Leicester Square

Pedestrianised square in London, United Kingdom

Leicester SquareFile:Redeveloped Leicester Square.jpg

Leicester Square in July 2012, following redevelopment

Leicester Square is located in City of Westminster

Location within Central London

Maintained by| Westminster City Council
Location| City of Westminster, Central London
Postal code| WC2
Nearest tube station| Leicester Square
Coordinates| 51°30′37″N 0°07′48″W﻿ / ﻿51.5104°N 0.1301°W﻿ / 51.5104; -0.1301Coordinates: 51°30′37″N 0°07′48″W﻿ / ﻿51.5104°N 0.1301°W﻿ / 51.5104; -0.1301
Construction
Inauguration| 1670
Other
Designer| Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Known for|

* Odeon Leicester Square
* Empire, Leicester Square
* Odeon West End
* World's largest Lego store

Website| www.leicestersquare.london

Leicester Square (/ˈlɛstər/ (Audio file "Leicestersq.ogg" not found) LEST-ər) is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leicester House, itself named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester.

The square was originally a gentrified residential area, with tenants including Frederick, Prince of Wales and the artists William Hogarth and Joshua Reynolds. It became more down-market in the late 18th century as Leicester House was demolished and retail developments took place, becoming a centre for entertainment. Several major theatres were built in the 19th century, which were converted to cinemas towards the middle of the next. Leicester Square is the location of nationally significant cinemas such as the Odeon Leicester Square, Empire, Leicester Square, which are often used for film premieres (and the now closed Odeon West End). The nearby Prince Charles Cinema is known for its screenings of cult films and marathon film runs. The square remains a tourist attraction which hosts events, including for the Chinese New Year.

The square has always had a park in its centre, which was originally Common land. The park's fortunes have varied over the centuries, reaching near dilapidation in the mid-19th century after changing ownership several times. It was restored under the direction of Albert Grant, which included the construction of four new statues and a fountain of William Shakespeare. The square was extensively refurbished and remodelled for the 2012 London Olympics at a cost of more than £15 million, taking over 17 months to complete.

## Contents

* 1 Geography
* 2 History
* 2.1 16th–18th centuries
* 2.2 19th–21st centuries
* 3 Features
* 3.1 Gardens square
* 3.2 Entertainment
* 3.2.1 Cinemas
* 3.3 Other attractions
* 3.4 Infrastructure
* 4 Cultural references
* 5 Pronunciation
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 7.1 Explanatory notes
* 7.2 Citations
* 7.3 General and cited references
* 8 Further reading
* 9 External links

## Geography[edit | edit source]

The square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west. The park at the centre of the Square is bound by Cranbourn Street, to the north; Leicester Street, to the east; Irving Street, to the south; and a section of road designated simply as Leicester Square, to the west. It is within the City of Westminster, north of Trafalgar Square, east of Piccadilly Circus, west of Covent Garden, and south of Cambridge Circus.[1]

The nearest London Underground station is Leicester Square, which opened in 1906.[2] London bus routes 24, 29 and 176 run on nearby Charing Cross Road.[3]

Leicester Square has also been used as name for the immediate surrounding area, roughly corresponding with Coventry Street, Cranbourn Street, Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Street.[4] This includes Bear Street,[5] Haymarket,[6] Hobhouse Court (named after Sir John Cam Hobhouse),[7] Hunt's Court (after Samuel Hunt, 17th century carpenter and leaseholder),[8] Irving Street (after actor Henry Irving),[9] Orange Street (named after William III, Prince of Orange),[10] Oxendon Street (after Sir Henry Oxenden, 1st Baronet),[11] Panton Street (after local property dealer Thomas Panton),[12] and Trafalgar Square.[13]

## History[edit | edit source]

### 16th–18th centuries[edit | edit source]

File:Leicester Square en 1750.JPG

Leicester Square in 1750, looking north towards Leicester House, then one of the largest houses in London.[14]

The land where Leicester Square now lies once belonged to the Abbot and Convent of Westminster Abbey and the Beaumont family. In 1536, Henry VIII took control of 3 acres (1.2 ha) of land around the square, with the remaining 4 acres (1.6 ha) being transferred to the king the following year. The square is named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, who purchased this land in 1630.[14] By 1635, he had built himself a large house, Leicester House, at the northern end. The area in front of the house was then enclosed, depriving inhabitants of St Martin in the Fields parish of their right to use the previously common land. The parishioners appealed to King Charles I, and he appointed three members of the privy council to arbitrate. Lord Leicester was ordered to keep part of his land (thereafter known as Leicester Fields and later as Leicester Square) open for the parishioners. [15]

