Free London Walk Guide - Around St James's - Walk 5. This walk begins in London's most famous square (Trafalgar) and leads to the elegant area around St James's. It passes a Tudor Palace and London's best-loved park.

Distance 2.75 miles Start of walk: The National Gallery,Trafalgar Square. From the National Gallery walk towards St Martin-in-the-Fields, pass the statue of George Washington and turn left into st Martin's Place. Keep left round the National Portrait Gallery into Irving Street and continue walking to Leicester Square. Leicester Square Leicester Square is the centre of London's "Theatre-land" and is home to numerous cinemas and nightclubs. Many film premiers are held in the Square and thousands of people flock here to glimpse the "celebrity" guests on the red carpet. The Square gets its name from Leicester House, a mansion built by the Earl of Leicester in the 17th-century. Surrounding the house were Leicester Fields; a place ideal for fighting duels. The Square has a statue of William Shakespeare, at its centre and busts of Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Joshua Reynolds, John Hunter and William Hogarth, at its four corners. A recent addition, is a statue of film star, Charlie Chaplin. Pass the gardens and enter Panton Street. Cross Whitcombe Street and continue walking to Haymarket.Turn left and walk down the left-hand side of Haymarket, across Orange Street to Pall Mall. Pall Mall One of the grandest streets in London's West End is Pall Mall. It takes its name from the site it was built on; a long green where Charles I played 'palle-maille', a French ball game similar to croquet, introduced into England in the 17th century. After Charles II was restored to the throne in 1660, he replaced the old Pall Mall green with a new one running parallel to it - the new green later became the site of The Mall. Numerous famous gentlemens' clubs are situated in Pall Mall - the clubs evolved from London's 17th century coffee houses. The Athenaeum, (1830), has long been the power house of the British establishment - outside the entrance, in Waterloo Place, are two slabs of stone, placed here for use as a mounting stone, at the request of the Duke of Wellington. Nell Gwynn, (favourite mistress of Charles II) lived in two houses in Pall Mall and remained here for the rest of her life. Did you Know? The first time London had public street lighting was on January 28, 1807. Gas lights lit up Pall Mall. Cross Pall Mall; turn right, then left into Waterloo Place. Turn right below the Duke of York Column. The Duke of York Column. The column of Scotch granite with a bronze statue on the summit, was built in 1830-33 and designed by Mr. B. Wyatt, to commemorate the Duke of York, the second son of George III. Most of the cost of the statue was met by stopping one day's pay for every soldier in the army. Did you Know? Jumping from the top of 124 feet high, column, became a fashionable mode of committing suicide during the early years of the monument - The column has a spiral staircase; in the past, the public were allowed to climb to the top gallery. To the left are the Duke of York steps leading down to the Mall and Carlton House Terrace. Carlton House Terrace The terrace gets its name from Carlton House which stood on the spot now occupied by Waterloo place. These elegant, Grade I listed buildings were designed by John Nash and built in 1827-32. No 6 - 9 Carlton House Terrace is now the home of the Royal Society, which was formed in 1660 during the reign of Charles II. Famous past members have included, Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Christopher Wren and Charles Darwin. Return along the west side of Waterloo Place and cross Pall Mall and walk up Regent Street. Cross Charles II Street and take the next left into Jermyn Street. Jermyn Street Jermyn Street is to bespoke shirts what Savile Row is to bespoke suits. Full of long-established, gentlemens' shirt-makers, such as Turnbull & Asser and Herbie Frogg together with Shoe & Bootmakers (John Lobb and Foster & Son). Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Walter Scott and Lord Nelson were all former residents of this old London Street. Did You Know? The statue of Beau Brummell which stands on the junction of Jermyn Street and Piccadilly Arcade, was placed there to embody the elegant clothing values of the street. Royal perfumers J. Floris Ltd have been trading at 89 Jermyn Street, SW1 since 1730 and is London’s oldest perfume shop. Pass St James's Church (St James’s Piccadilly W1, was built in 1676 and is the only Christopher Wren church in London that is not a replacement for an earlier church); then cross both Duke of York and Duke Street and walk on to get to Piccadilly Arcade. Piccadilly Arcade Lined with expensive shops; the arcade links Jermyn Street and Piccadilly. The bow-fronted Georgian style, shops were built in 1910. Continue along Jermyn Street, cross Bury Street, then turn left into St James Street. St James Street Running from Piccadilly and affording a peep of St James's Palace at the bottom; this genteel street is home to London's best