Located in the forecourt of Charing Cross Station, Eleanor’s Cross is a replica of the 13th century structure built by Edward I in memory of his wife Eleanor of Castile who died in 1290. The original cross was the final of twelve crosses built by the grieving King to mark the resting places along the route of the Queen’s funeral procession from Lincoln to Westminster Abbey. Built between 1291 and 1297, the original crosses incorporated statues of the queen and royal coats of arms, and the cross located at Charing cost over £700. The original monument was demolished in 1647, and the elaborate Victorian replica, designed by architect EM Barry was installed in 1863. The site of the original Charing cross is located in what is now Trafalgar Square and marks the ‘center of London‘ or the official spot where all distances from London were once measured. The site is marked by a plaque that rests in the middle of a traffic island at Trafalgar Square across from Nelson’s Column and directly behind a statue of Charles I.
- Eleanor Cross
- Charing Cross, The Strand, London WC2N
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
- Underground: Charing Cross