85-741: Craven Street is a street in the City of Westminster , London , England, near The Strand . Several notable historical figures have lived in the street which was the home of Benjamin Franklin , when he lived in London before the American Revolution . The street was originally known as Spur Alley . It was rebuilt around 1730 when the land was owned by the Craven family and it received its current name then. Craven Street runs from The Strand in
170-541: A Westminster parliamentary borough (constituency). The Anglican Diocese of Westminster was short-lived, being absorbed back into the Diocese of London in 1550. Despite having no borough corporation and having ceased to be the seat of a diocese, Westminster continued to be described as a city. In 1585 the Westminster Court of Burgesses was established to administer certain judicial powers in an area known as
255-601: A bugler playing the Last Post and a two-minute silence at 11 am. In February 2019, hundreds of students participated in a protest against climate change as a part of the School strike for Climate campaign. The protest started in the nearby Parliament Square , and as the day went on, the demonstrators moved towards Trafalgar Square. In July 2020, two members of the protest group Animal Rebellion were arrested on suspicion for criminal damage after releasing red dye into
340-439: A fir ) is presented by Norway's capital city, Oslo as London's Christmas tree , a token of gratitude for Britain's support during World War II. (Besides war-time support, Norway's Prince Olav and the country's government lived in exile in London throughout the war. ) The Christmas tree is decorated with lights that are switched on at a seasonal ceremony. It is usually held twelve days before Christmas Day. The festivity
425-562: A portcullis as the main charge, which now forms the crest . The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City of Westminster. Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square ( / t r ə ˈ f æ l ɡ ər / trə- FAL -gər ) is a public square in the City of Westminster , Central London , established in the early 19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross . The square's name commemorates
510-440: A Nelson Memorial Committee had approached the government proposing that a monument to the victory of Trafalgar, funded by public subscription, should be erected in the square. A competition was held and won by the architect William Railton , who proposed a 218-foot-3-inch (66.52 m) Corinthinan column topped by a statue of Nelson and guarded by four sculpted lions. The design was approved, but received widespread objections from
595-557: A campaign for social reform by the working class began in the square. A ban on political rallies remained in effect until the 1880s, when the emerging Labour movement , particularly the Social Democratic Federation , began holding protests. On 8 February 1886 (also known as "Black Monday"), protesters rallied against unemployment leading to a riot in Pall Mall . A larger riot ( " Bloody Sunday " ) occurred in
680-628: A car or van, 6.0%; work mainly at or from home, 5.5%; bicycle, 3.1%; train, 3.0%. Westminster Children's Services administers many primary and secondary schools. In addition, there are several state-funded faith schools, primarily Church of England (CE), and Roman Catholic (RC), but Christian non-denominational (ND) schools are also in the borough, and there are several non-profit-making junior and senior independent schools . The city operates two reference libraries; Westminster Reference Library and Marylebone Information Service. Westminster Reference Library holds several special collections: of which
765-473: A chair in a relaxed pose, and was inaugurated at a ceremony presided over by Prince Albert . It was moved to Kensington Gardens in 1862. The other, of General Charles George Gordon by Hamo Thornycroft , was erected on an 18-foot high pedestal between the fountains in 1888. It was removed in 1943 and re-sited on the Victoria Embankment ten years later. In 1841, following suggestions from
850-638: A cost of £140,000. For many years, revellers celebrating the New Year have gathered in the square despite a lack of celebrations being arranged. The lack of official events was partly because the authorities were concerned that encouraging more partygoers would cause overcrowding. Since 2003, a firework display centred on the London Eye and South Bank of the Thames has been provided as an alternative. Since 2014, New Year celebrations have been organised by
935-695: A crowd of 10,000 demonstrated against US involvement in the Vietnam War before marching to the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square . Throughout the 1980s, a continuous anti- apartheid protest was held outside South Africa House. In 1990, the Poll Tax Riots began by a demonstration attended by 200,000 people and ultimately caused rioting in the surrounding area. More recently, there have been anti-war demonstrations opposing
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#17327869039991020-540: A large area south of Kent's stable block, and as far east as St Martin's Lane. His plans left open the whole area of what became Trafalgar Square, except for a block in the centre, which he reserved for a new building for the Royal Academy of Arts . The plans included the demolition and redevelopment of buildings between St Martin's Lane and the Strand and the construction of a road (now called Duncannon Street) across