known gentlemen's clubs, (most, established in the 18th-century) such as Brooks's and the Carlton Club. White's is the oldest club in London and originally opened in 1693 as a chocolate house before evolving into a club. Lock, hatters for more than 200 years (they made Wellington's and Nelson's hats), and Berry Brothers and Rudd, wine merchants since the 17th-century, make up just some of the exclusive shops on this world-famous street. Did You Know? When Westminster Abbey wanted a new hat for their wax statue of Lord Nelson they sent for it to Lock's, who had his measurements on their books. They have the accounts of all their customers since 1700. The first bowler hat was bought from Lock's in 1849 for 12 shillings. An English landowner ordered the first one after first testing it in the shop by stamping on it twice. When James Heatherington first wore his top hat in the city in 1797, Londoners mobbed him. Women fainted in the crush and the unfortunate man was arrested for causing a breach of the peace. Later his top hat became obligatory headgear for society weddings, Royal Ascot and for ambassadors presenting their credentials to the monarch at the Court of St James's. Cross St James's Street, turn left and cross pall Mall opposite the sentry boxes outside the arch of St James's Palace. Turn right along Cleveland Row then left into Stable Yard. Stable Yard Stable Yard forms just one of the many interlocking passageways that connect all the different parts of St James's Palace. The Yard housed the stables of the palace nearly 350 years ago. On the south side is Lancaster House, a beautiful 19th-century house that was built for pageantry and received all the famous men who came to London - Queen Victoria was a regular visitor. Adjoining the Palace is Clarence House - it is actually linked to St James's Palace - the present home of HRH The Prince of Wales. The Tudor palace was vast and lots of the original has been lost but the gateway and Chapel Royal are original. Leave Stable Yard and turn right when you reach the Mall and walk on. Head for Buckingham Palace and walk alongside the palace gates. Bear left to circle the Victoria Memorial. Cross Buckingham Gate and Spur Road and walk up the south side of the Mall for a short distance and then turn right into St James's Park. St James's Park St James's Park is widely acknowledged as the most attractive London park; it has been loved by kings' and visitors for hundreds of years. The park has a lake that is inhabited by pelicans, ducks and other water birds and wonderful views of Whitehall and Westminster. King Charles II appears to have been particularly fond of St. James's Park. It is said that he would spend hours sitting on the benches in the walk, amusing himself with some tame ducks and his dogs, amidst a crowd of people, with whom he would talk and joke. The park was also a favourite spot for Oliver Goldsmith. In his "Essays" we read that, "If a man be splenetic, he may every day meet companions on the seats in St. James's Park, with whose groans he may mix his own, and pathetically talk of the weather." Walk to the lake; pass the bridge, then bear right at the fork. Leave the park by the gates directly ahead. cross Horse Guards Road and walk across Horseguards Parade to the arch opposite.Go through the archway to exit on Whitehall, opposite the Banqueting House. Banqueting House The Banqueting House, designed by Inigo Jones and built in 1622 is the only surviving part of the Palace of Whitehall. The Palladium-style building contains a masterpiece ceiling painting by Peter Paul Rubens but, although, renowned for this painting and its architecture, the Banqueting House is probably most famous for something more significant; the execution of King Charles I in 1649. Turn left along Whitehall and walk to Trafalgar Square. Trafalgar Square At five metres high and standing on a bronze platform made from old guns, Nelson's Column dominates the square. The statue was erected to honour Admiral Nelson (1758-1805), following his victory in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. With its fountains and statues, together with the National Gallery on its north side and the equestrian bronze of Charles I, facing the place of his execution; Trafalgar Square is the most famous of the London squares. Did you Know? Somewhere in the vicinity of Trafalgar Square, lie the Crown Jewels of France. They were brought to London in 1793 by Louis XV's mistress and buried in the Royal Mews which were later demolished when Trafalgar Square was built in 1820's. Unfortunately, the lady never divulged the exact spot and her secret went with her to the guillotine. A pillory, used to be set next to the statue of Charles I; the punishment given out by the crowd, differed according to the popularity of the culprit. Defoe proved popular when he was pilloried in 1703. He got an ovation, was draped with garlands and was toasted by the crowd. John Middleton wasn't so fortunate when he was pilloried in Trafalgar Square for perjury in 1723, he was so badly treated that he died before he was released. End of the Walk