St James’s

St James’s is an exclusive area in the West End of London.

St James’s was once part of the same royal park as Green Park and St James’s Park. In the 1660s, Charles II gave the right to develop the area to Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans, who proceeded to develop it as a predominantly aristocratic residential area with a grid of streets centered on St James’s Square. Until the Second World War, St James’s remained one of the most exclusive residential enclaves in London. Famous residences in St James’s include St James’s Palace, Clarence House, Marlborough House, Lancaster House, Spencer House, Schomberg House and Bridgewater House.

St James’s is the home of many of the best known gentlemen’s clubs in London. The clubs found here are organisations of English high society. A variety of groups congregate here, such as royals, military officers, motoring enthusiasts and other groups.

It is now a predominantly commercial area with some of the highest rents in London and, consequently, the world. The auction house Christie’s is based in King Street, and the surrounding streets contain a great many upmarket art and antique dealers.

Office space to rent in St James’s is among the most expensive in the world, costing up to five times average rents in New York, Paris and Sydney.

The area is home to fine wine merchants including Berry Brothers and Rudd, at 3 St James’s Street. Adjoining St James’s Street is Jermyn Street, famous for its many tailors. St James’s is home to some of the most famous cigar retailers in London. At 35 St James’s Street is Davidoff of London, 19 St James’s Street is home to J.J. Fox and 50 Jermyn St has Dunhill.

The iconic English shoemaker Wildsmith - which designed the first ever loafer - was located at 41 Duke Street, St, James’s. It is now currently located at 13 Savile Row.

The area has a good number of art galleries, covering a spectrum of tastes. The White Cube gallery, which has represented Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin, originally opened in Duke Street, St James’s, then moved to Hoxton Square. In September 2006, it opened a second gallery in St James’s at 25–26 Mason’s Yard, off Duke Street, on a plot previously occupied by an electricity sub-station. The gallery was the first free-standing building to be built in the St James’s area for more than 30 years.

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NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE

Nelson’s Column Nelson’s Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square built to commemorate Horatio Nelson’s decisive victory at the Battle of Trafalgar during which he lost his life.

Nelson’s Column

Royal Institution The Royal Institution of Great Britain (Royal Institution) is an organisation for scientific education and research, based in the City of Westminster.

Royal Institution

Royal Society The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists drawn from all areas of science, engineering and medicine.

Royal Society

St James’s St James’s is an exclusive area in the West End of London.

St James’s

NEARBY STREETS

Admiralty House, SW1A Admiralty House is a block on Whitehall (Westminster)

Admiralty House, SW1A

Air Street, SW1Y Air Street was the most westerly street in London when newly built in 1658 (Piccadilly Circus)

Air Street, SW1Y

Albany Courtyard, SW1Y The courtyard is named after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, who in 1791 purchased Melbourne House which stood on this site (St James’s)

Albany Courtyard, SW1Y

Albany, W1B The Albany is an apartment complex in Piccadilly, established in 1802 (Mayfair)

Albany, W1B

Albemarle Street, W1S Albemarle Street takes its name from the second Duke of Albermarle, son of General Monk (Green Park)

Albemarle Street, W1S

Ambassador’s Court, SW1A Ambassador’s Court is a block on Ambassador’s Court (St James’s)

Ambassador’s Court, SW1A

Ambassador’s Court, SW1A Ambassador’s Court is part of the St James’s Palace complex (St James’s)

Ambassador’s Court, SW1A

Angel Court, SW1Y Angel Court is named after a long demolished inn of this name (St James’s)

Angel Court, SW1Y

Apple Tree Yard, SW1Y Apple Tree Yard is thought named after the apple trees formerly to be found here (St James’s)

Apple Tree Yard, SW1Y

Arlington House, SW1A Arlington House is now part of an exclusive residential development (St James’s)

Arlington House, SW1A

Arlington Street, SW1A Arlington Street is named after Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, 17th century statesman and local landowner (St James’s)

Arlington Street, SW1A

Babmaes Street, SW1Y Babmaes Street was originally called Wells Street (St James’s)

Babmaes Street, SW1Y

Bennet Street, SW1A Bennet Street lies off St James’s Street (St James’s)