The square was laid out to the south of Leicester House and developed in the 1670s. The area was originally entirely residential, with properties laid out in a similar style to nearby Pall Mall.[14] In 1687, the northern part of the square became part of the new parish of St Anne, Soho. The 7th Earl of Leicester took ownership of the property in 1728 and it was briefly the residence of Frederick, Prince of Wales from 1742 until Leicester's death the following year.[15] The poet Matthew Prior lived at what is now No. 21 around 1700 and artist William Hogarth resided at No 30 between 1733 and 1764, where he produced some of his best known works including Gin Lane.[14] The magistrate Thomas de Veil, later to found Bow Street Magistrates' Court, lived at No 40 between 1729 and 1737; this location is now the Odeon West End.[4] The painter Joshua Reynolds lived at No 47 from 1760 until his death in 1792; this location is now Fanum House, once the Automobile Association head office.[14]

At the end of the 17th century, Lord Leicester's heir, Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester, permitted a small amount of retail development in booths along the front of Leicester House.[14] A statue of King George I was built on the square in 1760 following the coronation of his great-grandson, George III.[16] The square remained fashionable throughout most of the 18th century, with notable residents including the architect James Stuart at No 35 from 1766 to 1788 and the painter John Singleton Copley at No. 28 from 1776 to 1783.[4]

Leicester House was intermittently inhabited during the mid-18th century, and was finally sold to the naturalist Ashton Lever in 1775. Lever turned the house into a museum with a significant amount of natural history objects. In turn, the square began to serve as a venue for popular entertainments.[15] Brothels began to appear around Leicester Square during the century, and visitors could pay to watch the severed heads of traitors executed at Temple Bar through a telescope.[17] Leicester House became home of a museum of natural curiosities called the Holophusikon in the 1780s.[15][18] It was demolished in 1791–72 due to rising debts following the extinction of the Leicester peerage, and replaced by Leicester Place. That in turn was converted into a church in 1865 and is now the site of the Prince Charles Cinema.[14]

In 1790, a new Royal Opera House was proposed to be built in Leicester Square. The scheme was led by The Prince of Wales, Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford and James Cecil, 1st Marquess of Salisbury and aimed to re-establish London as a centre for Italian opera and ballet, with an opera house to rival those in mainland Europe. The opera house was never built, as the royal patent needed at that time to license a theatre was refused.[19] The plans for the original design are preserved in Sir John Soane's Museum, while a 1790 painting by William Hodges, which displays the finished design, belongs to the Museum of London.[20]

### 19th–21st centuries[edit | edit source]

File:Leicester Square with the Alhambra formerly the Royal Panopticon ILN 1874.jpg

Leicester Square overlooking the Alhambra Theatre in 1874

By the 19th century, Leicester Square was known as an entertainment venue, with many amusements peculiar to the era, including Wyld's Great Globe, which was built for The Great Exhibition of 1851 and housed a giant scale map of the Earth.[21][a] The construction of New Coventry Street made it easier for traffic to access the square, resulting in private residences being replaced by shops, museums and exhibition centres. Savile House at No. 5–6, built in 1683 for Thomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury, had become a museum by this time, and was ultimately destroyed by fire in 1865. It was rebuilt as the Empire Theatre.[23][15]

Several foreign-owned hotels were established around the square, making it popular with visitors to London. Brunet's Hôtel at No. 25 was opened by Louis Brunet in 1800, later expanding to Nos. 24 and 26 during the following decade. It was bought by Francis Jaunay in 1815 known as Jaunay's Hôtel. The Hôtel Sablonière et de Provence opened at No. 17–18 in 1845 as the Hôtel de Provence, and renamed in 1869. It closed in 1919 and became a public house. The Cavour, at No. 20 at the southeast of the square, opened in 1864. It was badly damaged in World War II but subsequently restored.[4][24]

File:Leicester Square c1880.jpg

Leicester Square in 1880, looking north east

The Alhambra Theatre was built in 1854 on the east side of the square, dominating the site. It temporarily closed two years later when the original owner, Edward Clarke, became bankrupt, but then reopened in 1858 as the Alhambra Palace. It enjoyed a surge in popularity after Queen Victoria and family came to see "Black Eagle – The Horse of Beauty". It burned down in 1882, but reopened the following year.[25] In the early 20th century, the theatre became a popular venue for ballet. It was demolished in 1936 and replaced by the Odeon Cinema.[25] The Empire Theatre of Varieties opened in 1881 on the former site of Savile House, but had a troubled start, closing for a time, until the end of the decade. The theatre gained a reputation for high-class prostitutes frequenting the theatre, and in 1894 the London County Council ordered the promenade on the upper balcony to be remodelled. A young Winston Churchill, then a cadet at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, helped destroy canvas screens that had been erected to prevent access to the balcony. The theatre closed in 1927, to be replaced by the Empire Cinema.[26]

