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Burlington Arcade

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A covered shopping arcade stretches for 196 yards between Piccadilly and Burlington Gardens, running parallel to Bond Street in the City of Westminster. Commissioned by George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, and designed by Samuel Ware, the passage opened on 20 March 1819 on the former side garden of Burlington House. Its original layout comprised a single, top-lit corridor lined with 72 two-storey units, a format that anticipated later European galleries and is recognised as an early example of a modern shopping mall. The arcade lies within the St James’s area and can be reached from either Piccadilly or Bond Street, with the nearby Piccadilly Arcade offering a comparable experience. Since its inception the arcade has maintained a reputation for upscale retail, now hosting around 40 shops that include clothing, footwear, accessories, art and antique dealers, and specialist jewellers in antique silver. Traditional beadles in top hats and frock coats patrol the promenade, enforcing a long-standing ban on singing, humming, whistling and other noisy conduct that dates back to its early days. The Piccadilly façade, enhanced with sculptures by Benjamin Clemens in 1911, adds a decorative touch to the historic interior. Although the arcade has survived fires, wartime damage and a 1964 robbery, it remains a protected landmark where visitors can stroll beneath its glazed roof without an admission charge.

Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A striking water feature and memorial occupies the south-eastern edge of Piccadilly Circus, overlooking the south-west end of Shaftesbury Avenue. The bronze fountain supports a winged aluminium figure representing Anteros, the Greek god of selfless love, although it is commonly, though incorrectly, referred to as Eros. Erected between 1892 and 1893, the monument commemorates the philanthropic work of Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, whose campaigns replaced child labour with schooling. The statue was the first in the world cast in aluminium and was designed by Alfred Gilbert, who chose the subject to symbolise the Earl’s charitable legacy. The memorial has been relocated twice: first in 1925 to Embankment Gardens during construction of a tube station, then again in 1939 when the statue was stored for safety during the Second World War, before returning to its present position on 29 June 1947. The fountain’s bronze basin and marine-inspired motifs were moulded by Fernando Meacci and likely cast by George Broad & Son. Visitors can view the monument at no charge; it forms part of a heavily trafficked public thoroughfare and is reachable on foot from nearby transport links. Wheelchair access is limited, reflecting the site’s historic layout. The surrounding area falls within the St. James’s district and the fountain is listed as a historic memorial under heritage protection.

Piccadilly Circus

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A busy traffic junction and public space in London’s West End, Piccadilly Circus links Piccadilly with Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, the Haymarket, Coventry Street and Glasshouse Street. Situated in the St James’s area of the City of Westminster, the site sits close to the main shopping and entertainment districts that define the West End, making it a frequent meeting point for both locals and visitors. The northern corner is recognisable for its illuminated video displays and neon signage, while the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain and the statue of Anteros stand at the southwestern edge of the roundabout. The layout dates back to 1819 when it was created to join Regent Street with Piccadilly, originally known as Regent Circus South. Over the years the circular form disappeared and the junction became a one-way roundabout in 1926, with traffic lights added the same year. Beneath the plaza lies Piccadilly Circus underground station, served by the Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines since 1906. Surrounding the space are notable buildings such as the London Pavilion and the Criterion Theatre, and the area hosts a variety of retail outlets, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Access is via the underground station and the surrounding road network; entry to the public space is free and there are no admission charges.

William III

St. James's · 0.6 miles

The bronze equestrian monument of William III dominates St James’s Square in central London, presenting the former king as a Roman-style commander astride a spirited horse. The figure, rendered in the classical dress of a general yet retaining the late-17th-century hairstyle of the monarch, stands on a plinth that bears two bronze-lettered panels: one inscribed “GVLIELMVS III” and the other “I. BACON, IVNR. SCVLPTR. 1807”. According to scholarly interpretation, the base also incorporates a reference to the molehill at Hampton Court over which William’s horse Sorrel stumbled, an incident linked to the king’s fatal illness. The work is recognised as a Grade I listed structure, the highest protection for buildings and monuments of exceptional interest, and is recorded in OpenStreetMap as a memorial-type monument. The idea of honouring William III in St James’s Square originated in 1697, when supporters first proposed a statue, but the scheme failed to progress despite further attempts in 1710 and 1721. A bequest in the 1724 will of MP Samuel Travers earmarked funds for an equestrian brass statue, yet no action followed for another seventy years. In 1794 the commission was awarded to John Bacon Senior, England’s leading sculptor at the time, but his death passed the project to his son, John Bacon Junior, who completed and erected the statue in 1808. Initially set within an octagonal pool, the water feature was drained during the 19th century, leaving the monument exposed on the square’s pavement for public viewing.

Wimbourne House

St. James's · 0.6 miles

A prominent Neo-Palladian townhouse dominates 22 Arlington Street in St James’s, Westminster, its west façade looking out over Green Park. Designed by William Kent, construction began in 1743 and continued after the architect’s death in 1748, reaching completion in early 1754. The building carries a Grade II* designation from Historic England and, according to OpenStreetMap, is recorded as a stately castle-type historic feature. Today the structure forms part of the event-room complex serving the adjoining Ritz Hotel, rather than operating as a public museum. The house originated as the London residence of Prime Minister Henry Pelham, who commissioned Kent at the start of his premiership. Subsequent occupants have included Granville Leveson-Gower, the 2nd Earl Gower, and Prime Minister Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, before passing through the hands of several dukes and barons who each added or altered interiors. Notable 19th-century interventions were carried out by architect Owen Jones for the 7th Duke of Beaufort, and a ballroom was introduced by Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne. Most later additions were stripped away in the 1970s to restore Kent’s original character. In 2000, Ettwein Bridges Architects created specialised function suites, while Parisian designer Philippe Belloir oversaw interior finishes that echo the building’s historic ceilings, including restored grisaille paintings and Owen Jones’s fish-scale motifs. Access is therefore limited to private events hosted within the Ritz Hotel’s facilities.

Cecil Court

Aldgate · 0.6 miles

A pedestrian lane of Victorian shop-fronts runs between Charing Cross Road and St Martin’s Lane in Westminster, forming part of the Jubilee Walkway that links the city’s historic core. The street is fully step-free, offering wheelchair access, and the nearest Underground stop is Leicester Square. It lies close to Aldgate and is situated within the central London street network, making it readily reachable on foot or by public transport. The thoroughfare, whose origins trace back to the late-17th century when maps show a hedgerow along its line, now hosts roughly a dozen independent bookshops dealing in antiquarian and second-hand titles, including modern first editions, rare maps, collectible children’s books and esoteric works. In addition, the lane accommodates art galleries, an antiques dealer, and shops specialising in silver, militaria, numismatics, porcelain, jewellery and art-deco items. Historically, the court was a hub for early British cinema, earning the nickname “Flicker Alley” after more than forty film-related businesses set up there from 1897 onward. It also provided temporary accommodation for the eight-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1764; a plaque at number 9 marks the site of the barber shop where he lodged and where tickets for his London concerts were sold. The present buildings date from around 1894, were laid out during the tenure of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, and remain in the ownership of the Cecil family. Admission to the street is free, and its pedestrian nature allows visitors to explore the shops and historic ambience at their own pace.