1105-475: A major consideration was increasing the visual impact of the National Gallery, which had been widely criticised for its lack of grandeur. He dealt with the complex sloping site by excavating the main area to the level of the footway between Cockspur Street and the Strand, and constructing a 15-foot (4.6 m) high balustraded terrace with a roadway on the north side, and steps at each end leading to
1190-433: A number of major parks and open spaces , including Hyde Park , and most of Regent's Park . Away from central London the borough also includes various inner suburbs, including St John's Wood , Maida Vale , Bayswater , Belgravia and Pimlico . The borough had a population of 204,300 at the 2021 census. The original settlement of Westminster was historically a separate urban area to the west of London, growing up around
1275-599: A one-way clockwise gyratory system was introduced on 26 April 1926. Works completed in 2003 reduced the width of the roads and closed the northern side to traffic. Nelson's Column is in the centre of the square, flanked by fountains designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens between 1937 and 1939 (replacements for two of Peterhead granite , now in Canada) and guarded by four monumental bronze lions sculpted by Sir Edwin Landseer . At
1360-411: A tunnel. Water was pumped to the fountains by a steam engine housed in a building behind the gallery. In the late-1930s it was decided to replace the pump and the centrepieces of the fountains. The new centrepieces, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens , were memorials to Lord Jellicoe and Lord Beatty, although busts of the admirals, initially intended to be placed in the fountain surrounds were placed against
1445-527: Is Westminster City Council . To the east, Westminster borders the City of London , with the boundary marked by Temple Bar . Other neighbouring boroughs (anti-clockwise from north-east) are Camden , Brent , Kensington and Chelsea , Wandsworth and Lambeth , the latter two being separated from Westminster by the River Thames . Charing Cross in Westminster is the notional centre of London, being
1530-454: Is at 14 St James's Square . Many countries' embassies or High Commissions are in Westminster. The current Westminster coat of arms was given by an official grant on 2 September 1964. Westminster had other arms before, which had a chief identical to the chief in the present arms. The symbols in the lower two thirds of the shield stand for former municipalities now merged with the city, Paddington and St Marylebone. The original arms had
1615-557: Is erected for twelve days before and after Christmas Day. The square is a centre of annual celebrations on New Year's Eve . It was well known for its feral pigeons until their removal in the early 21st century. The square is named after the Battle of Trafalgar , a British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars with France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar , southwest Spain, although it
1700-510: Is located at No. 42. [REDACTED] Media related to Craven Street, London at Wikimedia Commons 51°30′27″N 0°07′29″W / 51.5074°N 0.1248°W / 51.5074; -0.1248 This London road or road transport-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a London borough with city status in Greater London , England. It
1785-523: Is open to the public and attracts a large number of people. The switch-on is usually followed by several nights of Christmas carol singing and other performances and events. On the twelfth night of Christmas, the tree is taken down for recycling. Westminster City Council threatened to abandon the event to save £5,000 in 1980 but the decision was reversed. The tree is selected by the Head Forester from Oslo's municipal forest and shipped, across
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#17327869039991870-446: Is regarded as the official centre of London in legislation and when measuring distances from the capital . Building work on the south side of the square in the late 1950s revealed deposits from the last interglacial period. Among the findings were the remains of cave lions , rhinoceroses , straight-tusked elephants and hippopotami . The site has been significant since the 13th century. During Edward I 's reign it hosted
1955-703: Is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government . It contains a large part of central London , including most of the West End , such as the major shopping areas around Oxford Street , Regent Street , Piccadilly and Bond Street , and the entertainment district of Soho . Many London landmarks are within the borough, including Buckingham Palace , Westminster Abbey , Whitehall , Westminster Cathedral , 10 Downing Street , and Trafalgar Square . The borough also has
2040-563: Is to the south and the Strand to the east. Charing Cross Road passes between the National Gallery and the church. London Underground 's Charing Cross station on the Northern and Bakerloo lines has an exit in the square. The lines had separate stations, of which the Bakerloo line one was called Trafalgar Square until they were linked and renamed in 1979 as part of the construction of