Bennet Street, SW1A

Bennett House, SW1A Bennett House is located on Bennet Street (St James’s)

Bennett House, SW1A

Birkett House, W1S Birkett House is a block on Albemarle Street (Mayfair)

Birkett House, W1S

Blue Ball Yard, SW1A Blue Ball Yard is first mentioned in 1672 when its site was sold by King Charles II (St James’s)

Blue Ball Yard, SW1A

Blue Bridge, SW1A Blue Bridge crosses St James’s Park lake (St James’s Park)

Blue Bridge, SW1A

Bridgewater House, SW1A Bridgewater House is a block on Cleveland Row (St James’s)

Bridgewater House, SW1A

Broughton House, W1S Broughton House is located on Sackville Street (Piccadilly Circus)

Broughton House, W1S

Burlington Arcade, SW1Y Burlington Arcade is a covered shopping arcade, 179 metres in length, that runs from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens. (St James’s)

Burlington Arcade, SW1Y

Burlington Gardens, W1J Burlington Gardens, with houses dating from 1725, was laid out on land that was once part of the Burlington Estate (Mayfair)

Burlington Gardens, W1J

Bury Street, SW1A Bury Street runs north-to-south from Jermyn Street to King Street, crossing Ryder Street (St James’s)

Bury Street, SW1A

Canada House, SW1A Canada House is a Greek Revival building situated on Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross)

Canada House, SW1A

Carlton Gardens, SW1Y Carlton Gardens was developed before 1832 (St James’s)

Carlton Gardens, SW1Y

Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y Carlton House Terrace consists of a pair of terraces - white stucco-faced houses on the south side of the street overlooking St James’s Park (St James’s)

Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y

Catherine Wheel Yard, SW1A Catherine Wheel Yard is named after an inn that stood on this site until it burnt down in 1895 (St James’s)

Catherine Wheel Yard, SW1A

Charing Cross, WC2N Charing Cross, long regarded as London’s central point, as an address is an enigma (Charing Cross)

Charing Cross, WC2N

Charles II Street, SW1Y Charles II Street is named for the ’Merry Monarch’ (St James’s)

Charles II Street, SW1Y

Chatham House, SW1Y Chatham House is a building on St James’s Square (St James’s)

Chatham House, SW1Y

Church Place, SW1Y Church Place was named after the adjacent St James’s Church, Piccadilly (St James’s)

Church Place, SW1Y

Cleveland Row, SW1A Cleveland Row – after Cleveland House (now Bridgwater House), named for Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland who lived there in the late 17th century (St James’s)

Cleveland Row, SW1A

Cleveland Yard, SW1Y Cleveland Yard is now the site of Cleveland Place (St James’s)

Cleveland Yard, SW1Y

Clydesdale Bank House, W1J Clydesdale Bank House is a block on Piccadilly (Piccadilly Circus)

Clydesdale Bank House, W1J

Cockspur Court, SW1A Cockspur Court runs west for a short section from Spring Gardens (Charing Cross)

Cockspur Court, SW1A

Cockspur Street, SW1A Cockspur Street is possibly after the cock fighting that formerly occurred here, cocks often having spurs attached to their feet during fights (Charing Cross)

Cockspur Street, SW1A

Colette House, W1J Colette House is a block on Piccadilly (St James’s)

Colette House, W1J

Crown Passage, SW1A Crown Passage is thought to be after a former tavern of the name (St James’s)

Crown Passage, SW1A

Dalmeny Court, SW1Y Dalmeny Court is a block on Duke Street (St James’s)

Dalmeny Court, SW1Y

Denman House, W1J Denman House is a block on Piccadilly (Piccadilly Circus)

Denman House, W1J

Devonshire House, W1J Devonshire House is a block on Piccadilly (St James’s)

Devonshire House, W1J

Dover Street, W1J Dover Street is notable for its Georgian architecture as well as the location of historic London clubs and hotels (Green Park)

Dover Street, W1J

Downing Street, SW1A Downing Street has been the home of British Prime Minsters since the eighteenth century (Westminster)

Downing Street, SW1A

Dudley House, SW1A Dudley House is situated at 169 Piccadilly (St James’s)

