WALK 27 - SOME FASCINATING LONDON BUILDINGS AND OBJECTS - (Part 2) Charing Cross - Whitehall - Westminster - Queen Anne's Gate - The Mall - Trafalgar Square - Charing Cross
Click here, or on the map above to open an interactive map of the route (Close the opened map window to return to this page)
INTRODUCTION
This walk starts from the front of Charing Cross Station, on the Strand.
The route then goes down Whitehall, Queen Ann's Gate, St James's Park, The Mall, then through Trafalgar Square back to Charing Cross Station (3.7Km / 2.3 miles)
Along the way, a range of interesting old buildings and monuments will be pointed out.
USING THE WALK
The walk is designed to be used directly from your phone.
(Alternatively, you can download and print off a PDF version of the walk by clicking this link).
Just scroll down to start the walk using your phone.
TEXT COLOURS
There are links within the text to more information about the things that are discussed in the walk. You can follow these up later if you wish.
In the walk:
- Directions are shown in black italic text.
- History and information notes are shown in blue text.
- Links to further infomation are shown in brown text.
THE WALK
Start from the front of Charing Cross Station. Nearest tube stations are Charing Cross or Embankment
CHARING CROSS STATION
The Charing Cross railway station opened in 1864, and was fronted on the Strand by the Charing Cross Hotel (now called the Clermont Hotel). The hotel was erected in 1865, commissioned by the South Eastern Railway Company.
In the forecourt of Charing Cross station and the Charing Cross Hotel is a larger (21 metres high) and more ornate copy of the original Eleanor Cross which used to stand near here. This copy was erected in 1865, and was commissioned by the South Eastern Railway Company.
The original Eleanor crosses were a series of twelve tall and lavishly decorated stone monuments. These were erected in a line down part of the east of England. King Edward I had them built between 1291 and about 1295 in memory of his wife, Eleanor of Castile. They mark the places that the body of Eleanor rested overnight, as it was transported to Westminster Abbey for internment. One of these original Eleanor crosses used to stand where the Statue of Charles I, on the traffic island at the top of Whitehall, now is. You will see the statue a little later in the walk.
‘Charing’ was the name of a village here, thought to be a corruption of ‘La Chère Reine’, meaning ‘The Dear Queen’. There is discussion about if this refers to Queen Eleanor or the Virgin Mary, as the area was already called Charing before 1290. Another idea is that the name Charing came from the old English word 'cierring', which meant 'turning', either referring to he curve in the River Thames near here, or this turning point in the road when journeying between the cities of Westminster and London.
Continue along the Strand towards Trafalgar Square, and as the road bends to the left, cross over to the triangular island in the middle of the Strand. Now turn left and cross to the traffic island with a statue of a King Charles I riding a horse, mentioned earlier.
THE STATUE OF KING CHARLES I
After the Parliamentary victory in the English Civil War, the statue was sold to a John Rivet, who was a metalsmith in the Holborn area. Rivet was told by Parliament to break down the statue, but instead he hid it.
After the Restoration of the Monarchy, the statue was found, and purchased by Charles II in 1675, it was then placed in its current prominent location. It is the oldest bronze statue in London.
The statue faces down Whitehall, towards Charles I's place of execution in 1649 outside the Banqueting House. The statue is also the point that distances from London are measured from.
WHITEHALL
The picture above is of the Palace of Whitehall from St James's Park
(by Hendrick Danckerts, about 1674)
Government Art Collection, Downing Street - PUBLIC DOMAIN
Whitehall gets its name from Whitehall Palace, built in Tudor times, which once stood in this area. Whitehall Palace got its name from the white stone which was used in its construction.
Recently, the building has had a £3.5M restoration, making the building safe and easier to use, but retaining the building's Edwardian baroque architecture.
55 Whitehall now houses the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Walk a little further down Whitehall. On the left is Whitehall Place. About 32 metres, on the left, is a plaque marking the place that the original Scotland Yard was set up in 1829.
Between Great Scotland Yard, which you passed earlier, and Whitehall Place that you are now in, was the original site of the Metropolitan Police headquarters in London. They were initially located at 4 Whitehall Place (1829-1890). This building also had a public entrance on Great Scotland Yard. This is why the Metropolitan London Police Headquarters have since been called Scotland Yard.
After a couple of moves between 1890-2016, the headquarters are now located at New Scotland Yard on the Victoria Embankment (from 2016-present).
Return to Whitehall, turn left and walk further down Whitehall to where there is an equestrian statue in the middle of the road. This is a statue of George, Duke of Cambridge.
On the left here is 57, Whitehall.
57 WHITEHALL
The War Office was built here in 1906, designed by British architect William Young.
The War Office was the headquarters for the British Armed Forces, and a central location for military planning during both World War I and World War II.
Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, worked here as a naval intelligence assistant. Fleming's time here is thought to have influenced the content of his James Bond novels. The building has been featured in numerous Bond films, including Skyfall and Licence to Kill.
The building was sold to new owners in 2016 and then underwent a significant restoration and conversion. The OWO now contains luxury suites, restaurants, bars, and a spa, while still preserving many of the original historical features of the Old War Office.
Walk past the OXO building, then turn first left into Horse Guards Avenue. 100 metres on the right is the northern entrance to the Ministry of Defence Building.
The Ministry of Defence Building
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when most of its buildings were destroyed by a fire.
The section of the building that you are facing now is the northern portico. The two large statues, either side of the entrance are called "Earth" and "Water". They were made by sculptor Sir Charles Wheeler. It was originally planned to place similar figures representing "Air" and "Fire" at the south end of the building, but these were never constructed.
During the 1950s, staff working in the building nicknamed the statues "Mr and Mrs Parkinson" (after Cyril Northcote Parkinson, the Board of Trade civil servant who devised Parkinson's Law, which states "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion"). The MOD staff these days refer to the statues as the "Two Fat Ladies".
Walk back to Whitehall. Straight ahead is the Horse Guards building.
THE HORSE GUARDS
Horse Guards was originally part of the entrance to the Palace of Whitehall and then later St James's Palace. It is still ceremonially defended by the King's Life Guard.
The current Horse Guards building was built in the mid-18th century, replacing an earlier building.