2125-726: The Afghanistan War and the Iraq War . A large vigil was held shortly after the terrorist bombings in London on Thursday, 7 July 2005. In December 2009, participants from the Camp for Climate Action occupied the square for the two weeks during which the UN Conference on Climate Change took place in Copenhagen . It was billed as a UK base for direct action on climate change and saw various actions and protests stem from
2210-530: The American Revolution . The house is a Grade I listed building with Historic England and now functions as a museum known as Benjamin Franklin House . Pioneer of haematology William Hewson , lived at No. 36 for two years from 1772 at the same time as Franklin. In 1998 workmen discovered the remains of six children and four adults underneath the house which may relate to medical experiments carried out by Hewson. Aaron Burr , 3rd Vice President of
2295-481: The Battle of Trafalgar , the British naval victory in the Napoleonic Wars over France and Spain that took place on 21 October 1805 off the coast of Cape Trafalgar . The site around Trafalgar Square has been a significant landmark since the 1200s. For centuries, distances measured from Charing Cross have served as location markers. The site of the present square formerly contained the elaborately designed, enclosed courtyard, King's Mews . After George IV moved
2380-603: The City and Liberty of Westminster . From 1856 the area was also governed by the Metropolitan Board of Works , which was established to provide services across the metropolis of London. In 1889 the Metropolitan Board of Works' area was made the County of London . From 1856 until 1900 the lower tier of local government within the metropolis comprised various parish vestries and district boards . Within
2465-702: The Jubilee line , which was rerouted to Westminster in 1999. Other nearby tube stations are Embankment connecting the District , Circle , Northern and Bakerloo lines, and Leicester Square on the Northern and Piccadilly lines. London bus routes 3 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 15 , 23 , 24 , 29 , 53 , 87 , 88 , 91 , 139 , 159 , 176 , 453 are only some among the bus routes that pass through Trafalgar Square. A point in Trafalgar Square
2550-520: The King's Mews , running north from the T-junction in the south, Charing Cross , where the Strand from the City meets Whitehall coming north from Westminster . From the reign of Richard II to that of Henry VII , the mews was at the western end of the Strand. The name "Royal Mews" comes from the practice of keeping hawks here for moulting ; "mew" is an old word for this. After a fire in 1534,
2635-649: The London Assembly , the borough forms part of the West Central constituency. The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 1991 to 2021 censuses in Westminster. The borough ranks highest on one standard criteria in analysing housing supply and demand, the proportion of private rented accommodation relative to other types of housing in England. A study in 2017 by Trust for London and The New Policy Institute found that Westminster has
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2720-634: The Metropolitan Borough of Paddington , and the parish of the St Marylebone became the Metropolitan Borough of St Marylebone . The various territories within the old City and Liberty of Westminster became the Metropolitan Borough of Westminster . The new boroughs came into being on 1 November 1900; a few days ahead of that a royal charter was issued conferring city status on the new borough of Westminster from its creation. The Court of Burgesses, which had ceded most practical powers to
2805-553: The North Sea to the Port of Felixstowe , then by road to Trafalgar Square. The first tree was 48 feet (15 m) tall, but more recently has been around 75 feet (23 m). In 1987, protesters chained themselves to the tree. In 1990, a man sawed into the tree with a chainsaw a few hours before a New Year's Eve party was scheduled to take place. He was arrested and the tree was repaired by tree surgeons who removed gouged sections from
2890-474: The Register of Historic Parks and Gardens since 1996. The square was the target of two suffragette bombings in 1913 and 1914. This was as part of the suffragette bombing and arson campaign of 1912–1914, in which suffragettes carried out a series of politically-motivated bombing and arson attacks nationwide as part of their campaign for women's suffrage . The first attack occurred on 15 May 1913. A bomb
2975-472: The minster church of Westminster Abbey. Westminster was an important centre of royal authority from Saxon times, and was declared a city in 1540. It was gradually absorbed into the urban area of London, but London's official city boundaries remained unchanged, covering just the area called the City of London , broadly corresponding to the medieval walled city. From the 19th century some metropolis -wide administrative bodies were introduced. The County of London
3060-535: The City and Liberty of Westminster, the three parishes of St George Hanover Square , St James Piccadilly and St Martin-in-the-Fields were governed by their vestries , whilst the parishes covering the central part of Westminster formed the Westminster District and the parishes and territories adjoining the border with the City of London formed the Strand District . Beyond the liberty to
3145-510: The City of Westminster. Mayfair and St James's within the City of Westminster also have a large concentration of hedge fund and private equity funds. The West End is known as the Theatre District and is home to many of the leading performing arts businesses. Soho and its adjoining areas house a concentration of media and creative companies. Oxford Street is a busy shopping destination. The City of Westminster contains some of