Dudley House, SW1A

Duke Of York Street, SW1Y Duke Of York Street runs between Jermyn Street and St James’s Square (St James’s)

Duke Of York Street, SW1Y

Duke Street St James’s, SW1Y Duke Street St James’s is named after James II, Duke of York when the street was built and brother to Charles II, king at the time (St James’s)

Duke Street St James’s, SW1Y

Eagle Place, SW1Y Eagle Place lies off Piccadilly (Piccadilly Circus)

Eagle Place, SW1Y

Egyptian House, W1J Egyptian House is a block on Piccadilly (St James’s)

Egyptian House, W1J

Empire House, W1J Empire House is a block on Piccadilly (St James’s)

Empire House, W1J

Fludyer Street, SW1A Fludyer Street used to be a street which lay parallel to, and south of, Downing Street (Westminster)

Fludyer Street, SW1A

French Railway House, SW1Y French Railway House occupies 178-180 Piccadilly (St James’s)

French Railway House, SW1Y

Haymarket House, W1D Haymarket House is a block on Shaver’s Place (Piccadilly Circus)

Haymarket House, W1D

Haymarket, SW1Y Haymarket – site of a former market selling hay until the 1830s (St James’s)

Haymarket, SW1Y

Hobhouse Court, WC2H Hobhouse Court is named after Sir John Cam Hobhouse, Victorian MP and arts patron (Leicester Square)

Hobhouse Court, WC2H

Horse Guards Parade, SW1A Horse Guards Parade dates to the time of Henry VIII (Westminster)

Horse Guards Parade, SW1A

Horse Guards Road, SW1A Horse Guards Road runs along the eastern edge of St James’s Park (Westminster)

Horse Guards Road, SW1A

Huguenot House, WC2H Huguenot House is a block on Panton Street (Leicester Square)

Huguenot House, WC2H

Irving Street, WC2H Irving Street is named after Henry Irving, the popular Victorian actor (Leicester Square)

Irving Street, WC2H

Jermyn Street, SW1Y Jermyn Street is the main east-west road of St James’s (St James’s)

Jermyn Street, SW1Y

King Charles Street, SW1A King Charles Street is a street of government buildings, one block south of Downing Street (Westminster)

King Charles Street, SW1A

King Street, SW1Y King Street leads from St James’s Street to St James’s Square (St James’s)

King Street, SW1Y

Kinnaird House, SW1Y Kinnaird House is a block on Pall Mall (St James’s)

Kinnaird House, SW1Y

Kirkland House, SW1A Kirkland House is a block on Whitehall (Westminster)

Kirkland House, SW1A

Little St James’s Street, SW1A Little St James’s Street is a turning off of St James’s Street proper (St James’s)

Little St James’s Street, SW1A

Lower Regent Street, SW1Y Lower Regent Street is the name for the part of Regent Street which lies south of Piccadilly Circus (St James’s)

Lower Regent Street, SW1Y

Malta House, W1J Malta House is a building on Piccadilly (Piccadilly Circus)

Malta House, W1J

Marlborough Road, SW1Y Marlborough Road was named after the adjacent Marlborough House, built for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough in 1711 (St James’s)

Marlborough Road, SW1Y

Masons Yard, SW1Y Mason’s Yard was named for the local 18th century victualler Henry Mason (St James’s)

Masons Yard, SW1Y

New Street, SW1A New Street was made part of Spring Gardens in 1881 (Westminster)

New Street, SW1A

New Zealand House, SW1Y New Zealand House is a block on Haymarket (St James’s)

New Zealand House, SW1Y

Norris Street, SW1Y Norris Street – after Godfrye Norris, local leaseholder in the 17th century (Piccadilly Circus)

Norris Street, SW1Y

Nuffield House, W1J Nuffield House is located on Piccadilly (St James’s)

Nuffield House, W1J

Oceanic House, SW1Y Oceanic House is a block on Pall Mall East (Charing Cross)

Oceanic House, SW1Y

Old Admiralty Building, SW1A Old Admiralty Building is a block on Spring Gardens (Westminster)