Between the early 18th century and 1858, the main military headquarters for the British Empire were based here.
Horse Guards serves as a barracks and stables for the Household Cavalry. Although still in military use, part of the building houses the Household Cavalry Museum, which is open to the public. Horse Guards also functions as a public gateway between Whitehall and the Horse Guards parade ground, and to St James's Park.
Walk about 30 metres further down Whitehall. On the left side of Whitehall the Banqueting House.
THE BANQUETING HOUSE
The Palace of Whitehall was originally the creation of Henry VIII. It was built on land that Henry had taken from the disgraced Cardinal Wolsey. Henry had created his new role as the Supreme Head of the Church of England, and wanted a palace that befitted this. It was to be the "biggest palace in Christendom".
During Elizabeth I's reign, in 1591, a more permanent Banqueting house was built at Whitehall. Raphael Holinshed described the building as, "...a timbered structure covered with canvas painted in imitation of stone, and with a painted ceiling including the Queen's devices and heraldry".
Another banqueting house was built by King James I. It lasted from 1606 until 1619 when it burnt down.
James commissioned Inigo Jones to create a grand new building. This is the version that you see here today, completed in 1622. King James I died in 1625, and was replaced by his son, King Charles I
King Charles I and the Royalists were defeated in the English Civil War. In the 1640s, Charles was put on trial in Westminster Hall, and was then sentenced to death.
At 2pm on the 30th January 1649, Charles I, was executed on a scaffold which had been erected outside the Banqueting House, he had his head chopped off, with one blow of the axe.
ABOVE: Charles I being executed outside the Banqueting House - Public Domain Image
Walk further down Whitehall, passing another equestrian statue. This is of Field Marshal, Earl Haig, who was the commander in chief of the British Armies in France during WW1.
Further on is a monument to the contribution that British women made in WW2.
MONUMENT TO THE WOMEN OF WORLD WAR II
The lettering on the sides uses the typeface that was used on war time ration books.
The 17 individual sets of clothing and uniforms, that are depicted on the monument, symbolise some of the jobs that women undertook in World War II. They are hanging up to symbolise that after the war, and the fighting men returned home, the jobs were given back for the homecoming men.
Forty metres further down Whitehall, on the right, is the guarded entrance to Downing Street.
DOWNING STREET
Downing Street is now a gated street that houses the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (at 10 Downing Street) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (at 11 Downing Street). It was built in the 1680s by Sir George Downing, a soldier and a diplomat on the site of a mansion, Hampden House.
10 Downing Street is a Georgian style building, and in 1732 was given to Sir Robert Walpole, who is widely considered to be the UK's first Prime Minister. It is a Grade I listed building.
Walk about 55 metres further down Whitehall to the Cenotaph monument in the middle of the Road.
THE CENOTAPH
The Cenotaph is Britain's chief national war memorial to the dead of the First and Second World Wars and subsequent conflicts. It takes its name from Greek words meaning 'empty tomb'. The Cenotaph is the focus of national ceremonies of remembrance, which have been held annually since 1919. The Cenotaph was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and was unveiled in 1920.
On the west side of the Cenotaph is the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. the main entrance to it is around the corner in King Charles Street. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, and was built between 1861 and 1868.
On the east side of the Cenotaph is Richmond House, the headquarters of the Department of Health offices, completed in 1987.
Walk further on past the Cenotaph. Here Whitehall becomes Parliament Street.
Parliament Street got its name between 1741 and 1750, when it was built to connect Whitehall with the newly-built Westminster Bridge.
Just before Parliament Street reaches the junction with Bridge Street, on the right hand side of the the road are the government offices for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and also HM Revenue and Customs.
The building is known as the Government Offices Great George Street (GOGGS). It was designed by John Brydon following a competition in 1898. The design was based on an Inigo Jones’ design for a new Whitehall Palace in the 1630s.
The construction of the building took place in two phases. The eastern end was completed in 1908, and the western end was completed in 1917.
It was originally built as offices for the Board of Education, the Local Government Board and the local Ministry of Works Office.
Cross over Bridge Street and carry on in the same direction along Parliament Square for 110 metres, with the houses of Parliament on your left. Stop when you get to a statue of Oliver Cromwell behing the fence on your left.
Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland between 1653 and 1658.
This Grade II listed statue of Cromwell was designed by Hamo Thornycroft and erected in 1899. It has divided opinion, both before its erection and since, due to Cromwell's opposition to the monarchy and his role in the conquest of Ireland.
Behind the statue is the oldest part of the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Hall.
WESTMINSTER HALL
Westminster Hall is the oldest building in Parliament and virtually the only part of the ancient Palace of Westminster which survives in almost its original form. Westminster Hall is a medieval great hall, erected in 1097 for William II (William Rufus), at which point it was the largest hall in Europe.
The building has had various functions over the years, including being used for judicial purposes from the twelfth to the nineteenth centuries. When a joint address is given to the two chambers of the UK Parliament, the House of Commons and House of Lords, the hall is on rare occasions used as the venue.
ABOVE: George IV's coronation banquet, held in Westminster Hall in 1821. OPEN SOURCE
Westminster Hall is also used for special addresses by Parliament to the Monarch. It was used to host coronation banquets until 1821.
Several individuals have lain in state in Westminster Hall, including monarchs, consorts, and notable public figures. The first to do so was William Gladstone in 1898, followed by King Edward VII in 1910, King George V in 1936, King George VI in 1952, Queen Mary in 1953, Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002, and most recently, Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
Carry on walking along with the Palace of Westminster on your left.
THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER
The other buildings connected to Westminster Hall, make up the Palace of Westminster.
Image above is Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palace_of_Westminster_-_Parliament_House.jpg
The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers which occupy the building.
The Elizabeth Tower part of the palace, nicknamed Big Ben (really the name of the largest bell inside the tower) is a landmark in London . The palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970.
The building was originally constructed in the eleventh century as a royal palace and was the primary residence of the kings of England until 1512, when a fire destroyed the royal apartments. The monarch moved to the adjacent Palace of Whitehall, but the remainder of the palace continued to serve as the home of the Parliament of England, which had met there since the 13th century. In 1834 a second, larger fire destroyed the majority of the palace, but the twelfth century Westminster Hall was saved and incorporated into the replacement building.
