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  • History of Charing Cross station

  • Charing Cross was opened in 1864 and was the product of the Southern Eastern Railway's need to extend westward from London Bridge to get its passengers from Kent right into the heart of London.

    Today over 37 million people pass through London Charing Cross station every year.

    Situated on the forecourt of the station is the Eleanor Cross, from which road distances to the centre of London are measured. Queen Eleanor was the wife of Edward 1 and the cross is one of many erected at points on the journey where her body was rested on its way from Lincoln to Westminster for burial.

    Chronology

    • The original station at Charing Cross was opened on 11 January 1864 by the South East Railway (SER), which subsequently became the South East and Chatham Railway (SECR).
    • The Charing Cross Hotel opened on 15 May 1865 and was later extended in 1878. Two further top floors were added in 1952.
    • Queen Eleanor's Cross was completed in 1865.
    • The original station roof collapsed on 5 December 1905 and was rebuilt two years later.
    • Embankment Place offices were completed in 1992.
    • The concourse roof was reglazed in 1998.
    • The forecourt wall, railings and gates were reintroduced in the 1990s and were sponsored by Westminster City Council. This formed a part of the major upgrading of the Strand.

     

     Station design

    • The original roof was designed by Sir John Hawkshaw and comprises a single span trussed arch with wrought iron tie rods. The roof was 164ft wide by 510ft long.
    • During maintenance work this roof collapsed on 5 December 1905. It was rebuilt in 1907 using a transverse ridge and furrow construction of the same size as the original.
    • Embankment Place was designed by Terry Farrell and Partners.
    • The Charing Cross Hotel was designed by Edward Middleton Barry.
    • The Eleanor Cross was commissioned by the Charing Cross Hotel Company and designed by E. M. Barry. It is a replica of the original Whitehall Cross which was erected in 1291 and demolished by order of Parliament in 1647.
    • The Eleanor Cross stands 70ft high and was constructed by Thomas Earp of Lambeth from Portland stone, Mansfield stone and Aberdeen granite.