Old Admiralty Building, SW1A

Old Bond Street, W1J Old Bond Street was named for Sir Thomas Bond, a property developer from Peckham who laid out a number of streets in this part of the West End (Green Park)

Old Bond Street, W1J

Old Burlington Street, W1J Old Burlington Street connects Burlington Gardens and Clifford Street

Old Burlington Street, W1J

Orange Street, WC2H Orange Street gets its name from William III, Prince of Orange - the reigning king when the street was built. (Leicester Square)

Orange Street, WC2H

Ormond Yard, SW1Y Ormond Yard was named after James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, who owned a house next to this yard in the 17th century (St James’s)

Ormond Yard, SW1Y

OverSeas House, SW1A OverSeas House is a block on Park Place (St James’s)

OverSeas House, SW1A

Oxendon Street, W1D Oxendon Street, after Sir Henry Oxendon, husband of Mary Baker, daughter of Robert Baker who built the former Piccadilly House nearby (Leicester Square)

Oxendon Street, W1D

Pall Mall East, SW1A Pall Mall East is an eastern extension of Pall Mall towards Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross)

Pall Mall East, SW1A

Pall Mall, SW1Y Pall Mall was laid out as grounds for playing pall mall in the 17th century (St James’s)

Pall Mall, SW1Y

Panton Street, SW1Y Panton Street was named after Colonel Thomas Panton, local property dealer of the 17th century (Leicester Square)

Panton Street, SW1Y

Park Place, SW1A Park Place is named after nearby Green Park (St James’s)

Park Place, SW1A

Piccadilly Arcade, SW1Y Piccadilly Arcade runs between Piccadilly and Jermyn Street (St James’s)

Piccadilly Arcade, SW1Y

Piccadilly Place, SW1Y Piccadilly Place is an alleyway leading to Vine Street (Piccadilly Circus)

Piccadilly Place, SW1Y

Piccadilly, SW1Y Piccadilly is one of the main London streets (St James’s)

Piccadilly, SW1Y

Pickering Place, SW1A Thought to be the smallest public open space in London, Pickering Place is perhaps most famous for being the location of the last public duel in England (St James’s)

Pickering Place, SW1A

Pickering Place, SW1Y Pickering Place is London’s smallest square (St James’s)

Pickering Place, SW1Y

Princes Arcade, SW1Y Princes Arcade, built 1929–33, was named after the former Prince’s Hotel, which stood here (St James’s)

Princes Arcade, SW1Y

Rex House, SW1Y Rex House is a building on Regent Street (St James’s)

Rex House, SW1Y

Rose and Crown Yard, SW1Y Rose and Crown Yard was probably named after a former inn of this name (St James’s)

Rose and Crown Yard, SW1Y

Royal Arcade, W1S Royal Arcade is an alleyway of exclusive shops (Mayfair)

Royal Arcade, W1S

Royal Opera Arcade, SW1Y Royal Opera Arcade was originally part of an opera house theatre, built by John Nash (St James’s)

Royal Opera Arcade, SW1Y

Royalty House, W1S Royalty House is a block on Sackville Street (Mayfair)

Royalty House, W1S

Russell Court, SW1A Russell Court is named after the Russell family, who lived here in the 1600s (St James’s)

Russell Court, SW1A

Ryder Street, SW1A Ryder Street was named after Richard Rider, Master Carpenter to Charles II (St James’s)

Ryder Street, SW1A

Ryder Yard, SW1Y Ryder Yard was named for Richard Rider, Master Carpenter to Charles II (St James’s)

Ryder Yard, SW1Y

Ryger House, SW1A Ryger House is located on Arlington Street (St James’s)

Ryger House, SW1A

Sabadell House, SW1Y Sabadell House is a block on Pall Mall (St James’s)

Sabadell House, SW1Y

Sackville Street, W1B Sackville Street runs north from Piccadilly (Mayfair)

Sackville Street, W1B

Samuel House, SW1Y Samuel House is located on St Alban’s Street (St James’s)

Samuel House, SW1Y

Scandia House, W1S Scandia House is a building on Albemarle Street (Green Park)

Scandia House, W1S

Spencer House, SW1A Spencer House is a block on St James’s Place (St James’s)