A competition to design the new palace was won by the architect Charles Barry, who chose a Gothic Revival style for the building. Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering delays, cost overruns, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin. This new palace became globally famous for its ornate decoration, and contributed to the proliferation of Gothic Revival architecture around the world.
The palace contains chambers for the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the monarch.
Continue walking until you reach the end of the Parliament buildings (the Victoria Tower). Turn and look across the road, you should see The Jewel Tower (see on the right).
Cross the road towards the Jewel Tower.
THE JEWEL TOWER
At the end of the 16th century the House of Lords began to use the tower to store its parliamentary records, which continued to the 18th century.
On October 16, 1834 there was a fire in the Palace of Westminster. The Jewel House was one of only four buildings to survive. A new neo-Gothic Palace of Westminster was built, and the records were moved from the Jewel House to the Victoria Tower (over the road), which had been built for the purpose of storing archives.
From 1869 to 1938 the Jewel Tower was used for storing and testing official weights and measures.
The Tower was damaged by bombing in the Second World War and was restored after the war. Today the Jewel Tower is managed by English Heritage and receives about 30,000 visitors annually.
Continue walking towards Westminster Abbey until you reach the Henry VII Lady Chapel.
Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey was built in 1503 by Henry VII. Its cost was about £14,000, an enormous amount for the time.
The chapel holds the tombs of King Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York, who share a tomb. Queen Mary I, Queen Elizabeth I, King James I, King Charles II, and Mary, Queen of Scots also have tombs in this chapel.
Continue walking in the same direction until you reach St Margaret's Church.
St Margaret's, which was founded in the twelfth century by Benedictine monks, so that local people who lived in the area around the Abbey could worship separately at their own simpler parish church.
Read more about St Margaret's here.
Walk past the side of St. Margaret's church, then turn left past Westminster Abbey. The path curves to the left, and becomes Broad Sanctuary. On the left there is an open triangular area, called The Sanctuary.
THE CRIMEA AND INDIAN MUTINY MEMORIAL
It was designed in High Victorian Gothic style by George Gilbert Scott, who was Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey from 1849 to 1878.
On the right of the Sanctuary is The Sanctuary House.
THE SANCTUARY HOUSE
This building is Grade II listed. It is a terrace of Bath stone buildings, which incorporates a gateway to Dean's Yard.
It was designed and built 1853-54 by Sir George Gilbert Scott. Each side of the main entrance the building looks like terraced housing, although they are now used as offices.
The name Sanctuary House refers to a former right of refuge within and around Westminster Abbey. This was established by Edward the Confessor. If you could get inside the building, you were granted immunity from arrest.
Continue walking, in the same direction, into Victoria Street. After about 250 metres, on the right hand side of the road, is a turning called Orchard Way. Walk through Orchard Way into Broadway. Straight ahead is a large white Portland stone building. This is 55 Broadway.
55 Broadway is a Grade I listed building. When it was first built, between 1927 and 1929, it was the tallest office block in London. In 1931. The architect, Charles Holden, was awarded the RIBA London Architecture Medal for the design.
It's first use was as a new headquarters for the Underground Electric Railways Company of London, the main forerunner of London Underground.
London Transport then occupied the building from 1933 to 1984, followed by its successors London Regional Transport from 1984 to 2000, and then Transport for London (TfL) from 2000 to 2020. TfL vacated the building in 2020.
The building, first listed as Grade II in 1970, was upgraded to Grade I in 2011.
In 2020, it was announced that it will be converted to a luxury hotel.
Halfway along each of the north and east sides, just above the doorways are two matched pair of sculptures, Day and Night, sculpted by Jacob Epstein.
The modernism style and the nakedness in these sculptures created public outrage on their unveiling. The "Day" sculpture in particular, which is of a man and a boy facing the street was criticised. This was because people said that when it rains, the water ran off the boy's penis on to passers by and people using the doors.
In the end, Jacob Epstein agreed to remove 1.5 inches (38 mm) from the penis of the boy figure on the "Day" sculpture.
Eventually the arguments about the sculptures died down.
55, Broadway also contains St. James's Park Tube Station, which is on the Circle and District Lines.
Looking out from the tube station entrance, straight ahead is a road called Queen Anne's Gate (see arrow in picture). Head towards it.
The street’s proximity to the Palace of Westminster made it a popular residential area for politicians.
- Lord Palmerston was born at No. 20.
- Sir Edward Grey and Lord Haldane, who were senior members of H. H. Asquith’s Cabinet, were near neighbours at Nos. 3 and 28 respectively.
Other prominent residents included:
- The philosopher John Stuart Mill at No. 40
- Mansfield Smith-Cumming, the founder of MI6 at No. 21
- Admiral “Jacky” Fisher (Admiral of the Fleet John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher), who lived at No. 16
At the ninety degree bend in Queen Anne's Gate, walk through the gates towards St. James's Park. (See the picture on the right).
Walk straight on into St James's Park, across Birdcage Walk.
(The street is named after the Royal Menagerie and Aviary which were located here in the reign of King James I.)
Soon you will come to the Blue Bridge, over St. James's Park Lake. Cross over.
Look at the views from the bridge. Looking West, you will see Buckingham Palace. Looking East, you are facing towards the rear of Downing Street and the Horse Guards Parade Ground.
Continue walking over the bridge. Carry on until you get to the Mall.
Looking left, you can see the Queen Victoria Memorial, with Buckingham Palace behind it.
Cross the Mall, and turn right. Walk about 225 metres, and on the left is the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth,The Queen Mother, Memorial
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth,The Queen Mother, Memorial
The memorial was completed in its present form in 2009. It incorporates an earlier, Grade II listed statue of George VI by William McMillan, which was unveiled by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1955.
The now reconfigured memorial, includes a statue of the Queen Mother by Philip Jackson (above), a relief sculpture by Paul Day (below) and an architectural setting by Donald Buttress and Donald Insall. The memorial was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II in 2009.
Continue in the same direction along the Mall. The building on your left ithat you are passing is Carlton House Terrace. After about 175 metres, you will come to some steps on your left, above which is a statue of the Duke of York standing on top of a granite column.
The Duke of York Column
This tall monument was completed in 1834. It is a sculpture of Prince Frederick, the Duke of York and Albany.