During the Winter of Discontent, where the incumbent Labour Party struggled to meet demands of trade unions and a shrinking economy, refuse collectors went on strike in January 1979. Leicester Square was turned into a de facto dump, earning it the nickname of "Fester Square".[27] In the 1980s, the square was pedestrianised, cutting off all vehicular traffic.[28] Access to the square for goods and deliveries is now controlled by specially designated marshals.[29]

By the start of the 21st century, Westminster City Council were concerned that the square was too dangerous at night, and wanted to demolish sections of it to encourage the growth of theatres and cinemas, and reduce popularity of nightclubs.[30] In 2010, a major redevelopment of Leicester Square took place as part of a Great Outdoors scheme proposed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.[31] The improvements included 12,000 square metres (130,000 sq ft) of granite paving and a water feature surrounding the Shakespeare statue.[32] The square re-opened in May 2012 after 17 months' work at a total cost of £15.3 million. The Greater London Authority said the refurbishments would accommodate more than 1,000 new jobs.[31] The re-opening coincided with the 2012 Summer Olympics later that year.[32]

## Features[edit | edit source]

File:Panorama showing the Lego Store and M&M's world in Leicester Square, London.jpg

Panorama showing the Lego Store and M&M's World

### Gardens square[edit | edit source]

File:Shakespeare Statue in Leicester Square.JPG

The Shakespeare fountain and statue

In the middle of the square is a small park that was originally available for common use on Lammas Day (12 August), such as washing clothes and herding cattle. The Earl of Leicester was obliged to preserve these grounds, which were separated from the rest of the square with railings. In 1808, the garden was sold by the Leicester Estate to Charles Elmes for £210 (equivalent to £17,424 in 2021), who neglected to maintain it.[b] Ownership changed hands a number of times during the first half of the 19th century, including Robert Barren following Elmes' death in 1822, John Inderwick in 1834, and Hyam Hyams and Edward Moxhay in 1839. Little maintenance was done and the garden deteriorated to the point of severe dilapidation.[33][4]

In 1848, the land was subject to the significant legal case of Tulk v Moxhay. The plot's previous owner, Moxhay, had agreed upon a covenant not to erect buildings but the law would not allow buyers who were not "privy" to the initial contract to be bound by subsequent promises. The judge, Lord Cottenham, decided that future owners of land could be bound by promises to abstain from activity, subject to the doctrine of notice (actual or constructive). Otherwise, a buyer could (re-)sell land to himself to undermine an initial promise.[33][34] James Wyld bought the assets of the garden from the Tulk and Moxhay's death estates in 1849 to erect the Great Globe,[33] though buried the statue of George I under 12 feet of earth with the globe stuck on top. The statue was uncovered following the globe's demise, but by 1866 it had deteriorated due to vandalism and was sold for £16.[16] Arguments continued about the fate of the garden, with Charles Augustus Tulk's heirs erecting a wooden hoarding around the property in 1873. These were quickly removed after the Master of the Rolls ordered that the land must be preserved for its original purpose.[4]

File:Charlie Chaplin-Leicester Square-London.jpg

Charlie Chaplin statue

The garden was saved by the Member of Parliament (MP) Albert Grant, who purchased the park in 1874 for £11,060 and donated it to the Metropolitan Board of Works.[35] The title deed for the square passed to the succeeding public bodies and is now in the ownership of the City of Westminster.[36] After the purchase, the architect James Knowles redesigned the park. A statue of William Shakespeare surrounded by dolphins was constructed in the centre. The four corner gates of the park had one bust each of famous former residents in the square: the scientist Sir Isaac Newton designed by W. Calder Marshall; Sir Joshua Reynolds, the first President of the Royal Academy by H. Weekes; John Hunter, a pioneer of surgery, by T. Wooler; and William Hogarth, the painter, by J. Durham.[c][35] Ownership transferred to Westminster City Council in 1933.[33] The most recent addition was a bronze statue of film star and director Sir Charlie Chaplin, designed by sculptor John Doubleday in 1981.[37] On the pavement were inscribed the distances in miles to several Commonwealth countries, including Canada, Kenya and Jamaica.[38] After the Great Outdoors refurbishment of the square, only the statue of Shakespeare still remains.

### Entertainment[edit | edit source]

Leicester Square is the centre of London's cinema land, and one of the signs marking the Square bears the legend "Theatreland".[39] It contains the cinema with the largest screen and another with the most seats (over 1,600).[40] The square is the prime location in London for film premieres and co-hosts the London Film Festival each year.[41] Similar to Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, the square was surrounded by floor mounted plaques with film stars' names and cast handprints. During the 2010–2012 refurbishment, many of the plaques were removed, confusing tourists who still expected to find them there.[42]

File:Ticket Booth, Leicester Square W1 - geograph.org.uk - 1284462.jpg

The TKTS booth in Leicester Square is the official place to purchase cheap theatre tickets in the West End besides being synonymous with London film premieres.

