Charing Cross, WC2N

Road in/near Charing Cross, existing until now

 HOME  ·  ABOUT  ·  ARTICLE  ·  MARKERS OFF  ·  BLOG 
(51.50732 -0.12768, 51.507 -0.127) 
MAP YEAR:18001810182018301860190019502024 
Use the control in the top right of the map above to view this area on another historic map
 
Road · * · WC2N ·
MAY
16
2022
Charing Cross, long regarded as London’s central point, as an address is an enigma.

Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London. It gives its name to several landmarks, including Charing Cross railway station, one of the main London rail terminals. It is considered the central point of London.

Charing Cross is named after the Eleanor cross that stood on the site, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. It was the most elaborate of the Eleanor crosses erected by Edward I, which stood for three and a half centuries.

The site of the cross has been occupied since 1675 by an equestrian statue of King Charles I. A loose Victorian replica of the medieval cross, the Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross, was erected a short distance to the east outside the railway station.

The equestrian statue is a work by the French sculptor Hubert Le Sueur, probably cast in 1633. The first Renaissance-style equestrian statue in England, it was commissioned by the Lord High Treasurer Richard Weston for the garden of his country house in Roehampton.  Following the English Civil War the statue was sold to a metalsmith and ordered to be broken up, but he hid it until the Restoration. It was installed in its current location in 1675, and the elaborately carved plinth dates from that time.

Until 1931, "Charing Cross" referred to the part of Whitehall between Great Scotland Yard and Trafalgar Square.

However, the street called Charing Cross no longer exists but two properties still have Charing Cross addresses: Drummonds Bank, on the corner of Whitehall and The Mall, is designated ’49 Charing Cross’. Across the road where Whitehall turns a corner and becomes Northumberland Avenue, a streetsign still marks ’Charing Cross’ and below the sign is a supermarket.




Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence


NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE
101 Strand, WC2R This shop was one of the first in London to have gas lighting fitted.
101 The Strand 101 The Strand was an art school from 1750 until 1806.
Ackermann’s Rudolph Ackermann (20 April 1764 in Stollberg, Saxony – 30 March 1834 in Finchley) was an Anglo-German bookseller, inventor, lithographer, publisher and businessman.
Charing Cross Charing Cross denotes the junction of the Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square
Embankment Embankment underground station has been known by various names during its long history - including, indeed, ’Embankment’.
Embankment to Charing Cross walk Arguably the shortest walk between two stations of the London Underground
Hungerford Bridge Hungerford Bridge is a rail bridge crossing the Thames into Charing Cross station.
Hungerford Stairs The Hungerford Stairs were the entrance point to Hungerford Market from the River Thames. They are now the site of Charing Cross railway Station.
Leicester Square Leicester Square, while indeed a square, is also the name for a tube station.
Nelson’s Column Nelson’s Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square built to commemorate Horatio Nelson’s decisive victory at the Battle of Trafalgar during which he lost his life.
Northumberland House Northumberland House was a large Jacobean townhouse in London, which was the London residence of the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland.
Piccadilly Circus Piccadilly Circus was built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly.
Royal Society The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists drawn from all areas of science, engineering and medicine.
St James’s St James’s is an exclusive area in the West End of London.
The Adelphi The Adelphi is a small district surrounding the streets of Adelphi Terrace, Robert Street and John Adam Street.
Wyld’s Great Globe Wyld’s Great Globe was an attraction situated in Leicester Square between 1851 and 1862.