The National Gallery was founded in 1824, and houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900.
Continue passing the National Gallery. When you reach Charing Cross Road, cross over it. On your left is St. Martin's in the Fields.
St. Martin's in the Fields
This walk starts from the front of Charing Cross Station, on the Strand.
The route then goes down Whitehall, Queen Ann's Gate, St James's Park, The Mall, then through Trafalgar Square back to Charing Cross Station (3.7Km / 2.3 miles)
Along the way, a range of interesting old buildings and monuments will be pointed out.
USING THE WALK
The walk is designed to be used directly from your phone.
(Alternatively, you can download and print off a PDF version of the walk by clicking this link).
Just scroll down to start the walk using your phone.
TEXT COLOURS
There are links within the text to more information about the things that are discussed in the walk. You can follow these up later if you wish.
In the walk:
- Directions are shown in black italic text.
- History and information notes are shown in blue text.
- Links to further infomation are shown in brown text.
THE WALK
Start from the front of Charing Cross Station. Nearest tube stations are Charing Cross or Embankment
CHARING CROSS STATIONThe Charing Cross railway station opened in 1864, and was fronted on the Strand by the Charing Cross Hotel (now called the Clermont Hotel). The hotel was erected in 1865, commissioned by the South Eastern Railway Company.
In the forecourt of Charing Cross station and the Charing Cross Hotel is a larger (21 metres high) and more ornate copy of the original Eleanor Cross which used to stand near here. This copy was erected in 1865, and was commissioned by the South Eastern Railway Company.
The original Eleanor crosses were a series of twelve tall and lavishly decorated stone monuments. These were erected in a line down part of the east of England. King Edward I had them built between 1291 and about 1295 in memory of his wife, Eleanor of Castile. They mark the places that the body of Eleanor rested overnight, as it was transported to Westminster Abbey for internment. One of these original Eleanor crosses used to stand where the Statue of Charles I, on the traffic island at the top of Whitehall, now is. You will see the statue a little later in the walk.
‘Charing’ was the name of a village here, thought to be a corruption of ‘La Chère Reine’, meaning ‘The Dear Queen’. There is discussion about if this refers to Queen Eleanor or the Virgin Mary, as the area was already called Charing before 1290. Another idea is that the name Charing came from the old English word 'cierring', which meant 'turning', either referring to he curve in the River Thames near here, or this turning point in the road when journeying between the cities of Westminster and London.
Continue along the Strand towards Trafalgar Square, and as the road bends to the left, cross over to the triangular island in the middle of the Strand. Now turn left and cross to the traffic island with a statue of a King Charles I riding a horse, mentioned earlier.
THE STATUE OF KING CHARLES I
This equestrian statue of Charles I was created by Hubert Le Sueur, a French sculptor. It was probably cast in 1633, during Charles’s lifetime. It was the first Renaissance-style equestrian statue erected in England. The statue was commissioned by King Charles's Lord High Treasurer, Richard Weston, for the garden of his country house in Roehampton, Surrey.
After the Parliamentary victory in the English Civil War, the statue was sold to a John Rivet, who was a metalsmith in the Holborn area. Rivet was told by Parliament to break down the statue, but instead he hid it.
After the Restoration of the Monarchy, the statue was found, and purchased by Charles II in 1675, it was then placed in its current prominent location. It is the oldest bronze statue in London.
The statue faces down Whitehall, towards Charles I's place of execution in 1649 outside the Banqueting House. The statue is also the point that distances from London are measured from.
Use the crossing to get over the road to the left hand side of Whitehall.
You should be able to see the Elizabeth Tower Clock at the bottom of Whitehall. The Elizabeth Tower is often called Big Ben, which is really the name of the 13 ton bell within the tower which chimes the hours.
WHITEHALL
The picture above is of the Palace of Whitehall from St James's Park(by Hendrick Danckerts, about 1674)
Government Art Collection, Downing Street - PUBLIC DOMAIN
Whitehall gets its name from Whitehall Palace, built in Tudor times, which once stood in this area. Whitehall Palace got its name from the white stone which was used in its construction.
Originally the area held a palace called York Place, dating from the 13th century. In the 16th century, King Henry VIII hired the Flemish artist Anton van den Wyngaerde to redesign the area as a much larger and grander palace. This became the main residence of the English monarchs from 1530 until a fire in 1698. The area, and the street leading to it, subsequently retained the name Whitehall.
For more information about Whitehall Palace, click here.
On your right hand side of Whitehall, you will pass the Trafalgar Theatre.
The Trafalgar Theatre has Art Deco design features. It was originally named the Whitehall Theatre when it opened in 1930. It was designed by Edward Stone and was known for staging comedies and revues.
In the 1950's and 60's the theatre became synonymous with Brian Rix's "Whitehall Farces".
In the late 20th century and early 21st century, the theatre was converted into two smaller "studio" spaces to put on plays in.
In 2021, the theatre was restored. The restoration brought back many of the original Art Deco features, including the grand ceiling, proscenium arch, and balcony front.
For more information about the Trafalgar Theatre, click here.
Opposite to the Trafalgar Theatre is Craig's Court. Walk into it.
CRAIG'S COURT
Craig's Court was built as a grand house by Joseph Craig in the 1690s. It became the headquarters for the Sunfire Office, one of the earliest modern insurance companies, in the early 18th century.
More information about Craig's Court - click here
THE OLD SHADES
The Old Shades is a Grade II listed public house. It was built in 1898 and designed by the architects Treadwell and Martin.
There was an earlier pub on the same site. The word 'Shades' in the pub's name comes from a Victorian generic term for cellars.
From January 2020, it has been operated by the Young's pub chain.
Continue walking down Whitehall.
About 75 metres further down Whitehall, on the left, you will pass a street called Great Scotland Yard.
On the right hand side of the street here is 26 Whitehall, also called The Ripley Building.
26 WHITEHALL - THE RIPLEY BUILDING
On your right hand side of Whitehall, you will pass the Trafalgar Theatre.
THE TRAFALGAR THEATRE
The Trafalgar Theatre has Art Deco design features. It was originally named the Whitehall Theatre when it opened in 1930. It was designed by Edward Stone and was known for staging comedies and revues.In the 1950's and 60's the theatre became synonymous with Brian Rix's "Whitehall Farces".
