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London Streets and Squares: Northumberland

Charing Cross is a perversion of "Chère Reine Cross," so named from the memorial cross erected upon the spot where the body of Eleanor, the dear queen of Edward I., was last set down while on its way to Westminster Abbey. The present cross is merely a model of the original demolished by the Puritans in 1647. Craven Street is the property of Lord Craven. Northumberland Street and Northumberland Avenue owe their names to Northumberland House, the town mansion of the Dukes of Northumberland, taken down in 1874.

Trafalgar Square received its title from the Nelson Column, set up in 1843, two years before the Square itself was completed. St. Martin's Lane was named after the parish church of St. Martin'sin-the-Fields. King William Street was built upon in the reign of William IV. The name of Seven Dials arose from a column set up in the centre of a radius of seven streets, and displaying as many clock faces. Its object was to define the limits of St. Giles's parish in this direction. Cranbourne Street marks the course of a long, narrow bourne, or stream, that formerly ran from Tyburn by way of Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, and across Leicester Fields into Long Acre, and thence emptied itself into the Thames at the bottom of Milford Lane. The first portion of the name was in allusion to the long, slender neck and legs of the crane. Leicester Square (formerly demominated Leicester Fields) derived its name from Leicester House, the noble mansion built on its east side by Robert Sidney, Earl of Leicester, in 1636. On the site of Coventry Street stood the mansion of Henry Coventry, Secretary of State in the reign of Charles II. Great Windmill Street reminds us of the old windmill that stood hereabouts London Streets and Squares. a couple of centuries ago. It was not until January, 1831, that the hay market, properly so called, was removed from the spacious thoroughfare still known as the Haymarket. Jermyn Street was named after Henry Jermyn, Earl of St. Albans, whose residence, St. Alban's House, stood on its north side. In Arundel Street we have one of the family titles of the ground landlord, Lord Arundel of Wardour. Orange Street was designated in honour of the Prince of Orange, afterwards William III. Panton Street perpetuates the memory of Colonel Thomas Panton, a notorious gamester, whose daughter married into the Arundel family.

Suffolk Street marks the situation of the old town mansion of the Earl of Suffolk.

Spring Gardens, during the days of the Stuarts, contained an ingenious contrivance by which any person stepping upon a hidden spring was suddenly immersed in a shower of water. Pall Mall is a modern spelling of paille maille, the title of a French game at ball, somewhat similar to our croquet, first played in this thoroughfare - then open to St.

James's Park about the year 1621. Carlton House Terrace stands on the site of Carlton House, the palace of Frederick, Prince of Wales, the father of George III. King Street, St.

James's Street, and St. James's Square were designated in honour of James I. Bury Street is properly "Berry Street," after the name of its builder. The Green Park deserves its title on account of its verdure, SO refreshing to the eye. Hyde Park anciently comprised the manor of Hyde held by the Abbots of St. Peter's, Westminster, but claimed by the Crown on the dissolution of the monasteries. Hyde Park Corner defines the position of the old tollgate at the western extremity of London. Rotten Row is a corruption of route du roi, the French for "route of the King," to the historic royal residence at Kensington. Albert Gate, Queen's Gate, and Prince's Gate are of modern date, named in honour of the royal personages indicated. The Marble Arch is an imposing structure of white marble originally erected in front of Buckingham Palace in 1830, and removed to its present position in 1851.