NEARBY STREETS
Adam Street, WC2N Adam Street is named after John and Robert Adam, who built the Adelphi development in the 1760s (Charing Cross)
Adelaide Street, WC2R Adelaide Street was named for Queen Adelaide, Consort to King William IV (Charing Cross)
Adelphi Terrace, WC2N Adelphi Terrace is named after John and Robert Adam, who built the Adelphi development in the 1760s (Embankment)
Admiralty House, SW1A Admiralty House is a block on Whitehall (Westminster)
Agar Street, WC2N Agar Street is named after George Agar, who built the street in the 1830s with John Ponsonby, Earl of Bessborough (Charing Cross)
Babmaes Street, SW1Y Babmaes Street was originally called Wells Street (St James’s)
Bear Street, WC2H Bear Street is a streetname with two possible derivations (Leicester Square)
Beaufort’s Buildings, WC2R Beaufort’s Buildings was replaced by Savoy Court (Charing Cross)
Bedford Street, WC2E Bedford Street was named after local 18th century landowners the Russell family, earls/dukes of Bedford (Covent Garden)
Bedfordbury, WC2N Bedfordbury is one of the streets of London in the WC2N postal area (Covent Garden)
Brydges Place, WC2N Brydges Place replaced Taylor’s Buildings in 1904 when the Colloseum was built (Charing Cross)
Buckingham Street, WC2N Buckingham Street is named after George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (Charing Cross)
Bull Inn Court, WC2E Bull Inn Court lies north off Strand (Covent Garden)
Burleigh Mansions, WC2H Burleigh Mansions dates from 1885 (Leicester Square)
Canada House, SW1A Canada House is a Greek Revival building situated on Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross)
Carlton Gardens, SW1Y Carlton Gardens was developed before 1832 (St James’s)
Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y Carlton House Terrace consists of a pair of terraces - white stucco-faced houses on the south side of the street overlooking St James’s Park (St James’s)
Carting Lane, WC2R Carting Lane is thought to be named after the carts that brought goods to and from the wharf formerly located here. (Charing Cross)
Cecil Court, WC2N Cecil Court is a pedestrian street with Victorian shop-frontages (Leicester Square)
Cecil Street, WC2N Cecil Street was built on the site of Cecil House (Charing Cross)
Chandos Place, WC2N Chandos Place replaced the northern section of Chandos Street in 1938 (Charing Cross)
Chandos Street, WC2N Chandos Street (called Chandos Place after 1938), was named after the third Lord Chandos, the father-in-law of the fourth Earl of Bedford. (Charing Cross)
Charing Cross Mansions, WC2H Charing Cross Mansions is one of the mid 1880s block built around a widened Cecil Court (Leicester Square)
Charing Cross, WC2N Charing Cross, long regarded as London’s central point, as an address is an enigma (Charing Cross)
Charles Court, WC2N Charles Court ran between Villiers Street and Hungerford Market (Charing Cross)
Charles II Street, SW1Y Charles II Street is named for the ’Merry Monarch’ (St James’s)
Church Court, WC2N Church Court once led from Church Lane - now demolished - to Strand (Charing Cross)
Church Lane, WC2N Church Lane was once a small lane leading from the back of St-Martins-in-the-Fields church to the Strand (Charing Cross)
Clydesdale Bank House, W1J Clydesdale Bank House is a block on Piccadilly (Piccadilly Circus)
Cockspur Court, SW1A Cockspur Court runs west for a short section from Spring Gardens (Charing Cross)
Cockspur Street, SW1A Cockspur Street is possibly after the cock fighting that formerly occurred here, cocks often having spurs attached to their feet during fights (Charing Cross)
Coventry Street, W1D Coventry Street is a short street connecting Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square. On the London Monopoly board, it was named after the politician Henry Coventry, secretary of state to Charles II (Leicester Square)
Craig’s Court, SW1A Craig’s Court is an alleyway off Whitehall (Charing Cross)
Craven Passage, WC2N Craven Passage is named after William Craven, 3rd Baron Craven, who owned the land when the street was built in the 1730s (Charing Cross)
Craven Street, WC2N Craven Street is named after William Craven, 3rd Baron Craven, who owned the land when the street was built in the 1730s (Charing Cross)