In the late 20th century and early 21st century, the theatre was converted into two smaller "studio" spaces to put on plays in.
In 2021, the theatre was restored. The restoration brought back many of the original Art Deco features, including the grand ceiling, proscenium arch, and balcony front.
For more information about the Trafalgar Theatre, click here.
Opposite to the Trafalgar Theatre is Craig's Court. Walk into it.
CRAIG'S COURT
Harrington House, a grade II listed building in Craig's Court. Harrington House has the grand facade of an 18th century manor house. Today, Harrington House houses the Whitehall Telephone Exchange.
Craig's Court was built as a grand house by Joseph Craig in the 1690s. It became the headquarters for the Sunfire Office, one of the earliest modern insurance companies, in the early 18th century.
More information about Craig's Court - click here
The Old Shades is a Grade II listed public house. It was built in 1898 and designed by the architects Treadwell and Martin.
There was an earlier pub on the same site. The word 'Shades' in the pub's name comes from a Victorian generic term for cellars.
From January 2020, it has been operated by the Young's pub chain.
Continue walking down Whitehall.
About 75 metres further down Whitehall, on the left, you will pass a street called Great Scotland Yard.
On the right hand side of the street here is 26 Whitehall, also called The Ripley Building.
26 WHITEHALL - THE RIPLEY BUILDING
26 Whitehall, also known as the Ripley Building, is grade I listed. The Ripley Building previously housed the Admiralty Board room and other state rooms, offices, and apartments for the Lords of the Admiralty. It is currently occupied by the International Development section of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The three-storey Ripley Building was designed by Thomas Ripley and completed in 1726. It is mainly notable for being perhaps the first purpose-built office building in Great Britain. It contained the Admiralty board room, which is still occasionally used by the Admiralty Board.
Robert Adam designed The Old Admiralty Screen, which was added to the entrance front in 1788. In January 1806, the body of Lord Nelson lay in the building on the night preceding his state funeral.
Opposite to the Ripley Building is 55 Whitehall.
55 Whitehall was designed by architect John Murray, and built in 1910. It has always been used as a government building. In 2002 it was vacated because of accessibility, and fire safety compartmentalisation issues.
The three-storey Ripley Building was designed by Thomas Ripley and completed in 1726. It is mainly notable for being perhaps the first purpose-built office building in Great Britain. It contained the Admiralty board room, which is still occasionally used by the Admiralty Board.
Robert Adam designed The Old Admiralty Screen, which was added to the entrance front in 1788. In January 1806, the body of Lord Nelson lay in the building on the night preceding his state funeral.
Opposite to the Ripley Building is 55 Whitehall.
55 WHITEHALL
Recently, the building has had a £3.5M restoration, making the building safe and easier to use, but retaining the building's Edwardian baroque architecture.
55 Whitehall now houses the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Walk a little further down Whitehall. On the left is Whitehall Place. About 32 metres, on the left, is a plaque marking the place that the original Scotland Yard was set up in 1829.
SCOTLAND YARD
After a couple of moves between 1890-2016, the headquarters are now located at New Scotland Yard on the Victoria Embankment (from 2016-present).
Return to Whitehall, turn left and walk further down Whitehall to where there is an equestrian statue in the middle of the road. This is a statue of George, Duke of Cambridge.
On the left here is 57, Whitehall.
57 WHITEHALL
57 Whitehall is now known as The OWO, standing for the Old War Office. Once a centre for British military and political power, the building has now been converted into a luxury hotel.
The War Office was built here in 1906, designed by British architect William Young.
The War Office was the headquarters for the British Armed Forces, and a central location for military planning during both World War I and World War II.
Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, worked here as a naval intelligence assistant. Fleming's time here is thought to have influenced the content of his James Bond novels. The building has been featured in numerous Bond films, including Skyfall and Licence to Kill.
The building was sold to new owners in 2016 and then underwent a significant restoration and conversion. The OWO now contains luxury suites, restaurants, bars, and a spa, while still preserving many of the original historical features of the Old War Office.
Walk past the OXO building, then turn first left into Horse Guards Avenue. 100 metres on the right is the northern entrance to the Ministry of Defence Building.
The Ministry of Defence Building
The Ministry of Defence Main Building is a grade I listed government office building. It was designed by E. Vincent Harris in 1915 and constructed between 1939 and 1959 on part of the site of the Palace of Whitehall.
The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when most of its buildings were destroyed by a fire.
When the current building was being built, a 16th-century Tudor brick-vaulted wine cellar was found, The wine cellar had originally been located in Cadogan House, the home of Cardinal Wolsey, but this was then incorporated into Whitehall Palace by Henry VIII.
The section of the building that you are facing now is the northern portico. The two large statues, either side of the entrance are called "Earth" and "Water". They were made by sculptor Sir Charles Wheeler. It was originally planned to place similar figures representing "Air" and "Fire" at the south end of the building, but these were never constructed.
During the 1950s, staff working in the building nicknamed the statues "Mr and Mrs Parkinson" (after Cyril Northcote Parkinson, the Board of Trade civil servant who devised Parkinson's Law, which states "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion"). The MOD staff these days refer to the statues as the "Two Fat Ladies".
Walk back to Whitehall. Straight ahead is the Horse Guards building.
THE HORSE GUARDS
Horse Guards was originally part of the entrance to the Palace of Whitehall and then later St James's Palace. It is still ceremonially defended by the King's Life Guard.
The current Horse Guards building was built in the mid-18th century, replacing an earlier building.
Between the early 18th century and 1858, the main military headquarters for the British Empire were based here.
Horse Guards serves as a barracks and stables for the Household Cavalry. Although still in military use, part of the building houses the Household Cavalry Museum, which is open to the public. Horse Guards also functions as a public gateway between Whitehall and the Horse Guards parade ground, and to St James's Park.
Walk about 30 metres further down Whitehall. On the left side of Whitehall the Banqueting House.
THE BANQUETING HOUSE
The Palace of Whitehall was originally the creation of Henry VIII. It was built on land that Henry had taken from the disgraced Cardinal Wolsey. Henry had created his new role as the Supreme Head of the Church of England, and wanted a palace that befitted this. It was to be the "biggest palace in Christendom".
