You’ve probably noticed the massive decorative monument outside Charing Cross Station, but do you know why it’s there?

Digging into its history gives you a story of romance and the reason this area has its name.

First of, lets clarify that this is a replica. The story of the original cross goes back to the 13th Century and this is a Victorian copy. But I’m getting ahead of myself. It all starts with King Edward I…

A True Romantic

Eleanor of Castille was the beloved wife of Edward I and when she died in 1290 he was heart broken.

Image Credit: Public Domain

He then decided to set the bar for romantic gestures pretty high (this was the age of chivalry after all) and installed 12 memorial crosses across England between 1291-94. The monuments were erected from Nottinghamshire to Westminster Abbey, marking the stops her funeral cortège made along its route.

The Village of Charing

The location of the final stop before Westminster Abbey was the village of Charing.

There’s an oh-so tempting myth that the name ‘Charing’ is derived from the French chère reine (meaning ‘dear queen’). However the area almost certainly got its name from the Old English word cerring (meaning ‘bend’) a reference to the curve of the River Thames at this point.

The monument can be seen on the Agas Map from the late 16th century below. Note how rural the whole area was, with deer roaming free in St James’s Park!

The monument lasted in its original location – weather worn and pretty dilapidated – until 1647. It was finally removed by an Act of Parliament.

A few years (and a Civil War) later. An equestrian statue of Charles I, carved by Hubert Le Sueur, was erected in 1675.

The statue is the official centre of London, so when you see a sign saying ’10 miles to London’. It’s measured to this exact point. A plaque on the floor confirms this.

The Current Cross

The replica Eleanor Cross was designed by EM Barry, with Thomas Earp as the stone carver between 1863-65, it stands outside Charing Cross Station, a fair few metres from the original site.

On the Victorian Web (an excellent resource for all things Victorian) they have a quote from Burnet and Blisset calling it “a work of reproduction rather than restoration” i.e. Barry wanted to represent the grandeur rather than get bogged down in what it actually looked like at the time.

Near the top of the monument, there are 8 version of Queen Eleanor. Overkill?

After renovations between October 2009 and August 2010 the new cross as seen today is brighter and more detailed than ever.

Where are the other 12?

If you want to get a flavour of the medieval original, there are still two surviving Eleanor Crosses left but sadly, not in London. There’s one in Geddington, Northampton and the Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire. They’re a little plainer than their Charing Cross counterpart as it was intended the crosses get more elaborate, the closer you get to Westminster Abbey.

Images from Historic England (left) and Wikipedia (right)

So if you’re thinking of making a romantic gesture, why not take a bit of 13th Century advice and go big? Be sure to get planning permission first though.

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