A River Runs Through It

The story of Marylebone begins in the foothills of Hampstead, North London. It is here that the Shepherd’s Well poured forth some of the softest drinking water in the capital, as well as providing the main source of the old River Tyburn. This seven-mile stream – or “bourne” – ran south via Soho and St James’s to the River Thames, but not before it had passed by the parish church of St Mary. Thus, the name was formed, as “St Mary’s at the bourne” became St Marylebone in Anglo-Norman French.

The River Tyburn has long since been culverted under the streets of London, yet the legacy of that time has left its watermark on modern-day Marylebone. One wonders whether it might have become a more popular part of central London had it been easier for visitors to pronounce. “Marry-le-bun” or “Mar-le-bone” are