During Henry's reign, the King preferred to banquet in a temporary structure which was built in the gardens of the Palace of Whitehall.
During Elizabeth I's reign, in 1591, a more permanent Banqueting house was built at Whitehall. Raphael Holinshed described the building as, "...a timbered structure covered with canvas painted in imitation of stone, and with a painted ceiling including the Queen's devices and heraldry".
Another banqueting house was built by King James I. It lasted from 1606 until 1619 when it burnt down.
James commissioned Inigo Jones to create a grand new building. This is the version that you see here today, completed in 1622. King James I died in 1625, and was replaced by his son, King Charles I
King Charles I and the Royalists were defeated in the English Civil War. In the 1640s, Charles was put on trial in Westminster Hall, and was then sentenced to death.
At 2pm on the 30th January 1649, Charles I, was executed on a scaffold which had been erected outside the Banqueting House, he had his head chopped off, with one blow of the axe.
ABOVE: Charles I being executed outside the Banqueting House - Public Domain Image
Walk further down Whitehall, passing another equestrian statue. This is of Field Marshal, Earl Haig, who was the commander in chief of the British Armies in France during WW1.
Further on is a monument to the contribution that British women made in WW2.
MONUMENT TO THE WOMEN OF WORLD WAR II
The monument is a 6.7 metre tall, hollow bronze statue, and represents the women who left their normal lives to contribute to the war effort. The statue was sculpted by John W. Mills. When he was a child, Mills became a wartime evacuee when his mother joined the fire service.
The lettering on the sides uses the typeface that was used on war time ration books.
The 17 individual sets of clothing and uniforms, that are depicted on the monument, symbolise some of the jobs that women undertook in World War II. They are hanging up to symbolise that after the war, and the fighting men returned home, the jobs were given back for the homecoming men.
Forty metres further down Whitehall, on the right, is the guarded entrance to Downing Street.
DOWNING STREET
10 Downing Street is a Georgian style building, and in 1732 was given to Sir Robert Walpole, who is widely considered to be the UK's first Prime Minister. It is a Grade I listed building.
Walk about 55 metres further down Whitehall to the Cenotaph monument in the middle of the Road.
THE CENOTAPH
The Cenotaph is Britain's chief national war memorial to the dead of the First and Second World Wars and subsequent conflicts. It takes its name from Greek words meaning 'empty tomb'. The Cenotaph is the focus of national ceremonies of remembrance, which have been held annually since 1919. The Cenotaph was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and was unveiled in 1920.
On the west side of the Cenotaph is the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. the main entrance to it is around the corner in King Charles Street. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, and was built between 1861 and 1868. On the east side of the Cenotaph is Richmond House, the headquarters of the Department of Health offices, completed in 1987.
Walk further on past the Cenotaph. Here Whitehall becomes Parliament Street.
Parliament Street got its name between 1741 and 1750, when it was built to connect Whitehall with the newly-built Westminster Bridge.
Carry on down the left hand side of Parliament Street.
Just before Parliament Street reaches the junction with Bridge Street, on the right hand side of the the road are the government offices for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and also HM Revenue and Customs.
The building is known as the Government Offices Great George Street (GOGGS). It was designed by John Brydon following a competition in 1898. The design was based on an Inigo Jones’ design for a new Whitehall Palace in the 1630s.The construction of the building took place in two phases. The eastern end was completed in 1908, and the western end was completed in 1917.
It was originally built as offices for the Board of Education, the Local Government Board and the local Ministry of Works Office.
Cross over Bridge Street and carry on in the same direction along Parliament Square for 110 metres, with the houses of Parliament on your left. Stop when you get to a statue of Oliver Cromwell behing the fence on your left.
Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland between 1653 and 1658.
Directly opposite the statue, in the wall of St Margaret's Church, on the other side of the road, is a bust of Charles I who was executed by Cromwell's forces.
This Grade II listed statue of Cromwell was designed by Hamo Thornycroft and erected in 1899. It has divided opinion, both before its erection and since, due to Cromwell's opposition to the monarchy and his role in the conquest of Ireland.
Behind the statue is the oldest part of the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Hall.
WESTMINSTER HALL
Westminster Hall is the oldest building in Parliament and virtually the only part of the ancient Palace of Westminster which survives in almost its original form. Westminster Hall is a medieval great hall, erected in 1097 for William II (William Rufus), at which point it was the largest hall in Europe.
The building has had various functions over the years, including being used for judicial purposes from the twelfth to the nineteenth centuries. When a joint address is given to the two chambers of the UK Parliament, the House of Commons and House of Lords, the hall is on rare occasions used as the venue.
ABOVE: George IV's coronation banquet, held in Westminster Hall in 1821. OPEN SOURCE
Westminster Hall is also used for special addresses by Parliament to the Monarch. It was used to host coronation banquets until 1821.
Several individuals have lain in state in Westminster Hall, including monarchs, consorts, and notable public figures. The first to do so was William Gladstone in 1898, followed by King Edward VII in 1910, King George V in 1936, King George VI in 1952, Queen Mary in 1953, Sir Winston Churchill in 1965, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002, and most recently, Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
Carry on walking along with the Palace of Westminster on your left.
THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER
The other buildings connected to Westminster Hall, make up the Palace of Westminster.
Image above is Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Palace_of_Westminster_-_Parliament_House.jpg
The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers which occupy the building.
The Elizabeth Tower part of the palace, nicknamed Big Ben (really the name of the largest bell inside the tower) is a landmark in London . The palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970.
The building was originally constructed in the eleventh century as a royal palace and was the primary residence of the kings of England until 1512, when a fire destroyed the royal apartments. The monarch moved to the adjacent Palace of Whitehall, but the remainder of the palace continued to serve as the home of the Parliament of England, which had met there since the 13th century. In 1834 a second, larger fire destroyed the majority of the palace, but the twelfth century Westminster Hall was saved and incorporated into the replacement building.
A competition to design the new palace was won by the architect Charles Barry, who chose a Gothic Revival style for the building. Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering delays, cost overruns, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin. This new palace became globally famous for its ornate decoration, and contributed to the proliferation of Gothic Revival architecture around the world.
