Strand, London

major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster, London, England

The Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London. It runs parallel with the Thames on the northern side. It links the City of London with the centre of London at Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square. The Strand is the southern boundary of the Covent Garden district. Covent Garden is the space once occupied by a famous fruit and vegetable market, and is now a huge pedestrian-only plaza with many commercial outlets.

The Strand, looking towards Trafalgar Square
Strand
OS grid referenceTQ3052280893
London borough
Ceremonial countyGreater London
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townLONDON
Postcode districtWC2
Dialling code020
PoliceMetropolitan
FireLondon
AmbulanceLondon
UK Parliament
London Assembly
List of places
UK
England
London

The Strand passes Aldwych, and joins directly with Fleet Street at Temple Bar. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long.[1] It includes many commercial premises, two theatres, and hotels. The most notable hotel is the Savoy Hotel, one of the grand London hotels.

The Savoy Hotel has its own taxi rank.

The road's name comes from the Old English strond, meaning the edge of a river. The street was much identified with the British upper classes between the 12th and 17th centuries, with many historically important mansions being built between the Strand and the river. These included Essex House, Arundel House, Somerset House, Savoy Palace, Durham House and Cecil House. The aristocracy moved to the West End during the 17th century, and the Strand became known for its coffee shops, restaurants and taverns.

The street was a centre point for theatre and music hall during the 19th century, and several venues remain on the Strand. At the east end of the street are two historic churches: St Mary le Strand and St Clement Danes. This easternmost stretch of the Strand is also home to King's College, one of the two founding colleges of the University of London. In addition to the current Somerset House, other important structures include the Royal Courts of Justice and Australia House.[2][3][4][5][6]

References

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  1. Ben Weinreb; Christopher Hibbert (1983). The London Encyclopedia. p. 829.
  2. "History". 24 September 2016.
  3. "About". 5 July 2015. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
  4. "King's Collections : Online Exhibitions : The Founding of the College". www.kingscollections.org.
  5. "History of the Strand campus – King's Alumni Community". alumni.kcl.ac.uk.
  6. "King's College London is ripping down London's history – Apollo Magazine". 24 April 2015.