How the West End Was Won
Charing Cross Underground station, exit 5 (front of mainline station)
Guided by Charlie
Walk Times
| Day | Walk Type | Start Time | End Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 February 2024 | Tour du Jour | 2.30 pm | 4.30 pm | Winter |
Short read: A John Nash production.
Short listen: Charlie’s podcast about this walk
Medium read: “The wall” 200+ years before Trump. Aristocracy to the west, the great unwashed to the east, the “wall” of Regent’s Street keeping them separate. Social history in bricks and mortar and “town planning” in the Age of Jane Austen and the Napoleonic Wars.
Long read: It’s 1810. London is at war with France and the ailing George III’s son takes over as the country’s Prince Regent. The Regent wanted a “new London” that would quite eclipse Napoleon’s Paris. And John Nash was the man to plan it for him. This walk through the heart of the West End shows how those plans still determine the way we use the city today. From the novel concept of a square at the top of Whitehall to the grand shopping street with the Regent’s name on it, we will get a deeper understanding how a capital city emerged fit to rule the greatest empire the world had ever known. Guided by Charlie.
HOW THE WEST END WAS WON – THE PRACTICALS
How the West End Was Won takes place at 2.30 pm on Saturday, February 3 (2024). Meet Charlie just outside exit 5 (right in front of the mainline station) of Charing Cross Station.
MEET YOUR GUIDE
Here’s a podcast in which Charlie tells us a bit about himself, his career, his guiding, his London
Pauline Wetherell –
What a stimulating walk. Charlie really brings alive the connection between what we see and take for granted today and the history, personalities and social forces which shaped this. Highly recommended!
Jo Lloyd –
Charlie’s enthusiasm is infectious and his knowledge superb. A fascinating walk centred on the brilliance of John Nash and his West End masterplanning skills.
Josie Morgan –
Really enjoyed this!
Charlie is an excellent guide and opened my eyes to many things I took for granted eg the circuses! And the Regent’s Canal
Very knowledgable on Nash and architecture plus interesting snippets on the Gentry