The palace contains chambers for the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the monarch.
Continue walking until you reach the end of the Parliament buildings (the Victoria Tower). Turn and look across the road, you should see The Jewel Tower (see on the right).
Cross the road towards the Jewel Tower.
THE JEWEL TOWER
The Jewel Tower is a 14th-century surviving element of the Palace of Westminster. It was built in about 1366 to house the personal treasure of King Edward III. The tower continued to be used for storing the monarch's treasure and personal possessions until 1512, when a fire in the palace caused King Henry VIII to relocate his court to the nearby Palace of Whitehall.
At the end of the 16th century the House of Lords began to use the tower to store its parliamentary records, which continued to the 18th century.
On October 16, 1834 there was a fire in the Palace of Westminster. The Jewel House was one of only four buildings to survive. A new neo-Gothic Palace of Westminster was built, and the records were moved from the Jewel House to the Victoria Tower (over the road), which had been built for the purpose of storing archives.
From 1869 to 1938 the Jewel Tower was used for storing and testing official weights and measures.
The Tower was damaged by bombing in the Second World War and was restored after the war. Today the Jewel Tower is managed by English Heritage and receives about 30,000 visitors annually.
Continue walking towards Westminster Abbey until you reach the Henry VII Lady Chapel.
HENRY VII LADY CHAPEL
Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey was built in 1503 by Henry VII. Its cost was about £14,000, an enormous amount for the time.The chapel holds the tombs of King Henry VII and his wife, Elizabeth of York, who share a tomb. Queen Mary I, Queen Elizabeth I, King James I, King Charles II, and Mary, Queen of Scots also have tombs in this chapel.
Continue walking in the same direction until you reach St Margaret's Church.
ST MARGARET'S CHURCH
Read more about St Margaret's here.
Walk past the side of St. Margaret's church, then turn left past Westminster Abbey. The path curves to the left, and becomes Broad Sanctuary. On the left there is an open triangular area, called The Sanctuary.
THE CRIMEA AND INDIAN MUTINY MEMORIAL
At the front of the open area is a large column. This is the Crimea and Indian Mutiny memorial. It was built in 1861, and is a memorial commemorating 19 former pupils of Westminster School, 10 of whom died in the Crimean War of 1854–56, and nine who died in the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58.
It was designed in High Victorian Gothic style by George Gilbert Scott, who was Surveyor of the Fabric of Westminster Abbey from 1849 to 1878.
On the right of the Sanctuary is The Sanctuary House.
THE SANCTUARY HOUSE
This building is Grade II listed. It is a terrace of Bath stone buildings, which incorporates a gateway to Dean's Yard.
It was designed and built 1853-54 by Sir George Gilbert Scott. Each side of the main entrance the building looks like terraced housing, although they are now used as offices.
The name Sanctuary House refers to a former right of refuge within and around Westminster Abbey. This was established by Edward the Confessor. If you could get inside the building, you were granted immunity from arrest.
Continue walking, in the same direction, into Victoria Street. After about 250 metres, on the right hand side of the road, is a turning called Orchard Way. Walk through Orchard Way into Broadway. Straight ahead is a large white Portland stone building. This is 55 Broadway.
55 BROADWAY
It's first use was as a new headquarters for the Underground Electric Railways Company of London, the main forerunner of London Underground.
London Transport then occupied the building from 1933 to 1984, followed by its successors London Regional Transport from 1984 to 2000, and then Transport for London (TfL) from 2000 to 2020. TfL vacated the building in 2020.
The building, first listed as Grade II in 1970, was upgraded to Grade I in 2011.
In 2020, it was announced that it will be converted to a luxury hotel.
The building is designed in an Art Deco style. On the pediment above the sixth floor is a set of relief sculptures, collectively known as The Four Winds. Each relief was carved by an avant-garde sculptor of the day. These include Jacob Epstein, Alfred Gerrard, Eric Gill, Allan G. Wyon, Eric Aumonier, Samuel Rabinovitch and Henry Moore.
Halfway along each of the north and east sides, just above the doorways are two matched pair of sculptures, Day and Night, sculpted by Jacob Epstein.
The modernism style and the nakedness in these sculptures created public outrage on their unveiling. The "Day" sculpture in particular, which is of a man and a boy facing the street was criticised. This was because people said that when it rains, the water ran off the boy's penis on to passers by and people using the doors.
Newspapers started a campaign to have the statues removed. Frank Pick, the managing director of the UERL (Underground Electric Railways Company of London) at the time, took responsibility and offered his resignation over the scandal.
In the end, Jacob Epstein agreed to remove 1.5 inches (38 mm) from the penis of the boy figure on the "Day" sculpture.
Eventually the arguments about the sculptures died down.
There is a shopping arcade in 55, Broadway which you can enter to see some of the Art Deco details of the interior.
55, Broadway also contains St. James's Park Tube Station, which is on the Circle and District Lines.
Looking out from the tube station entrance, straight ahead is a road called Queen Anne's Gate (see arrow in picture). Head towards it.
Queen Anne's Gate
Queen Anne’s Gate is a street known for its Queen Anne architecture. Many of the buildings are Grade I listed.
Simon Bradley and Nikolaus Pevsner described the Gate’s early 18th century houses as “the best of their kind in London.”
Simon Bradley and Nikolaus Pevsner described the Gate’s early 18th century houses as “the best of their kind in London.”
The street’s proximity to the Palace of Westminster made it a popular residential area for politicians.
- Lord Palmerston was born at No. 20.
- Sir Edward Grey and Lord Haldane, who were senior members of H. H. Asquith’s Cabinet, were near neighbours at Nos. 3 and 28 respectively.
Other prominent residents included:
- The philosopher John Stuart Mill at No. 40
- Mansfield Smith-Cumming, the founder of MI6 at No. 21
- Admiral “Jacky” Fisher (Admiral of the Fleet John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher), who lived at No. 16
At the ninety degree bend in Queen Anne's Gate, walk through the gates towards St. James's Park. (See the picture on the right).Walk straight on into St James's Park, across Birdcage Walk.
(The street is named after the Royal Menagerie and Aviary which were located here in the reign of King James I.)
Soon you will come to the Blue Bridge, over St. James's Park Lake. Cross over.