The Leicester Square Theatre is based in nearby Leicester Place. It was constructed in 1955 as a church, before becoming the Notre Dame Hall, then the Cavern in the Town, a popular live music venue in the 1960s.[43] In the 1970s, it was renamed back to the Notre Dame Hall, where the Sex Pistols played one of their first gigs at the club on 15 November 1976.[44][d] It was converted into a theatre in 2002 as The Venue, and refurbished as the Leicester Square Theatre in 2008.[43] In 2014, it began a production of a musical based on Oscar Wilde's De Profundis.[46]

The Square has been the home for TKTS (originally known as the Official London Half-Price Theatre Ticket Booth), since 1980. Tickets for theatre performances taking place around the West End that day and during the week are sold from the booth at a significant discount.[47] The popularity of the booth has given rise to other booths and stores around the Square that advertise half-price tickets for West End shows. The Official London Theatre Guide recommends avoiding these booths as they are not official and do not contain the Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR) logo.[48]

The Square is home to the 93,000 square feet (8,600 m2) Hippodrome Casino. Following a £40m refurbishment in 2012, the premises can now accommodate 2,000 patrons.[49]

Global Radio has its headquarters on the east side of Leicester Square at No. 30, close to the Odeon. The building houses the radio stations Capital, Capital Xtra, Classic FM, Gold, Heart, LBC, Smooth Radio and Radio X.[50]

#### Cinemas[edit | edit source]

File:Londen 2006 (361) (2848925508).jpg

The Odeon Leicester Square

The Odeon Leicester Square, which dominates the east side of the square, hosts many film premieres. Opened in 1937, it has a capacity for 1,683 people, arranged in circle and stalls.[40] The last 70mm film showing was Armageddon in 1998, after which the theatre began to use digital technology. The projection room still contains some of the original 1930s decor and normally houses two projectors.[51] The Empire opened in 1962. It was previously the largest cinema on the square, but in 2013 it was subdivided to cater for an IMAX screen.[52] The Odeon West End, on the south side, opened in 1930. It was not generally used for premieres and was earmarked for demolition in 2014, to be replaced by a ten-storey hotel including a two-screen cinema. Westminster City Council reported 400 new jobs would be available after the redevelopment.[53] Vue West End, on the north side, near the north east corner, was the first cinema in Europe to show a 3D film with Chicken Little in 2006.[54]

A short distance from the west of the Square, on the south side of Panton Street, is the Odeon Panton Street.[55] The Prince Charles Cinema, to the north of the square opened in 1962 with a "satellite dish" design where the audience looks upwards to the stage. The cinema became known for showing pornographic and erotic films during the 1970s, including Emmanuelle (1974). It later became a favourite venue for showing cult films, including The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and a sing-along version of The Sound of Music (1965), and marathon performances including all seven Muppet films back to back. Prices are considerably cheaper than the main cinemas in the square; in 2013 a ticket for a new release at the Prince Charles cost £10, compared to £24 at the Odeon.[56]

File:Statue of Mr. Bean at Leicester Square.jpg

Mr. Bean statue in the square as part of the Scenes in the Square sculpture trail.

Due to the Leicester Square's long association with cinema, a film-themed sculpture trail entitled Scenes in the Square was installed.[57] In February 2020, eight sculptures were installed which depict characters from the last 100 years of cinema including Laurel and Hardy, Mary Poppins, Batman, Bugs Bunny, Don Lockwood portrayed by Gene Kelly, Paddington Bear, Mr. Bean, and Wonder Woman.[57] In September 2020, a statue of Harry Potter riding a Nimbus 2000 was installed, becoming the ninth statue in the exhibition.[58] In June 2021, a statue of the Iron Throne from HBO TV series Game of Thrones was unveiled to mark 10 years since the release of the first episode.[59]

### Other attractions[edit | edit source]

File:Leicester Square in September 2016.jpg

Leicester Square looking north-west towards Swiss Court. The Lego store is visible to the left.

