Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Charing Cross Station (London)

Charing Cross Station is one of the main line railway termini in London.

It is situated close to Trafalgar Square at the end of the Strand.

The station was built by John Hawkshaw in 1865, and the associated hotel was built at the same time by E. M. Barry. Terry Farrell rebuilt the station in 1991.

Charing Cross Station was built on the site of Hungerford Market. The site was selected by Samuel Smiles, author of "Self Help", who was Secretary of the South Eastern Railway.

In the courtyard in front of the station is the Eleanor Cross designed by A. S. Barry. This is a replacement for the one erected by Edward I in 1292 as part of the series of crosses marking the stopping places of his Queen Eleanor of Castile's funeral cortege.

Only three of the originals survive, at Geddington, Hardingstone and Waltham Cross. The one here, sited where the Charles I Statue in Trafalgar Square is now, was in the village of Charing and pulled down by the Long Parliament in 1647.

Trains from Charing Cross go to such places as Chichester, Portsmouth, Brighton, Canterbury and Ramsgate.

Charing Cross Underground station was named Trafalgar Square until 1979. It is used by trains on the Bakerloo Line and Northern Line.

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