Whitehall, London

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A view of Whitehall from Trafalgar Square in 1910. The statue in the centre is an equestrian representation of Charles I. It was probably cast in 1633 by the French sculptor, Hubert La Sueur. It is located on the site of the most elaborate of the Eleanor Crosses which were erected by Edward I. The Cross had been on this site between 1300 and 1647 and was the place generally seen as the Centre of London – the place where distances from London were measured.
The statue was commissioned by the King’s Lord High Treasurer (Richard Weston) and was initially located in his Surrey garden. After the English Civil War, the statue was sold for scrap to a Holborn-based metalsmith (John Rivett) who hid it until the Monarchy was restored.  In 1675, it was installed in this location.
During World War II, the statue was removed and stored at Mentmore Park. Some repairs were completed before its return. The Department of the Environment and the V&A Museum arranged for the plinth to be cleaned in 1977 – the first time in 300 years.
Image: Photographer unknown
The same view down a virtually empty Whitehall in May 2020 during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.
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Published by stevenmiell1183

Never without a camera!

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2 thoughts on “Whitehall, London”

  1. I always enjoy these but don’t always get a chance to comment. It is eerie to see these usually bustling heritage spots empty of humans. They will soon be bustling again. I love reading the history.

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