Leicester Square is one of several places in the West End that puts on events relating to the Chinese New Year. The celebrations are organised by the London Chinatown Chinese Association and held on the first Sunday during the new year period. Events include music, acrobatics and dancing. In 2015, the celebrations attracted more than 1,000 participants, becoming the largest of their kind in the UK. These included lion dances, a show of the Cultures of China and a drum show. A parade ran nearby through Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue.[60][61]

The Royal Dental Hospital and school was based at 40–41 from 1874 to 1901 and at 31–36 from 1901 to 1985, when the building was redeveloped as the Hampshire Hotel.[62][63]

The School of English operated on Leicester Square from 1992 until its closure in 2015. It taught over 25,000 students during its years of operation.[64]

The world's largest Lego store opened on 3, Swiss Court, Leicester Square in November 2016. The opening was marked by unveiling a 6-metre (20 ft) high model of Big Ben made out of 200,000 Lego bricks.[65][66]

In 2022, Burger King announced it would open its first meat-free restaurant in Leicester Square. The restaurant is scheduled to operate from 14 March to 10 April.[67]

### Infrastructure[edit | edit source]

The main electrical substation for the West End is beneath the Square. The electrical cables to the substation are in a large tunnel ending at Leicester Square, and originating in Wimbledon, at Plough Lane, behind the former Wimbledon F.C. football ground, before which the cables are above ground.[68]

## Cultural references[edit | edit source]

In 1726, anatomist Nathaniel St André claimed to have delivered rabbits from Mary Toft, a woman who lived at No. 27 Leicester Square. The event was widely reported around London, attracting interest from King George I and Royal Society president Hans Sloane. Shortly afterwards, the woman was caught trying to buy a rabbit in secret, and the incident was uncovered as a hoax.[4]

Leicester Square is commemorated in the lyrics of the music hall song "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" along with nearby Piccadilly, which became popular with soldiers during World War I.[4] During the war, British inmates of Ruhleben Prisoner of War camp mentioned the square in a song: "Shout this chorus all you can. We want the people there, to hear in Leicester Square, That we're the boys that never get downhearted."[69] It is mentioned in the lyrics of several rock & pop band tracks, including the Rolling Stones' notorious "Cocksucker Blues", (1970)[70] "Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square" on Jethro Tull's album Stand Up (1969),[71] "Emit Remmus" on the album Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999),[72] He's on the Phone (1995) by Saint Etienne[73] and "Leicester Square" on Rancid's Life Won't Wait (1998).[74] A verse in "Something About England" on the Clash's 1980 album Sandinista! refers back to "It's a Long Way to Tipperary", including a reference to Leicester Square.[75]

Leicester Square is one of a group of three on the British Monopoly board along with Coventry Street and Piccadilly. The board was set out by designers Victor Watson and Marge Phillips in the order of entertainment on a Saturday night: film at Leicester Square, meal in Coventry Street and hotel on Piccadilly.[76]

## Pronunciation[edit | edit source]

Main article: List of places in England with counterintuitive pronunciations: A–L

The word Leicester features the ending cester which is with rare exceptions spoken as a simplified pronunciation, so is counterintuitive, a quirk of British English. A report by Premier Inn said Leicester Square was the most mispronounced place in the UK by tourists, usually as "/laɪˈtʃɛstər/" ("Lie-chester") Square.[77]

## See also[edit | edit source]

* List of eponymous roads in London
* 1 Leicester Square
* Swiss Centre, London
* Scenes in the Square

## References[edit | edit source]

### Explanatory notes[edit | edit source]

1. ^ The globe gave a complete view of the world at a scale of ten miles / inch. James Wyld constructed the globe as he believed it would show the importance of Britain and revitalise Leicester Square, which was becoming downtrodden by the 1850s.[22]
2. ^ On Elmes' death, his executors were sued for neglect.
3. ^ The statues were designed to represent former residents in Leicester Square, but Newton actually lived in St. Martin's Street.
4. ^ The gig occurred a little over two weeks before the Sex Pistols achieved national notoriety by appearing on ITV's Today with Bill Grundy.[45]

