Charing Cross

Victorian replacement of the original Charing Cross

Charing Cross is an area in London, United Kingdom. It marks the site of the Eleanor Cross, Edward I's memorial to his wife Eleanor of Castile.

Today, it marks the central point for measuring distances from London. The replacement cross stands in the forecourt of Charing Cross station.

The cross also gave its name to Charing Cross Hospital, Charing Cross bridge and Charing Cross Road. This was at one time a main route for traffic, bypassing the actual cross.

Charing Cross is the notional "centre of London". It is the point from which distances from London are calculated.

Charing Cross Media

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  The old Eleanor cross at Charing (c. 1293 to 1643)

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  A map showing the Charing Cross ward of Westminster Metropolitan Borough as it appeared in 1916

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  Charing Cross shown on John Norden's map of Westminster, 1593. The map is oriented with north to the top right, and Whitehall to the bottom left.

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  An extract from John Rocque's Map of London, 1746, showing Northumberland House. The two projecting garden wings had not yet been added.

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  Frontage onto Strand/Charing Cross of Northumberland House in 1752 by Canaletto. The statue of Charles I can be seen to the right of the painting. To the left can be seen the famous Golden Cross Inn, with signboard outside.

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  The Victorian replacement of the original Eleanor Cross 200 metres (200 yards) away, along the Strand in front of Charing Cross Station/Hotel. The area derives its name from the original monument destroyed by Parliament in the 1600s; the memorial replacement dates from the 1800s.

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  The Pillory at Charing Cross (1809). The dark equestrian statue is today's junction centrepiece (marker). This is a drawing by Augustus Pugin and Thomas Rowlandson for Rudolph Ackermann's Microcosm of London (1808–11).

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  Area around Charing Cross c.1833

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  Plaque by the statue of Charles I, stating that "Mileages from London are measured from the site of the original Cross"