The area is named from a leper hospital on the site of which Henry VIII built a Royal Palace. Major developments followed the construction in 1663 of St James's Square and Wren's church built in 1684. It has always been a fashionable area. A feature of this walk is its many galleries, clubs, and historic shops including four arcades. There are also a number of statues and memorials. There are plenty of places to eat and picnic.

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This 2 mile circular walk is from Green Park tube station (Victoria, Piccadilly & Jubilee lines). The main things to see are clubs, shops (including 4 arcades) and statues & memorials.

From the station exit into the park and follow Queen's Walk alongside the buildings
View of Ritz Hotel and Spencer House, built for Earl Spencer and renovated by the Rothschilds.

On the left go through the gate and up the steps into Cleveland Row
On the right is St James's Palace

Cross and go left up St James's Street
Old shops of Berry Bros (Wine merchants), Locks (Hatters) & Lobbs (shoes)

Right into King Street and right down Crown Passage
Rear of Lock's Hatters and Red Lion pub.

Left along Pall Mall but detour into Angel Court on the left
Plaques commemorate the St James's Theatre associated with Oscar Wilde and others.

Continue along Pall Mall
Clubs here include the Army & Navy and RAC

Right into Carlton Gardens, left along Carlton House Terrace
Carlton House Terrace replaced the Prince Regent's Carlton House. Halfway along is the Duke of York's column.

Left along Waterloo Place
There are statues including to explorers Franklin and Scott, Edward VII, Florence Nightingale & the Crimea and others. Also the Athenaeum and Institute of Directors, formerly the United Services Club.

Cross and go left along Pall Mall
Opposite are the Traveller's (106) and Reform (104) Clubs

Right into St James's Square.Go into the central garden, viewing information panel. From the centre exit to the right and continue around the square
The central statue is to William III and under the horse's hooves is the molehill which indirectly led to William's death. The memorial in the NE corner is to Yvonne Fletcher the young policewoman shot on the site in 1984. Also in the NE corner is the Naval & Military (In & Out) Club, a former home of the Astors and in the NW corner the London Library. At number 16/17 is the East India Club opened in 1850 and now amalgamated with Devonshire, Sports & Public Schools.

Exit by Duke of York Street, go left into Ormond Yard and continue through into Mason's Yard (former stableyard to St James's Square)
Mason became a partner in the famous Fortnum & Mason store. The White Cube Gallery replaced an electricity generating station.

Exit left into Duke Street St James. At the end go right into King Street
Auctioneers Christies premises (galleries are open to the public)

Cross into St James Place
Gunmaker's premises on the corner. There are plaques to Chopin, Sir Francis Chichester and William Huskinsson. Here also is the entrance to Spencer House.

Return to St James's Street and take next left into Blue Ball Yard
The former stable and coach house buildings of 1741 are now part of the Stafford Hotel.

Return to St James's Street and take next left into Park Place
Pratt's Club is at number 14 and at the end is the former St James's Club of 1892. Also Overseas House, home of the Royal Overseas League.

Return to St James's Street and walk left
The street has a number of clubs including Brooks (60) & Boodles (28).

Right into Jermyn Street
On the corner with Bury Street is the Edwardian shop of Turnbull & Asser, shirtmakers.

Left through the Piccadilly Arcade of 1909. Right along Piccadilly
On the left is the Royal Academy in Burlington House and the entrance to the Albany. On the right are Fortnum & Mason's store and Hatchard's Bookshop.

Right through Prince's Arcade of the 1880s and left along Jermyn Street.
Shops of interest include Floris perfumery and Paxton & Whitfield, cheesemongers

Through St James's Church or left along the alley just past it.
The church was built by Wren in 1676-84 and commissioned by Henry Jermyn

Go left along Piccadilly and cross to Sackville Street to the right. At the end left into Vigo Street.
On the right is Gieves & Hawkes at the corner of Savile Row. Livingstone's body was bought back here when it was the premises of the Royal Geographical Society. On the left is the Albany gentlemen's chambers of 1803 flanked by two lodges.

Continue along Burlington Gardens and go left through the Burlington Arcade
Built in 1819 London's longest arcade is patrolled by uniformed beadles to ensure its regulations are adhered to.

Right into Piccadilly and first right up old Bond Street.
This is a street of expensive shops.

Go through the Royal Arcade of 1880 to the left at number 28. Left down Albemarle Street. Right along Piccadilly past the Ritz Hotel back to Green Park Station. There are cafes along Piccadilly or you can picnic in Green Park.

london-footprints.co.uk 2009

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