### Citations[edit | edit source]

1. ^ "Leicester Square". Google Maps. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
2. ^ Follenfant, H. G. (1975). Reconstructing London's underground. London Transport Executive. p. 45\. ISBN 9780853290391. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
3. ^ "Central London Tube Map" (PDF). Transport for London. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Weinreb et al 2008, p. 480.
5. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 25.
6. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 156.
7. ^ "Plaque: Hobhouse Court – naming". 8 July 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
8. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 168.
9. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 170.
10. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 235.
11. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 237.
12. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 239.
13. ^ Fairfield 1983, p. 319.
14. ^ a b c d e f g Weinreb et al 2008, p. 479.
15. ^ a b c d e "Leicester Square, North Side, and Lisle Street Area: Leicester Estate: Leicester House and Leicester Square North Side (Nos 1–16)". Survey of London. 33–34 : St Anne Soho: 441–472. 1966. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
16. ^ a b Moore 2003, p. 89.
17. ^ Moore 2003, pp. 87, 89.
18. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, pp. 478–479.
19. ^ Price, Curtis; Milhous, Judith; Hume, Robert D. (March 1990). "A Royal Opera House in Leicester Square (1790)". Cambridge Opera Journal. 1. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 2: 1–28.
20. ^ "Leicester Square, London, with the Design for a Proposed New Opera House". Art UK. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
21. ^ "A Journey Round the Globe". Punch. 1851. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
22. ^ Black 2000, pp. 29–31.
23. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, pp. 480, 822.
24. ^ F H W Sheppard, ed. (1966). "Leicester Square, East Side: Leicester Estate, Nos 17–30 Leicester Square and Irving Street (formerly Green Street)". Survey of London. London. 33–34: St Anne Soho: 448–503. Archived from the original on 10 December 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
25. ^ a b Weinreb et al 2008, pp. 16–17.
26. ^ Weinreb et al 2008, p. 272.
27. ^ "Then was the winter of our discontent". BBC Radio 4. 5 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
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29. ^ "Marshals". Westminster City Council. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
30. ^ "Facelift hope for Leicester Square". BBC News. 18 March 2003. Archived from the original on 13 January 2004. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
31. ^ a b "Transformed Leicester Square Brings New Jobs and Boost to West End". Greater London Authority. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
32. ^ a b "New-look Leicester Square reopens". The Independent. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
33. ^ a b c d F H W Sheppard, ed. (1966). "Leicester Square Area: Leicester Estate". Survey of London. London. 33–34, St Anne Soho: 416–440. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
34. ^ Tulk v. Moxhay (1848) 41 ER 1143 (Court Rolls)
35. ^ a b Weinreb et al 2008, p. 481.
36. ^ "Leicester Square Area: Leicester Estate". Survey of London. 33–34 : St Anne Soho: 416–440. 1966. Archived from the original on 2 November 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
37. ^ Piper & Jervis 2000, p. 53.
38. ^ Fullman 2008, p. 72.
39. ^ "Leicester Square". Google Maps. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
40. ^ a b Wheeler 2009, p. 40.
41. ^ Steffan Laugharne, Ken Roe. "Cinema Treasures – Odeon Leicester Square". Cinema Treasures. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
42. ^ "Hollywood film stars' hand print collection set for West End return after disappearance". London Evening Standard. 22 September 2014. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
43. ^ a b "Leicester Square Theatre". Theatre Trust. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
44. ^ "Gig Archive 1975 – 2008". Sex Pistols (official website). Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
45. ^ Brown, Jonathan (1 December 2012). "Never mind four-letter words... here's the Sex Pistols: when television met punk rock". The Independent. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
46. ^ "Oscar Wilde production wins Leicester Square Theatre's New Musical Project". The Stage. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
47. ^ "TKTS". Official London Theatre Guide. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
48. ^ A step-free route from Nelson's Column to the TKTS Booth (PDF) (Report). Official London Theatre Guide. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
49. ^ "Welcome to the Pleasure Dome – Leicester Square Hippodrome Opens as Casino after £40m refit#". London Evening Standard. 12 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
50. ^ "About Us". Global Radio. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
51. ^ "Interstellar: the secrets of the projection room". The Daily Telegraph. 14 November 2014. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
52. ^ Smith, Duncan (14 December 2014). "Leicester Square: Do London's cinemas face a fight for survival?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
53. ^ "Leicester Square's Odeon cinema to be demolished". BBC News. 21 January 2014. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
54. ^ "About Us". Vue. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011.
55. ^ "Odeon Panton Street". Time Out. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
56. ^ "Cine-files: The Prince Charles Cinema". The Guardian. 15 January 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
57. ^ a b "Celebrate 100 years of cinema with this interactive sculpture trail in Leicester Square". Time Out London. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
58. ^ Hartley, Laura (30 September 2020). "Harry Potter Quidditch statue unveiled in Leicester Square". SurreyLive. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
59. ^ Makoni, Abbianca (22 June 2021). "Game of Thrones' Iron Throne comes to Leicester Square". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
60. ^ "Thousands celebrate Chinese New Year in London". BBC News. 22 February 2015. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
61. ^ "Chinese New Year 2015 in London: The quick guide". London 24. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
62. ^ "Royal Dental Hospital and School of Dental Surgery". London Metropolitan Archives. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
63. ^ Sheppard, F. H. W., ed. (1966). "Leicester Square, South Side: Leicester Estate, Nos 31–42 Leicester Square and Spur Street". Survey of London: Volumes 33 and 34, St Anne Soho. London: London County Council. pp. 504–506. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
64. ^ "London's Leicester Square School of English closes". British Universities' International Liaison Association. 17 January 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
65. ^ "World's largest LEGO store opens in Leicester Square". The Daily Telegraph. 17 November 2016. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
66. ^ "The Lego Store – London Leicester Square". Lego (official website). Archived from the original on 26 November 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
67. ^ "Burger King launches its first meat-free restaurant in UK". The Independent. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
68. ^ Tunnelling Under London: Developments in cable tunnel design provide an economic and environmental solution to system reinforcement John Mathews (London Electricity, 1996) Archived 31 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine accessed 6 November 2007
69. ^ "The prisoners of war who made Little Britain in Berlin". BBC News. 29 July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
70. ^ "Rolling Stones – Cocksucker Blues". MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 27 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
71. ^ "Jethro Tull – Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square". MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2015.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
72. ^ "Red Hot Chili Peppers : Emit Remmus". MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 27 February 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2015.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
73. ^ "He's on the Phone Lyrics". Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
74. ^ "Rancid : Leicester Square". MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2015.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
75. ^ "Something About England : The Clash". MetroLyrics. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
76. ^ Moore 2003, p. 86.
77. ^ "Leicester Square most mispronounced place name – classes for tourists on offer". London 24. 24 July 2012. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.