Denman Street, W1J Denman Street - formerly Queen Street - was named after Dr Thomas Denman midwifery pioneer in 1862 (Piccadilly Circus)
Dover House, SW1A Dover House is a block on Whitehall (Westminster)
Duncannon Street, WC2N Duncannon Street connects Trafalgar Square and Strand (Charing Cross)
Durham House Street, WC2N Durham House Street was the former site of a palace belonging to the bishops of Durham in medieval times. (Charing Cross)
Eagle Place, SW1Y Eagle Place lies off Piccadilly (Piccadilly Circus)
Embankment Place, WC2N Embankment Place runs from Villiers Street, under a railway arch, on to Northumberland Avenue (Embankment)
Exchange Court, WC2E Exchange Court leads south from Maiden Lane (Covent Garden)
Fox Under Hill Alley, WC2N Fox Under Hill Alley ran alongside Cecil House and later Salisbury Street (Charing Cross)
George Court, WC2N George Court is named after George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (Charing Cross)
Golden Jubilee Bridge, WC2N Golden Jubilee Bridge is a road in the WC2N postcode area (River Thames)
Goodwins Court, WC2N Goodwins Court connects Bedfordbury with St Martin’s Lane (Covent Garden)
Grand Buildings, SW1A Grand Buildings replaced the Grand Hotel in 1986 (Charing Cross)
Great Scotland Yard, SW1A Great Scotland Yard is a street located in Westminster, London, connecting Northumberland Avenue and Whitehall. (Charing Cross)
Gwydyr House, SW1A Gwydyr House is a building on Whitehall (Westminster)
Half Moon Street, WC2N Half Moon Street was an old name for the lower portion of Bedford Street (Charing Cross)
Ham Yard, W1D Ham Yard was the yard behind a 17th century pub called ’The Ham’ (Soho)
Haymarket House, W1D Haymarket House is a block on Shaver’s Place (Piccadilly Circus)
Haymarket, SW1Y Haymarket – site of a former market selling hay until the 1830s (St James’s)
Heathcock Court, WC2E Heathcock Court runs north off Strand (Covent Garden)
Henrietta Street, WC2E Henrietta Street is one of the streets of London in the WC2E postal area (Covent Garden)
Hobhouse Court, WC2H Hobhouse Court is named after Sir John Cam Hobhouse, Victorian MP and arts patron (Leicester Square)
Hop Gardens, WC2N Hop Gardens is a small courtyard (Covent Garden)
Horse Guards Avenue, SW1A Horse Guards Avenue stretches from Whitehall to the Embankment (Westminster)
Horse Guards Parade, SW1A Horse Guards Parade dates to the time of Henry VIII (Westminster)
Hudson’s Court, WC2N Hudson’s Court is one of the courtyards swept away by the building of Trafalgar Square and Duncannon Street during the 1830s (Charing Cross)
Huguenot House, WC2H Huguenot House is a block on Panton Street (Leicester Square)
Hungerford House, WC2N Residential block (Embankment)
Hungerford Lane, WC2N Hungerford Lane was a dark narrow alley that went alongside and then under Charing Cross Station (Charing Cross)
Irving Street, WC2H Irving Street is named after Henry Irving, the popular Victorian actor (Leicester Square)
Ivybridge Lane, WC2N Ivybridge Lane is named after a former ivy-covered bridge (Charing Cross)
John Adam House, WC2N John Adam House can be found on John Adam Street (Charing Cross)
John Adam Street, WC2N John Adam Street is named after John Adam, who built the Adelphi development with his brother Robert in the 1760s (Charing Cross)
Johnson’s Court, SW1A Johnson’s Court is a former courtyard next to Northumberland House (Charing Cross)
Kinnaird House, SW1Y Kinnaird House is a block on Pall Mall (St James’s)
Kipling House, WC2N Kipling House is a block on Villiers Street (Charing Cross)
Kirkland House, SW1A Kirkland House is a block on Whitehall (Westminster)
Lancaster Court, WC2N Lancaster Court was an old Strand courtyard, swept away in the 1830s (Charing Cross)
Leicester Place, WC2H Leicester Place leads north from Leicester Square (Soho)
Leicester Square, WC2H Leicester Square is a central tourist attraction of London (Leicester Square)
Leicester Street, SW1Y Leicester Street was named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, who purchased land in 1630 and erected a house (Leicester Square)
Lower Regent Street, SW1Y Lower Regent Street is the name for the part of Regent Street which lies south of Piccadilly Circus (St James’s)
Lumley Court, WC2N The very narrow Lumley Court connects Strand and Maiden Lane (Charing Cross)