3230-599: The French and Spanish in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars . After the clearance, development progressed slowly. The National Gallery was built on the north side between 1832 and 1838 to a design by William Wilkins , and in 1837 the Treasury approved Wilkins' plan for the laying out of the square, but it was not put into effect. In April 1840, following Wilkins' death, new plans by Charles Barry were accepted, and construction started within weeks. For Barry, as for Wilkins,
3315-713: The Greater London Authority in conjunction with the charity Unicef , who began ticketing the event to control crowd numbers. The fireworks display has been cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic , with an event due to take place in the Square to see in 2022. However the event was cancelled during the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant . A Christmas ceremony has been held in the square every year since 1947. A Norway spruce (or sometimes
3400-912: The Sherlock Holmes, Arts and Business collections are the most comprehensive. In addition to the collections in Westminster Reference Library the city has two specialist libraries: the Westminster Music Library , the largest music library in the UK and the Westminster Chinese Library in the Charing Cross Library. Free City of Westminster operated public lending libraries in Westminster include: The London Library , an independent lending library funded by subscription,
3485-531: The South Coast including Clapham Junction , Sutton , Brighton , Eastbourne , Gatwick Airport ( [REDACTED] ), Guildford , Portsmouth , and Southampton . Services operated by Southern . Gatwick Airport [REDACTED] Services operated by Gatwick Express . The City of Westminster is served by 27 London Underground stations and 10 of the 11 lines. By 2009 Westminster City Council had electric vehicle charging points in 15 locations through
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3570-508: The United States lived abroad from 1808 to 1812, passing most of his time in England, where he occupied a house on Craven Street in London. The German poet Heinrich Heine lived at No. 32 in 1827. A plaque marks the house. Herman Melville , author of Moby Dick , lived at No. 25 in 1849 when he visited London as a sailor during his youth. A blue plaque marks the house. The European Academy of Optometry and Optics headquarters
3655-469: The Victorian era. The desirability of the birds' presence was contentious: their droppings disfigured the stonework and the flock, estimated at its peak to be 35,000, was considered a health hazard . A stall seller, Bernie Rayner, infamously sold bird seed to tourists at inflated prices. In February 2001, the sale of bird seed in the square was stopped and other measures were introduced to discourage
3740-481: The abbey and the river he built a palace, thereby guaranteeing that the seat of Government would be fixed at Westminster, and inevitably drawing power and wealth west out of the old City of London. For centuries Westminster and the City of London were geographically quite distinct. It was not until the sixteenth century that houses began to be built over the adjoining fields, eventually absorbing nearby villages such as Marylebone and Kensington , and gradually creating
3825-410: The air. A LED lighting system that can project different combinations of colours on to the fountains was installed to reduce the cost of lighting maintenance and to coincide with the 2012 Summer Olympics . The square was once famous for feral pigeons and feeding them was a popular activity. Pigeons began flocking to the square before construction was completed and feed sellers became well known in
3910-490: The base of Nelson's Column for some years and some of its upper scaffolding remained in place. Landseer, the sculptor, had asked for a lion that had died at the London Zoo to be brought to his studio. He took so long to complete sketches that its corpse began to decompose and some parts had to be improvised. The statues have paws that resemble cats more than lions. Barry was unhappy about Nelson's Column being placed in
3995-511: The churchyard of St Martin-in-the-Fields . The Charing Cross Act was passed in 1826 and clearance started soon after. Nash died soon after construction started, impeding its progress. The square was to be named after William IV commemorating his ascent to the throne in 1830. Around 1835, it was decided that the square would be named after the Battle of Trafalgar as suggested by architect George Ledwell Taylor , commemorating Nelson's victory over
4080-410: The city (13 car parks and two on-street points). Users pay an annual fee to cover administration costs to register and use the points. By 2018 there were 60 electric vehicle charging locations. In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: underground, metro, light rail, tram, 21.0% of all residents aged 16–74; on foot, 9.3%; bus, minibus or coach, 9.3%; driving