### General and cited references[edit | edit source]

* Black, Barbara J. (2000). On Exhibit: Victorians and Their Museums. University of Virginia Press. ISBN 978-0-813-91897-6.
* Fairfield, Sheila (1983). The Streets of London: A Dictionary of the Names and Their Origins. Papermac. ISBN 978-0-333-28649-4.
* Fullman, Joseph (2008). Take the Kids London. New Holland Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86011-398-7.
* Moore, Tim (2003). Do Not Pass Go. Vintage. ISBN 978-0-09-943386-6.
* Piper, David; Jervis, Fionnuala (2000). The Companion Guide to London. Companion Guides. ISBN 978-1-900-63936-1.
* Weinreb, Ben; Hibbert, Christopher; Keay, Julia; Keay, John (2008). The London Encyclopedia. Pan MacMillan. ISBN 978-1-4050-4924-5.
* Wheeler, Paul (2009). High Definition Cinematography. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-136-05449-5.

## Further reading[edit | edit source]

* John Timbs (1867). "Leicester Square". Curiosities of London (2nd ed.). London: J.C. Hotten. OCLC 12878129.

## External links[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leicester Square.

File:Wikivoyage-Logo-v3-icon.svg

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for [[Wikivoyage:London/Leicester Square#Template:Wikidata|London/Leicester Square]].

* History of Leicester Square
* Leicester Square Webcam – 8 preset views from the Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel Archived 10 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine
* Detailed information about the history and buildings of Leicester Square from the Survey of London
* Leicester Square webcam
* More on the history of Leicester Square at www.VictorianLondon.org
* Leicester Square Television
* Leicester Square London Film Premieres
* History of Leicester Square's Theatres and Cinemas

* v
* t
* e

London landmarks

Buildings and
structures|

| Bridges|

* Albert Bridge
* Barnes Railway Bridge
* Battersea Bridge
* Blackfriars Bridge
* Chelsea Bridge
* Chiswick Bridge
* Fulham Railway Bridge
* Hammersmith Bridge
* Hungerford Bridge and Golden Jubilee Bridges
* Kew Bridge
* Lambeth Bridge
* London Bridge
* Millennium Bridge
* Putney Bridge
* Southwark Bridge
* Tower Bridge
* Vauxhall Bridge
* Wandsworth Bridge
* Waterloo Bridge
* Westminster Bridge

|

Entertainment
venues|

| Cinemas|

* BFI IMAX
* Empire, Leicester Square
* Odeon Luxe Leicester Square

|

Football stadia|

* Wembley Stadium (national stadium)
* Craven Cottage (Fulham)
* The Den (Millwall)
* Emirates Stadium (Arsenal)
* Loftus Road (Queens Park Rangers)
* London Stadium (West Ham United)
* Selhurst Park (Crystal Palace)
* Stamford Bridge (Chelsea)
* The Valley (Charlton Athletic)
* Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (Tottenham Hotspur)

Other major
sports venues|

* All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club
* The Championship Course (rowing)
* Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
* Lord's (cricket)
* Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
* The Oval (cricket)
* Twickenham Stadium (rugby)

Theatres|

* Adelphi
* Apollo Victoria
* Coliseum
* Criterion
* Dominion
* Lyceum
* Old Vic
* Palladium
* Royal National Theatre
* Royal Opera House
* Shakespeare's Globe
* Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
* Theatre Royal Haymarket
* Vaudeville

Other|

* Alexandra Palace
* Brixton Academy
* ExCeL
* Hammersmith Apollo
* The O2 Arena
* Royal Albert Hall
* Royal Festival Hall
* Wembley Arena

