community of Bristol, in the suburb in Grope Lane, 6 shops, worth 20s. clear after expenses.*



grope lane as a _suburb_ in 1433. So maybe not in the centre.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> _Bristol_ please!



Hang on, I surely missed the opportunity there to say: _Bristol's, or GTFO_.


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## butchersapron (Jul 9, 2009)

Nelson street deeds?



> John Page of Bristol, hooper 2. Richard Bowsher of Bristol, inn holder Messuage and garden with parcel of ground, stable, rooms, lofts etc in Grope Lane


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## fogbat (Jul 9, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> Hang on, I surely missed the opportunity there to say: _Bristol's, or GTFO_.


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## butchersapron (Jul 9, 2009)

Halliers Lane used to be called grope lane. Not sure if Halliers lane still exists.


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## butchersapron (Jul 9, 2009)

Halliers lane is now Nelson St as above. Circle complete.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> grope lane as a _suburb_ in 1433. So maybe not in the centre.



Aha, cheers.  

I expect 'the suburbs' in those days was probably basically anything outside of the castle...


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Halliers Lane used to be called grope lane. Not sure if Halliers lane still exists.





butchersapron said:


> Halliers lane is now Nelson St as above. Circle complete.



Excellent work, detective. 

A job on _Time Team_ surely awaits you!


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> Halliers lane is now Nelson St as above. Circle complete.



Where's that then; where the dole office was?


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## butchersapron (Jul 9, 2009)

That's him yeah.


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## big eejit (Jul 9, 2009)

My theory was it was Denmark Street cos that's where the Bunch of Grapes is, so it must have previously been the Bunch of Gropes. And just behind in the council house is the bunch of c...


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

big eejit said:


> My theory was it was Denmark Street cos that's where the Bunch of Grapes is, so it must have previously been the Bunch of Gropes. And just behind in the council house is the bunch of c...



The Bunch Of Gropes, eh? Once maybe, who knows?...   Nowadays though, even when they puts bands on in there, it always seems to be one of the most sedate pubs in central Bristol!

Denmark Street itself though: as a mate of mine claims to have once overheard when he walked along it late one Friday night: _'-Don't fuck I too 'ard Gary, I'll drop me chips!...'_


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## electrogirl (Jul 9, 2009)

Is Zed alley that travelator shortcut by La Tasca up into clifton? I recognise the name but I can't remember where it is.

Steven Merchant lived on a road with a rude name apparently but he never divulged what it was.


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## electrogirl (Jul 9, 2009)

big eejit said:


> My theory was it was Denmark Street cos that's where the Bunch of Grapes is, so it must have previously been the Bunch of Gropes. And just behind in the council house is the bunch of c...



Bunch of Grapes is just a generic name for a pub by a theatre though. Normally opposite stage door, like that one is. There are hundreds of Bunch of Grapes by theatres all over the land.


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## electrogirl (Jul 9, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> The Bunch Of Gropes, eh? Once maybe, who knows?...   Nowadays though, even when they puts bands on in there, it always seems to be one of the most sedate pubs in central Bristol!
> 
> Denmark Street itself though: as a mate of mine claims to have once overheard when he walked along it late one Friday night: _'-Don't fuck I too 'ard Gary, I'll drop me chips!...'_



Ha do you have the same mate as me?! My friend told me that one aswell! Unless it's an urban legend that gets bandied about. 

Denmark St was knows as 'piss alley' when I worked at the Hippodrome. We used to go and have to put the bins out and we'd never go out along because there was often some trampy tramp stumbling about, and my workmate once trod in a human shit while she was taking the bottles out.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

electrogirl said:


> Bunch of Grapes is just a generic name for a pub by a theatre though. Normally opposite stage door, like that one is. There are hundreds of Bunch of Grapes by theatres all over the land.



And piles.


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## butchersapron (Jul 9, 2009)

It's from Viz  -fat slags.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

electrogirl said:


> Ha do you have the same mate as me?! My friend told me that one aswell! Unless it's an urban legend that gets bandied about.



I think I once read it in Venue too, so yeah, probably apocraphyl tbh.  Looking at Denmark Street though, it wouldn't be a surprise to hear something like that being said...



electrogirl said:


> Denmark St was knows as 'piss alley' when I worked at the Hippodrome. We used to go and have to put the bins out and we'd never go out along because there was often some trampy tramp stumbling about, and my workmate once trod in a human shit while she was taking the bottles out.



I used to work in Denmark Street too (-in an office block, opposite the Hippodrome stage door).  It's like Soho in miniature.

That alley with the bins is/was fucking disgusting.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

butchersapron said:


> It's from Viz  -fat slags.



Which, as everybody knows, was based on Denmark Street. 

Damn, looks like my mate told me a fib, and I believed him...


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## electrogirl (Jul 9, 2009)

Oooh did you get lovely chips from the lovely chippy? The people that ran that chippy were amazing, they gave all the hippo staff free chips on Christmas Day (not that I ever fucking worked Christmas Day hell no, but some mentals DO go to see pantos on jesus day).

Yeah my friend's version was that someone said 'Fill I up'


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

electrogirl said:


> Oooh did you get lovely chips from the lovely chippy? The people that ran that chippy were amazing, they gave all the hippo staff free chips on Christmas Day (not that I ever fucking worked Christmas Day hell no, but some mentals DO go to see pantos on jesus day).



They do make rather nice chips in there. 

I don't remember _us_ getting any free though.


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## electrogirl (Jul 9, 2009)

Yeah but tbf, we used to patronise that chippy LOADS. Especially inbetween shows. 

Also you could take them into the Bunch of Grapes and eat them with a beer which was fucking ace.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

electrogirl said:


> Yeah but tbf, we used to patronise that chippy LOADS. Especially inbetween shows.
> 
> Also you could take them into the Bunch of Grapes and eat them with a beer which was fucking ace.



Did/does that chippy have loads of those rather cheesy press kit photos/posters of 'The Stars'* on it's walls?  (-I can't really remember, 'cos in recent years, the rare times I've been in there has been at about 1am, after a few beers...).  

I love all those pictures though.  I know Renato's has loads of them, doesn't it... 

(*The Chuckle Brothers, etc)


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## electrogirl (Jul 9, 2009)

Yeah ha! They loved telling their 'celeb' stories. They gave some of us some ashtrays when the smoking ban came in and the fella said 'curly from corrie has used that ashtray!'

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

I shall kiss it every night.


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## Sunspots (Jul 9, 2009)

The Denmark Street chippy: clearly, Bristol's equivalent of The Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard!


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## keybored (Jul 9, 2009)

Sunspots said:


> ...a Cunte Street in Bristol



I thought that was Sneyd Park. Every street there.


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## Gerry1time (Jul 10, 2009)

electrogirl said:


> Is Zed alley that travelator shortcut by La Tasca up into clifton? I recognise the name but I can't remember where it is.



Nope, that's Pro-cathedral Lane. Zed Alley starts on Colston Street by the 'sports' pub opposite the griffin, then crosses over another road before carrying on down to St Augustine's Parade.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Jul 10, 2009)

Bristol. Phfft.


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## electrogirl (Jul 11, 2009)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Bristol. Phfft.


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## purplex (Jul 11, 2009)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Bristol. Phfft.



toch


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## Witch-Hazel (Jun 5, 2013)

*Urban Bristol*

Tuesday, April 12 2011
Bristol has got some great road names. Unfortunately the best one, Gropecunt Lane, where ladies of the night used to gather, has long been deemed unacceptable and for more than 200 years it has been known as the slightly more politically correct Nelson Street.


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