The name ’Whitehall’ was used for several buildings in the Tudor period – referring to their colour, consisting of light stone. This included the Royal Palace of Whitehall, which gave its name to the street.
The Palace of Whitehall was the residence of Kings Henry VIII through to William III before its destruction by fire in 1698. Whitehall was originally the road that led to the front of the palace. It was widened in the 18th century following the destruction of the palace.
It became a popular place to live by the 17th century. Oliver Cromwell had moved to Wallingford House in the street in 1647. Two years later, Charles I was carried through Whitehall on the way to his trial at Westminster Hall. Whitehall had sufficient space for a scaffold to be erected for the King’s execution in 1649. Cromwell in turn died at the Palace of Whitehall in 1658.
By the 18th century, traffic struggled along the narrow streets south of Holbein Gate. The gate was demolished in 1759. Parliament Street had been a side road alongside the Whitehall Palace, leading to the Palace of Westminster. Parliament Street was widened to match Whitehall’s width.
The Horse Guards building was designed by William Kent, and built during the 1750s.
Scotland Yard, the headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police Service, was originally located in Great Scotland Yard off the north-eastern end of Whitehall. The headquarters was moved away from Whitehall in 1890.
Downing Street leads off the south-west end of Whitehall, just above Parliament Street.