Government|

* 10 Downing Street
* Admiralty Arch
* Bank of England
* City Hall (Southwark)
* City Hall (Newham)
* County Hall
* Guildhall
* Horse Guards
* Mansion House
* The National Archives
* Old Bailey
* Palace of Westminster
* Royal Courts of Justice
* Scotland Yard
* SIS Building
* Thames House

Museums and
galleries|

* British Museum
* Churchill War Rooms
* Courtauld Gallery
* Cutty Sark
* Golden Hinde
* Guildhall Art Gallery
* HMS Belfast
* Imperial War Museum
* Madame Tussauds
* Museum of London
* National Gallery
* National Maritime Museum
* National Portrait Gallery
* Natural History Museum
* Royal Academy of Arts
* Royal Observatory
* Science Museum
* Tate Britain
* Tate Modern
* Tower of London
* Victoria and Albert Museum
* Wallace Collection
* Young V&A

Places of worship|

* All Hallows-by-the-Tower
* BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
* Bevis Marks Synagogue
* Methodist Central Hall
* Regent's Park Mosque
* St Clement Danes
* St Margaret's, Westminster
* St Martin-in-the-Fields
* St Mary-le-Bow
* St Paul's Cathedral
* Southwark Cathedral
* Westminster Abbey
* Westminster Cathedral

Retailing|

| Shops|

* Fortnum & Mason
* Hamleys
* Harrods
* Harvey Nichols
* Hatchards
* Liberty
* Peter Jones
* Selfridges

|

Shopping centres
and markets|

* Borough Market
* Brent Cross
* Burlington Arcade
* Camden Market
* Kensington Arcade
* Leadenhall Market
* One New Change
* Petticoat Lane Market
* Royal Exchange
* Westfield London
* Westfield Stratford City

Royal buildings|

| Partly occupied by
the royal family|

* Buckingham Palace
* Clarence House
* Kensington Palace
* St James's Palace

|

Unoccupied|

* Banqueting House
* Hampton Court Palace
* Kew Palace
* The Queen's Gallery
* Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace

Skyscrapers|

* One Canada Square
* One Churchill Place
* 8 Canada Square
* 20 Fenchurch Street
* 30 St Mary Axe
* 122 Leadenhall Street
* Broadgate Tower
* Citigroup Centre
* Heron Tower
* The Shard
* St George Wharf Tower
* Tower 42

Structures|

* Albert Memorial
* ArcelorMittal Orbit
* Big Ben
* The Cenotaph
* Cleopatra's Needle
* Crystal Palace transmitting station
* London Eye
* London Wall
* Marble Arch
* Monument to the Great Fire of London
* Nelson's Column
* Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain ("Eros")
* Thames Barrier
* Wellington Arch

Transport|

* City Airport
* Heathrow Airport
* Blackfriars station
* Cannon Street station
* Charing Cross station
* Clapham Junction station
* Euston station
* Fenchurch Street station
* King's Cross station
* Liverpool Street station
* London Bridge station
* Paddington station
* St Pancras station
* Stratford station
* Victoria station
* Waterloo station
* London Cable Car
* Victoria Coach Station

Other|

* Barbican Estate
* Battersea Power Station
* British Library
* BT Tower
* Kew Gardens
* Lambeth Palace
* Lloyd's building
* London Zoo
* Oxo Tower
* Smithfield Market
* Somerset House
* St Bartholomew's Hospital

Parks|

| Royal Parks|

* Bushy Park
* Green Park
* Greenwich Park
* Hampton Court Park
* Hyde Park
* Kensington Gardens
* Regent's Park
* Richmond Park
* St James's Park

|

Other|

* Battersea Park
* Burgess Park
* Clapham Common
* College Green
* Epping Forest
* Finsbury Park
* Gunnersbury Park
* Hampstead Heath
* Holland Park
* Kew Gardens
* Mitcham Common
* Osterley Park
* Trent Park
* Victoria Park
* Wandsworth Common
* Wimbledon Common

Squares and
public spaces|

* Covent Garden
* Horse Guards Parade
* Leicester Square
* Parliament Square
* Piccadilly Circus
* Sloane Square
* Trafalgar Square

Streets|

* Aldwych
* Baker Street
* Bishopsgate
* Bond Street
* Carnaby Street
* Charing Cross Road
* Cheapside
* Cornhill
* Denmark Street
* Fenchurch Street
* Fleet Street
* Haymarket
* Jermyn Street
* Kensington High Street
* King's Road
* Lombard Street
* The Mall
* Oxford Street
* Park Lane
* Piccadilly
* Portobello Road
* Regent Street
* Shaftesbury Avenue
* Sloane Street
* Strand
* Tottenham Court Road
* Victoria Embankment
* Whitehall

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