Spencer House, SW1A

Spring Gardens, WC2N Spring Gardens derives its name from the Spring Garden, formed in the 16th century (Charing Cross)

Spring Gardens, WC2N

St Alban’s House, SW1Y St Alban’s House can be found on Haymarket (St James’s)

St Alban’s House, SW1Y

St Albans Street, SW1Y St Albans Street was named after Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of Saint Albans, 17th century politician and local landowner (Piccadilly Circus)

St Albans Street, SW1Y

St James’s Market, SW1Y St James’s Market was part of the site of St James’s leper hospital in the Middle Ages, named after James, son of Zebedee (Piccadilly Circus)

St James’s Market, SW1Y

St James’s Chambers, SW1Y St James’s Chambers is a block located at 9 Ryder Street (St James’s)

St James’s Chambers, SW1Y

St James’s Place, SW1A St James’s Place runs west from St James’s Street (St James’s)

St James’s Place, SW1A

St James’s Square, SW1Y St James’s Square is the only square in the district of St James’s (St James’s)

St James’s Square, SW1Y

St James’s Street, SW1A St James’s Street is a main road of the West End running from Pall Mall to Piccadilly (St James’s)

St James’s Street, SW1A

St Martins Place, WC2N St Martin’s Place is a short stretch connecting Trafalgar Square to the bottom of Charing Cross Road (Charing Cross)

St Martins Place, WC2N

St Martins Street, WC2H St Martins Street is one of the streets of London in the WC2H postal area (Leicester Square)

St Martins Street, WC2H

Stable Yard Road, SW1A Stable Yard Road leads from The Mall to Clarence House (St James’s)

Stable Yard Road, SW1A

Stafford House, W1S Stafford House is sited on Stafford Street (Green Park)

Stafford House, W1S

Stafford Street, W1S Stafford Street is named after Margaret Stafford, partner of developer Sir Thomas Bond who built on this site in the seventeenth century. (Green Park)

Stafford Street, W1S

Standbrook House, W1S Standbrook House is a block on Old Bond Street (Green Park)

Standbrook House, W1S

Suffolk Place, SW1Y The Earl of Suffolk (Thomas Howard) was the reason for the naming of Suffolk Place (St James’s)

Suffolk Place, SW1Y

Suffolk Street, SW1Y Suffolk Street was named after Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, who owned a stable yard attached to Northumberland House which lay on this site (St James’s)

Suffolk Street, SW1Y

Swallow Street, SW1Y Swallow Street honours Thomas Swallow, lessee in 1540 of the pastures on which the road was built (Piccadilly Circus)

Swallow Street, SW1Y

Swan House, W1S Swan House can be found on Old Bond Street (Green Park)

Swan House, W1S

The Bank Building, SW1A The Bank Building is located on St James’s Street (St James’s)

The Bank Building, SW1A

The Economist Building, SW1A The Economist Building can be found on St James’s Street (St James’s)

The Economist Building, SW1A

The Mall, SW1Y The Mall is the processional route between Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace (St James’s)

The Mall, SW1Y

The Ritz Arcade, SW1A The Ritz Arcade lies outside The Ritz Hotel (St James’s)

The Ritz Arcade, SW1A

Trafalgar Square, SW1Y Trafalgar Square commemorates Horatio Nelson’s 1805 victory at the Battle of Trafalgar (Charing Cross)

Trafalgar Square, SW1Y

Victory House, W1B Victory House is a block on Regent Street (Piccadilly Circus)

Victory House, W1B

Vine Street, SW1Y Vine Street is a short dead-end street running east from Swallow Street and is parallel to Piccadilly (Piccadilly Circus)

Vine Street, SW1Y

Warwick House Street, SW1A Warwick House Street formerly approached Warwick House, built in the 17th century for Sir Philip Warwick (Charing Cross)

Warwick House Street, SW1A

Waterloo Place, SW1Y Waterloo Place, an extension of Regent Street, is awash with statues and monuments that honour heroes of the British Empire (St James’s)

Waterloo Place, SW1Y

Whitcomb Street, WC2H Whitcomb Street - named after William Whitcomb, 17th century brewer and property developer (Leicester Square)

Whitcomb Street, WC2H

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