4165-568: The city and country. Every year on the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar ( 21 October ), the Sea Cadet Corps holds a parade in honour of Admiral Lord Nelson and the British victory over the combined fleets of Spain and France at Trafalgar. The Royal British Legion holds a Silence in the Square event on Armistice Day , 11 November, in remembrance of those who died in war. The event includes music and poetry readings, culminating in
4250-822: The crosses. These include Green Park , Hyde Park , Kensington Gardens , Regent's Park and St James's Park . In addition to parks and open spaces within the borough, the City owns and maintains East Finchley Cemetery and crematorium in the London Borough of Barnet . Four National Rail stations serve the City of Westminster: [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Heathrow Airport [REDACTED] Services operated by Heathrow Express and Elizabeth line ( [REDACTED] ) . [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] South London, Sussex and
4335-400: The diocese was abolished in 1550. The area was historically part of the county of Middlesex . Whilst an important centre of royal authority from Saxon times, Westminster was not formally incorporated as a borough for local government purposes until 1900. However, it was declared a city in 1540 on the elevation of Westminster Abbey to being a cathedral . From at least 1545 there was also
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#17327869039994420-444: The local paving board, Barry agreed that two fountains should be installed to counteract the effects of reflected heat and glare from the asphalt surface. The First Commissioner of Woods and Forests welcomed the plan because the fountains reduced the open space available for public gatherings and reduced the risk of riotous assembly. The fountains were fed from two wells, one in front of the National Gallery and one behind it connected by
4505-492: The main level. Wilkins had proposed a similar solution with a central flight of steps. All the stonework was of Aberdeen granite . In 1845, four Bude-Lights with octagonal glass lanterns were installed. Two, opposite the National Gallery, are on tall bronze columns, and two, in the south-west and south-east corners of the square, on shorter bronze columns on top of wider granite columns. They were designed by Barry and manufactured by Stevens and Son, of Southwark . In 1841 it
4590-494: The mews to Buckingham Palace , the area was redeveloped by John Nash , but progress was slow after his death, and the square did not open until 1844. The 169-foot (52 m) Nelson's Column at its centre is guarded by four lion statues. A number of commemorative statues and sculptures occupy the square, but the Fourth Plinth , left empty since 1840, has been host to contemporary art since 1999. Prominent buildings facing
4675-684: The mews were rebuilt as stables, and remained here until George IV moved them to Buckingham Palace . After 1732, the King's Mews were divided into the Great Mews and the smaller Green Mews to the north by the Crown Stables, a large block, built to the designs of William Kent . Its site is occupied by the National Gallery. In 1826 the Commissioners of Woods, Forests and Land Revenues instructed John Nash to draw up plans for clearing
4760-482: The most famous sites in London, including Buckingham Palace , Westminster Abbey , the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) and Big Ben . Charing Cross is the notional centre of London and the location where distances from London are measured. This custom appears to have begun with the set distances of the 12 Eleanor crosses to Lincoln, England in the north, and expanded even after destruction of most of
4845-673: The newer authorities, was finally abolished in 1901. The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 . It was a merger of the old Paddington, St Marylebone and Westminster metropolitan boroughs, and Westminster's city status was transferred to the enlarged borough. In 1966 the city was granted the right to appoint a lord mayor . The local authority is Westminster City Council, which meets at Westminster Council House (also known as Marylebone Town Hall ) and has its main offices at Westminster City Hall on Victoria Street. Since 2000, for elections to
4930-632: The north to Northumberland Avenue in the south. Corner House Street and Hungerford Lane join Craven Street in the north and halfway along Craven Street it is crossed by Craven Passage which is pedestrian only and joins Craven Street to Northumberland Street and Hungerford Lane. Hungerford Lane rejoins Craven Street at its southern end. Mark Akenside , author of The Pleasures of the Imagination , lived at No. 33 from 1759 to 1761. Benjamin Franklin lived at No. 36 for sixteen years before
5015-554: The north wall of the square. Those of John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe (by Sir Charles Wheeler ) and David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty (by William MacMillan ) were installed in 1948 in conjunction with the square's fountains, which also commemorate them. The third, of the Second World War First Sea Lord Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope (by Franta Belsky ) was unveiled alongside them on 2 April 1967. On
5100-528: The north, the two parishes of Paddington and St Marylebone were also governed by their vestries. The Westminster District was renamed the St Margaret and St John Combined Vestry in 1887, and unsuccessfully petitioned to be incorporated as a borough in 1897. In 1900 the lower tier of local government within the County of London was reorganised into metropolitan boroughs . The parish of Paddington became
