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Cock Lane is in Smithfield in the City of London, its eastern end, at the junction with Giltspur Street was known as Pye Corner, famous as the furthest extremity of the Great Fire of London. Cock Lane is believed to have got its name, not because of its proximity to Smithfield market, but because since the 14th century Cock or Cokkes Lane was the site of London's legal brothels. It was also the infamous location of the 18th century Cock Lane ghost, Scratching Fanny. The purported haunting and ensuing noisy 'scratching' sounds became front page news and Cock Lane was often blocked by curious bystanders. It became such a sensation that Scratching Fanny was satirically represented by William Hogarth and included in Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby. The haunting was eventually debunked as a hoax by a committee including Samuel Johnson.
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