Marble Arch

Monument in/near Marble Arch, existing between 1851 and now.

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Monument · * · ·
October
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2017
Marble Arch is a 19th-century white marble faced triumphal arch.

The structure was designed by John Nash in 1827 to be the state entrance to the cour d’honneur of Buckingham Palace; it stood near the site of what is today the three-bayed, central projection of the palace containing the well known balcony. In 1851 it was relocated and following the widening of Park Lane in the early 1960s is now sited, incongruently isolated, on a large traffic island at the junction of Oxford Street, Park Lane and Edgware Road.

Historically, only members of the Royal Family and the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery are permitted to pass through the arch; this happens only in ceremonial processions.

Nash’s three arch design is based on that of the Arch of Constantine in Rome and the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris. The triumphal arch is faced with Carrara marble with embellishments of marble extracted from quarries near Seravezza.

John Flaxman was chosen to make the commemorative sculpture. After his death in 1826 the commission was divided between Sir Richard Westmacott, Edward Hodges Baily and J.C.F. Rossi. In 1829, a bronze equestrian statue of George IV was commissioned from Sir Francis Chantrey, with the intention of placing it on top of the arch.

Construction began in 1827, but was cut short in 1830, following the death of King George IV. The rising costs were unacceptable to the new king, William IV, who later tried to offload the uncompleted palace onto Parliament as a substitute for the recently destroyed Palace of Westminster.

Work restarted in 1832, this time under the supervision of Edward Blore, who greatly reduced Nash’s planned attic stage and omitted its sculpture, including the statue of George IV. The arch was completed in 1833.

The white marble soon lost its light colouring in the polluted London atmosphere. In 1847, Sharpe’s London Magazine described it as "discoloured by smoke and damp, and in appearance resembling a huge sugar erection in a confectioner’s shop window."

Buckingham Palace remained unoccupied, and for the most part unfinished, until it was hurriedly completed upon the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837. Within a few years the palace was found to be too small for the large court and the Queen’s expanding family. The solution was to enlarge the palace by enclosing the cour d’honneur with a new east range. This facade is today the principal front and public face of the palace and shields the inner facades containing friezes and marbles matching and complementing those of the arch.

When building work began in 1847, the arch was dismantled and rebuilt by Thomas Cubitt as a ceremonial entrance to the northeast corner of Hyde Park at Cumberland Gate. The reconstruction was completed in March 1851. A popular story says that the arch was moved because it was too narrow for the Queen’s state coach to pass through, but, in fact, the gold state coach passed under it during Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953.

Three small rooms inside the rebuilt arch were used as a police station from 1851 until 1968.

The arch gives its name to the area surrounding it, particularly the southern portion of Edgware Road and also to the underground station.







Main source: Wikipedia
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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY


Justin Russ   
Added: 15 Feb 2021 20:25 GMT   

Binney Street, W1K
Binney St was previously named Thomas Street before the 1950’s. Before the 1840’s (approx.) it was named Bird St both above and below Oxford St.

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LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT

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Wendy    
Added: 22 Mar 2024 15:33 GMT   

Polygon Buildings
Following the demolition of the Polygon, and prior to the construction of Oakshott Court in 1974, 4 tenement type blocks of flats were built on the site at Clarendon Sq/Phoenix Rd called Polygon Buildings. These were primarily for people working for the Midland Railway and subsequently British Rail. My family lived for 5 years in Block C in the 1950s. It seems that very few photos exist of these buildings.

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Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:42 GMT   

Road construction and houses completed
New Charleville Circus road layout shown on Stanford’s Library Map Of London And Its Suburbs 1879 with access via West Hill only.

Plans showing street numbering were recorded in 1888 so we can concluded the houses in Charleville Circus were built by this date.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Comment
Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:04 GMT   

Charleville Circus, Sydenham: One Place Study (OPS)
One Place Study’s (OPS) are a recent innovation to research and record historical facts/events/people focused on a single place �’ building, street, town etc.

I have created an open access OPS of Charleville Circus on WikiTree that has over a million members across the globe working on a single family tree for everyone to enjoy, for free, forever.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

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Charles   
Added: 8 Mar 2024 20:45 GMT   

My House
I want to know who lived in my house in the 1860’s.

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NH   
Added: 7 Mar 2024 11:41 GMT   

Telephone House
Donald Hunter House, formerly Telephone House, was the BT Offices closed in 2000

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Paul Cox   
Added: 5 Mar 2024 22:18 GMT   

War damage reinstatement plans of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street
Whilst clearing my elderly Mothers house of general detritus, I’ve come across original plans (one on acetate) of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street. Might they be of interest or should I just dispose of them? There are 4 copies seemingly from the one single acetate example. Seems a shame to just junk them as the level of detail is exquisite. No worries if of no interest, but thought I’d put it out there.

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Diana   
Added: 28 Feb 2024 13:52 GMT   

New Inn Yard, E1
My great grandparents x 6 lived in New Inn Yard. On this date, their son was baptised in nearby St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch

Source: BDM London, Cripplegate and Shoreditch registers written by church clerk.

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Vic Stanley   
Added: 24 Feb 2024 17:38 GMT   

Postcose
The postcode is SE15, NOT SE1

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LOCAL PHOTOS
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Montagu House, Portman Square
TUM image id: 1510140427
Licence: CC BY 2.0
Edgware Road
TUM image id: 1683195989
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Lisson Green
TUM image id: 1593182694
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Oxford Street, 1935
TUM image id: 1660583995
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In the neighbourhood...

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Somerset House, Park Lane: house (right) and stables (centre) in 1912, from junction of Park Lane and Oxford Street.
Credit: British History Online
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Speaker’s Corner, April 1987 Speakers here at this corner of Hyde Park nearest of Marble Arch may talk on any subject, as long as the police consider their speeches lawful. Contrary to popular belief, there is no immunity from the law, nor are any subjects proscribed, but in practice the police intervene only when they receive a complaint.
Credit: Wiki Commons/Michael E. Cumpston
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Montagu House, Portman Square
Licence: CC BY 2.0


A view of Tyburn (1750)
Credit: Old and New London: Volume 5. Edward Walford (1878)
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64 Baker Street, photographed in 2021.
Credit: Wiki Commons/Kyle Glover
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Connaught Square, 2004
Credit: Andrew Dunn,
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Oxford Street, 1935
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Park Lane on the Monopoly board
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Portman Square, W1H
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Shillibeer Place sign
Credit: London Transport Museum
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