5185-611: The northern retaining wall when the project was completed after the Second World War. The fountains cost almost £50,000. The original centrepieces were presented to the Canadian government and are now located in Ottawa 's Confederation Park and Regina 's Wascana Centre . A programme of restoration was completed by May 2009 . The pump system was replaced with one capable of sending an 80-foot (24 m) jet of water into
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#17327869039995270-426: The occupation. In March 2011, the square was occupied by a crowd protesting against the UK Budget and proposed budget cuts. During the night the situation turned violent as the escalation by riot police and protesters damaged portions of the square. In November 2015 a vigil against the terrorist attacks in Paris was held. Crowds sang the French national anthem , La Marseillaise , and held banners in support of
5355-399: The other plinths remained empty until late in the 20th century. There are two other statues on plinths, both installed during the 19th century: General Sir Charles James Napier by George Cannon Adams in the south-west corner in 1855, and Major-General Sir Henry Havelock by William Behnes in the south-east in 1861. In 2000, the Mayor of London , Ken Livingstone , suggested replacing
5440-422: The pigeons including the use of birds of prey . Supporters continued to feed the birds but in 2003 the mayor , Ken Livingstone , enacted bylaws to ban feeding them in the square. In September 2007 Westminster City Council passed further bylaws banning feeding birds on the pedestrianised North Terrace and other pavements in the area. Nelson's column was repaired from years of damage from pigeon droppings at
5525-403: The point from which distances from London are measured. After the depopulation of Roman London in the 5th century, an Anglo Saxon agricultural and trade settlement likely developed to its west, associated with the Middle Saxons , sometimes called Lundenwic ('London village' or London port'). Over time, Lundenburh ('London fort'), the former Roman city with its still-existing Roman walls,
5610-429: The public. Construction went ahead beginning in 1840 but with the height reduced to 145 feet 3 inches (44.27 m). The column was completed and the statue raised in November 1843. The last of the bronze reliefs on the column's pedestals was not completed until May 1854, and the four lions, although part of the original design, were only added in 1867. Each lion weighs seven tons. A hoarding remained around
5695-408: The south side of Trafalgar Square, on the site of the original Charing Cross, is a bronze equestrian statue of Charles I by Hubert Le Sueur . It was cast in 1633, and placed in its present position in 1678. The two statues on the lawn in front of the National Gallery are the statue of James II (designed by Peter van Dievoet and Laurens van der Meulen for the studio of Grinling Gibbons ) to
5780-414: The square and the gallery had been by two crossings at the northeast and northwest corners. Barry's scheme provided two plinths for sculptures on the north side of the square. A bronze equestrian statue of George IV was designed by Sir Francis Chantrey and Thomas Earle . It was originally intended to be placed on top of the Marble Arch , but instead was installed on the eastern plinth in 1843, while
5865-416: The square include the National Gallery , St Martin-in-the-Fields , Canada House , and South Africa House . The square has been used for community gatherings and political demonstrations , including Bloody Sunday in 1887, the culmination of the first Aldermaston March , anti-war protests, and campaigns against climate change . A Christmas tree has been donated to the square by Norway since 1947 and
5950-466: The square on 13 November 1887. The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament 's first Aldermaston March , protesting against the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), began in the square in 1958. One of the first significant demonstrations of the modern era was held in the square on 19 September 1961 by the Committee of 100 , which included the philosopher Bertrand Russell . The protesters rallied for peace and against war and nuclear weapons. In March 1968,
6035-410: The square, including the pedestrianised area of the North Terrace. The square contains a large central area with roadways on three sides and a terrace to the north, in front of the National Gallery. The roads around the square form part of the A4 , a major road running west of the City of London . Originally having roadways on all four sides, traffic travelled in both directions around the square until
6120-578: The square. In July 1840, when its foundations had been laid, he told a parliamentary select committee that "it would in my opinion be desirable that the area should be wholly free from all insulated objects of art". In 1940 the Nazi SS developed secret plans to transfer Nelson's Column to Berlin after an expected German invasion , as related by Norman Longmate in If Britain Had Fallen (1972). The square has been Grade I listed on
6205-601: The statues with figures more familiar to the general public. In the 21st century, the empty plinth in the north-west corner of the square, the "Fourth Plinth", has been used to show specially commissioned temporary artworks. The scheme was initiated by the Royal Society of Arts and continued by the Fourth Plinth Commission, appointed by the Mayor of London. There are three busts of admirals against