Look at the views from the bridge. Looking West, you will see Buckingham Palace. Looking East, you are facing towards the rear of Downing Street and the Horse Guards Parade Ground.
Continue walking over the bridge. Carry on until you get to the Mall.
Looking left, you can see the Queen Victoria Memorial, with Buckingham Palace behind it.
Cross the Mall, and turn right. Walk about 225 metres, and on the left is the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth,The Queen Mother, Memorial
The King George VI & Queen Elizabeth,The Queen Mother, Memorial
The now reconfigured memorial, includes a statue of the Queen Mother by Philip Jackson (above), a relief sculpture by Paul Day (below) and an architectural setting by Donald Buttress and Donald Insall. The memorial was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth II in 2009.
The Duke of York Column
This tall monument was completed in 1834. It is a sculpture of Prince Frederick, the Duke of York and Albany.
Prince Frederick was the commander-in-chief of the British Army during the French Revolutionary Wars. He led the reform of the British army into a capable modernised force.
The Duke is remembered in the children's nursery rhyme "The Grand Old Duke of York".
When the Duke died in 1827, the entire British Army, by general consensus following a proposal of the senior officers, gave up one day's wages to pay for a monument to the Duke.
Walk up the steps. Behind the column is Waterloo Place, leading towards Regent Street St James.
Parallel to the Mall is Carlton House Terrace. Walk a little way along it to see the Georgian Houses that make up the terrace.
Carlton House Terrace is a street in the St James's district of the City of Westminster. Its principal architectural feature is a pair of terraces, one side faces this street, the other faces the Mall and St. James's Park.
The Georgian Terrace was designed by John Nash and was constructed between 1827 to 1833.
The terrace was built on the site of Carlton House, the home of the Prince Regent, who later became King George IV.
Carlton House Terrace became one of the most fashionable addresses in London. It is the setting for the play "Lady Windermere’s Fan" written by Oscar Wilde.
Return to the column, and go back down the steps to the Mall. Turn left and continue along the Mall.
At the top of the Mall, walk on the path to the left of Admiralty Arch.
Admiralty Arch
Admiralty Arch gets its name because next to it is the Old Admiralty Building. Admiralty Arch was originally the official residence of the First Sea Lord, and also held various other Admiralty offices.
The building was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother Queen Victoria. Edward did not live to see its completion in 1912.
Since then, Admiralty Arch has housed the Cabinet Office, the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit and the Social Exclusion Task Force.
In 2012, the Spanish real estate developer Rafael Serrano purchased a 125 year lease on the building for a reported £75,000,000. It is currently being converted into a luxury hotel, due to open in 2026.
Go straight ahead, passing Admiralty Arch on your right. Continue straight, through Spring Gardens, then straight across the road crossing. Walk along with Trafalgar Square on your right.
Turn right, passing the steps up to The National Gallery on your left.
The Duke is remembered in the children's nursery rhyme "The Grand Old Duke of York".
When the Duke died in 1827, the entire British Army, by general consensus following a proposal of the senior officers, gave up one day's wages to pay for a monument to the Duke.
Walk up the steps. Behind the column is Waterloo Place, leading towards Regent Street St James.
Parallel to the Mall is Carlton House Terrace. Walk a little way along it to see the Georgian Houses that make up the terrace.
Carlton House Terrace is a street in the St James's district of the City of Westminster. Its principal architectural feature is a pair of terraces, one side faces this street, the other faces the Mall and St. James's Park.
The Georgian Terrace was designed by John Nash and was constructed between 1827 to 1833.
The terrace was built on the site of Carlton House, the home of the Prince Regent, who later became King George IV.
Carlton House Terrace became one of the most fashionable addresses in London. It is the setting for the play "Lady Windermere’s Fan" written by Oscar Wilde.
Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the architectural historian, described Carlton House Terrace as being one of ‘the greatest terrace houses ever built in Britain’.
Return to the column, and go back down the steps to the Mall. Turn left and continue along the Mall.
At the top of the Mall, walk on the path to the left of Admiralty Arch.
Admiralty Arch
Admiralty Arch gets its name because next to it is the Old Admiralty Building. Admiralty Arch was originally the official residence of the First Sea Lord, and also held various other Admiralty offices.
The building was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother Queen Victoria. Edward did not live to see its completion in 1912.
Since then, Admiralty Arch has housed the Cabinet Office, the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit and the Social Exclusion Task Force.
In 2012, the Spanish real estate developer Rafael Serrano purchased a 125 year lease on the building for a reported £75,000,000. It is currently being converted into a luxury hotel, due to open in 2026.
Go straight ahead, passing Admiralty Arch on your right. Continue straight, through Spring Gardens, then straight across the road crossing. Walk along with Trafalgar Square on your right.
Turn right, passing the steps up to The National Gallery on your left.
Continue passing the National Gallery. When you reach Charing Cross Road, cross over it. On your left is St. Martin's in the Fields.
St. Martin's in the Fields
In 2006, excavations around St Martins in the Fields uncovered a number of burials that were dated from around 350AD to 410AD (410AD is when the Romans withdrew from England). It was usual in Roman times for burials to take place outside the city walls, although these bodies had been buried further out than was usual. The nearest Roman City wall from here was at Ludgate.
The Saxons, took over things when the Romans had withdrawn from England. They had mostly moved to Lundenwic (approximately where the Strand is) and continued to bury their dead here.
In 1222, there was a dispute between the Abbot of Westminster and the Bishop of London as to who had control over the church that was here, which is the first reference to St Martin in the Fields.
Henry VIII rebuilt the church in 1542. He did this to stop plague victims in the area from needing to go through his Palace of Whitehall, which was where the road called Whitehall now runs. The church was literally "in the fields" at this time, standing between the cities of Westminster and London.
In 1606 St Martins in the Fields and its churchyard was was enlarged.
In the early 18th century the current St Martins in the Fields was built.
The church is famous today for its work with young and homeless people.
There is a café in the crypt of St Martins, which serves drinks and food to the public.
Walk along the right hand side of St Martins (Duncannon Street). This leads to The Strand. You can cross over here to return to Charing Cross Station.
End of walk
Thanks for doing the walk.
Use this URL to send us your feedback!