Swallow Street honours Thomas Swallow, lessee in 1540 of the pastures on which the road was built.
Swallow Street was previously longer, stretching as far north as Oxford Street. The first section of the street was built in 1671 as Swallow Close.
Beak Street, currently to its north, was developed by the end of the 17th century and became known as Little Swallow Street as far as Glasshouse Street, and Swallow Street until Oxford Street. It end opposite Princes Street and was the main road between Piccadilly and Oxford Street by the 18th century.
In 1815, the majority of the street was demolished to construct John Nash’s Regent Street. Some of the northern part of the street survives as Swallow Passage and Swallow Place, parallel to and west of Regent Street.
There were a variety of churches in Swallow Street. The Goat and Star pub at number 12 contained a music hall. It was rebuilt in 1899 and renamed the Swallow, but in 1919, it was turned into offices.
George Harrison was part-owner of Sibylla’s, a nightclub at 9 Swallow Street which opened in June 1966.