6290-518: The suffragettes. Churches were a particular target during the campaign, as it was believed that the Church of England was complicit in reinforcing opposition to women's suffrage. Between 1913 and 1914, 32 churches were attacked nationwide. In the weeks after the bombing, there were also attacks on Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral . A major 18-month redevelopment of the square led by W.S. Atkins with Foster and Partners as sub-consultants
6375-419: The third-highest pay inequality of the 32 London boroughs. It also has the second-least affordable private rent for low earners in London, behind only Kensington and Chelsea . In education, 82% of adults and 69% of 19-year-olds having Level 3 qualifications. The City of Westminster covers all or part of the following areas of London : Many global corporations have their global or European headquarters in
6460-500: The top of the column is a statue of Horatio Nelson , who commanded the British Navy at the Battle of Trafalgar . Surrounding the square are the National Gallery on the north side and St Martin-in-the-Fields Church to the east. Also on the east is South Africa House , and facing it across the square is Canada House . To the south west is The Mall , which leads towards Buckingham Palace via Admiralty Arch , while Whitehall
6545-421: The trunk while the tree was suspended from a crane. The square has become a social and political focus for visitors and Londoners, developing over its history from "an esplanade peopled with figures of national heroes, into the country's foremost place politique ", as historian Rodney Mace has written. Since its construction, it has been a venue for political demonstrations. The great Chartist rally in 1848,
6630-418: The vast Greater London that exists today. Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries abolished the abbey at Westminster, although the former abbey church is still called Westminster Abbey . The church was briefly the cathedral of the Diocese of Westminster created from part of the Diocese of London in 1540, by letters patent which also granted city status to Westminster, a status retained after
6715-534: The west of the portico, and of one George Washington , a replica of a work by Jean-Antoine Houdon , to the east. The latter was a gift from the Commonwealth of Virginia , installed in 1921. Two statues erected in the 19th century have since been removed. One of Edward Jenner , pioneer of the smallpox vaccine , was set up in the south-west corner of the square in 1858, next to that of Napier. Sculpted by William Calder Marshall , it showed Jenner sitting in
6800-414: Was completed in 2003. The work involved closing the eastbound road along the north side and diverting traffic around the other three sides of the square, demolishing the central section of the northern retaining wall and inserting a wide set of steps to the pedestrianised terrace in front of the National Gallery. The construction includes two lifts for disabled access, public toilets and a café. Access between
6885-559: Was created in 1889, replaced in 1965 by the larger administrative area of Greater London , which since 2000 has been led by the Mayor of London . The cities of London and Westminster retain their separate city statuses despite having long been part of the same urban area. The modern borough was created in 1965 as part of the same reforms which created Greater London, covering the area of the three former metropolitan boroughs of Westminster , Paddington and St Marylebone . The local authority
6970-415: Was decided that two fountains should be included in the layout. The estimated budget, excluding paving and sculptures, was £11,000. The earth removed was used to level Green Park . The square was originally surfaced with tarmacadam , which was replaced with stone in the 1920s. Trafalgar Square was opened to the public on 1 May 1844. Nelson's Column was planned independently of Barry's work. In 1838
7055-584: Was not named as such until 1835. The name "Trafalgar" is a Spanish word of Arabic origin , derived from either Taraf al-Ghar ( طرف الغار 'cape of the cave/laurel') or Taraf al-Gharb ( طرف الغرب 'extremity of the west'). Trafalgar Square is owned by the King in Right of the Crown and managed by the Greater London Authority , while Westminster City Council owns the roads around
7140-447: Was planted in the public area outside the National Gallery, but failed to explode. A second attack occurred at St Martin-in-the-Fields church at the north-east corner of the square one 4 April 1914. A bomb exploded inside the church, blowing out the windows and showering passers-by with broken glass. The bomb then started a fire. In the aftermath, a mass of people rushed to the scene, many of whom aggressively expressed their anger towards
7225-531: Was repopulated and Lundenwic declined, becoming pastoral and partly known as Aldwych (Aldwic—'old village'), the name of which lives on for a section of Westminster. The origins of the City of Westminster pre-date the Norman Conquest of England. In the mid-11th century, King Edward the Confessor began the construction of an abbey at Westminster, only the foundations of which survive today. Between
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