Why are 'Mews' houses named thus?

[chowski]

I've often wondered how 'mews' houses came to be known as such when they're usually linked to stables - I'm sure it has nothing to do with cats! Anyone know?

[Hippy]

Mews is a name given to a stable block for housing horses. It was originally the Royal Horse House at Charring Cross, London, but the word was used to mean any similar building.

"Mews Flats" are converted stables now used for human habitation.

[Quizmonster]

A 'mew' was originally a cage or larger enclosed place where hawks were kept, especially when they were moulting feathers. The verb 'mew' actually means to moult. The King's Mews at Charing Cross, mentioned in the answer above, were where he kept his hunting-birds. Only later did such buildings become used as stables, after Royals and the like gave up on hawking. The word comes from the Old French 'muer' and Latin 'mutare', both meaning 'to change' or - in the case of hawks - 'to moult'. (I wonder how many of today's 'mews-dwellers' are aware that they actually live in bird-cages!)

[andy hughes]

Yet again I am endebyed to Quizmonster - I always understood that the term came from the mewing sound that birds of prey make - I am happy to have my theory corrected, and fully enhanced - hats off (once again!) QM.

[Quizmonster]

Cheers, Andy...you're kind, as ever.

[smoneybags]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mews