Maiden Lane, WC2E Maiden Lane runs from Bedford Street in the west to Southampton Street in the east (Covent Garden)
Main Building, SW1A Main Building is a block on Horse Guards Avenue (Westminster)
May’s Court, WC2N May’s Court is a road in the WC2N postcode area (Covent Garden)
New Row, WC2E New Row is one of the streets of London in the WC2N postal area (Covent Garden)
New Street, SW1A New Street was made part of Spring Gardens in 1881 (Westminster)
New Zealand House, SW1Y New Zealand House is a block on Haymarket (St James’s)
Norman House, WC2R Norman House can be found on Strand, behind Savoy Steps (Charing Cross)
Norris Street, SW1Y Norris Street – after Godfrye Norris, local leaseholder in the 17th century (Piccadilly Circus)
Northumberland Avenue, WC2N Northumberland Avenue runs from Trafalgar Square in the west to the Thames Embankment. (Charing Cross)
Northumberland Court, SW1A Northumberland Court was a courtyard beside Northumberland House (Charing Cross)
Northumberland House, SW1A Northumberland House is a modern block on Northumberland Avenue sharing the same name as a notable house of Charing Cross (Charing Cross)
Northumberland Street, WC2N Northumberland Street commemorates the former Northumberland House, built originally in the 17th century for the earls of Northampton and later acquired by the earls of Northumberland. (Charing Cross)
Oceanic House, SW1Y Oceanic House is a block on Pall Mall East (Charing Cross)
Old Admiralty Building, SW1A Old Admiralty Building is a block on Spring Gardens (Westminster)
Orange Street, WC2H Orange Street gets its name from William III, Prince of Orange - the reigning king when the street was built. (Leicester Square)
Oxendon Street, W1D Oxendon Street, after Sir Henry Oxendon, husband of Mary Baker, daughter of Robert Baker who built the former Piccadilly House nearby (Leicester Square)
Pall Mall East, SW1A Pall Mall East is an eastern extension of Pall Mall towards Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross)
Pall Mall, SW1Y Pall Mall was laid out as grounds for playing pall mall in the 17th century (St James’s)
Panton Street, SW1Y Panton Street was named after Colonel Thomas Panton, local property dealer of the 17th century (Leicester Square)
Piccadilly Circus, W1J Piccadilly Circus was laid out by John Nash in 1819 (Piccadilly Circus)
Rex House, SW1Y Rex House is a building on Regent Street (St James’s)
Robert Street, WC2N Robert Street is named after Robert Adam, who built the Adelphi development with his brother John in the 1760s (Embankment)
Royal Opera Arcade, SW1Y Royal Opera Arcade was originally part of an opera house theatre, built by John Nash (St James’s)
Rupert Court, W1D Rupert Court was named for Prince Rupert of the Rhine, the First Lord of the Admiralty when the court was built in 1676 (Soho)
Rupert Street, W1D Rupert Street – after Prince Rupert of the Rhine, noted 17th century general and son of Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of King James I (Soho)
Sabadell House, SW1Y Sabadell House is a block on Pall Mall (St James’s)
Salisbury Street, WC2N Salisbury Street was named after Robert Cecil, the first Earl of Salisbury (Charing Cross)
Samuel House, SW1Y Samuel House is located on St Alban’s Street (St James’s)
Savoy Court, WC2R Savoy Court is a modern name for Beaufort Buildings (Charing Cross)
Savoy Hill, WC2R Savoy Hill is located at a site originally called Savoy Manor (Charing Cross)
Savoy Place, WC2N Savoy Place is located at a site originally called Savoy Manor - taking its name from Peter II, Count of Savoy. (Charing Cross)
Savoy Way, WC2R Savoy Way is located on the former site of the Savoy Palace, built for Peter II, Count of Savoy in 1245. (Charing Cross)
Shell Mex House, WC2N Shell Mex House is a grade II listed building located at 80 Strand (Charing Cross)
Southampton Street, WC2E Southampton Street - named for Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton and landowner (Covent Garden)
Spring Gardens, WC2N Spring Gardens derives its name from the Spring Garden, formed in the 16th century (Charing Cross)
St Alban’s House, SW1Y St Alban’s House can be found on Haymarket (St James’s)
St Albans Street, SW1Y St Albans Street was named after Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of Saint Albans, 17th century politician and local landowner (Piccadilly Circus)
St James’s Market, SW1Y St James’s Market was part of the site of St James’s leper hospital in the Middle Ages, named after James, son of Zebedee (Piccadilly Circus)
St Martins Court, WC2H St Martins Court is one of the streets of London in the WC2N postal area (Leicester Square)
St Martins Lane, WC2N St Martins Lane runs up to Seven Dials from St Martin’s-in-the-Fields (Covent Garden)
St Martins Place, WC2N St Martin’s Place is a short stretch connecting Trafalgar Square to the bottom of Charing Cross Road (Charing Cross)
St Martins Street, WC2H St Martins Street is one of the streets of London in the WC2H postal area (Leicester Square)
Strand, WC2E Strand (or the Strand) runs just over 3⁄4 mile from Trafalgar Square eastwards to Temple Bar, where the road becomes Fleet Street inside the City of London (Charing Cross)
Suffolk Place, SW1Y The Earl of Suffolk (Thomas Howard) was the reason for the naming of Suffolk Place (St James’s)
Suffolk Street, SW1Y Suffolk Street was named after Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, who owned a stable yard attached to Northumberland House which lay on this site (St James’s)
Swiss Court, SW1Y Swiss Court is named for the former Swiss Centre, once located here (Leicester Square)
The Arches, WC2N The Arches runs directly under Charing Cross station as a short cut from Villiers Street to Northumberland Avenue (Charing Cross)
The London Pavillion, SW1Y The London Pavilion is a building on Piccadilly Circus (Soho)
The Terrace, SW1A The Terrace is a road in the SW1A postcode area (Westminster)
Tower House, WC2E Tower House is a block on Southampton Street (Covent Garden)
Trafalgar Square, WC2N Trafalgar Square commemorates Horatio Nelson’s 1805 victory at the Battle of Trafalgar (Charing Cross)
Trinity Place, SW1A Trinity Place is a former courtyard in the Whitehall area (Charing Cross)
Victoria Embankment, SW1A Victoria Embankment leads north out of the Westminster area (River Thames)
Victoria Embankment, WC2N Victoria Embankment was built as part of Joseph Bazalgette’s Embankment scheme (Embankment)
Villiers Street, WC2N Villiers Street was named after George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (Charing Cross)
Warwick House Street, SW1A Warwick House Street formerly approached Warwick House, built in the 17th century for Sir Philip Warwick (Charing Cross)
Watergate Walk, WC2N Watergate Walk is named after a former watergate built in 1626 for George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham as an entrance for the former York House (Embankment)
Waterloo Place, SW1Y Waterloo Place, an extension of Regent Street, is awash with statues and monuments that honour heroes of the British Empire (St James’s)
Wellington Mews, W1B Wellington Mews was a new name for a stable yard without a name before the nineteenth century (Soho)
Whitcomb Street, WC2H Whitcomb Street - named after William Whitcomb, 17th century brewer and property developer (Leicester Square)
Whitehall Court, SW1A Whitehall Court runs north from Horse Guards Avenue (Westminster)
Whitehall Gardens, SW1A Whitehall Gardens is a road in the SW1A postcode area (Westminster)
Whitehall House, SW1A Whitehall House, a grade II listed building, is situated on Whitehall, in close proximity to Trafalgar Square. (Charing Cross)
Whitehall Place, SW1A Whitehall Place is one of the streets of London in the SW1A postal area (Westminster)
Whitehall, SW1A Whitehall is recognised as the centre of the government of the United Kingdom (Westminster)
William IV Street, WC2N William IV Street runs from Charing Cross Road to the Strand (Charing Cross)
York Buildings, WC2N York Buildings marks a house was built on this site in the 14th century for the bishops of Norwich (Embankment)
York Place, WC2N York Place marks the location of a house on this site (Charing Cross)
Zimbabwe House, WC2N Charles Holden designed this building located on the corner of Agar Street and Strand for the British Medical Association. (Charing Cross)


Click here to explore another London street
We now have 674 completed street histories and 46826 partial histories


Click here to see photos of the area


  Contact us · Copyright policy · Privacy policy