Aldwych
Encyclopedia
Aldwych is a place and road in the City of Westminster
in London
, England
.
at both ends. At its centre, it meets the Kingsway
. Buildings along its length are:
Nearby, in the Strand, is the now-disused Aldwych tube station
.
Its official name is "Aldwych" but the road is sometimes colloquially referred to as "The Aldwych", rather in the same manner that "Strand" is often referred to as "The Strand".
eald and wic meaning 'old trading town' or 'old marketplace'; the name was later applied to the street and district. It was recorded as Aldewich in 1211. In the seventh century, an Anglo-Saxon
village and trading centre named Lundenwic ("London trading town") was established approximately one mile to the west of Londinium
(named Lundenburh or "London Fort" by the Saxons) in what is now Aldwych. Lundenwic probably used the mouth of the River Fleet
as a harbour or anchorage for trading ships and fishing boats.
Lundenwic was 'rediscovered' in the 1980s after the results of extensive excavations were reinterpreted as being urban in character. These conclusions were reached independently by the archaeologists, Alan Vince
and Martin Biddle
. Recent excavations in the Covent Garden
area have uncovered an extensive Anglo-Saxon
settlement, covering about 600000 square metres (148.3 acre), stretching from the present-day National Gallery site in the west to Aldwych in the east. As the presumed locus of the city, Lundenburh, was moved back within the old Roman walls, the older settlement of Lundenwic gained the name of ealdwic: "old settlement", a name which evolved into Aldwych.
The modern street was created in a redevelopment in the early twentieth century, that saw the demolition of the old Wych Street
and the construction of Australia House
(built 1913-18) and Bush House (completed in 1925).
A statue of the nineteenth-century prime minister
, William Ewart Gladstone
, was installed in 1905 near St. Clement Danes church.
On 18 February 1996, a bomb
detonated prematurely on a Number 171 bus
travelling along Aldwych, killing Edward O'Brien
, the IRA
operative transporting the device; it also injured four others.
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Description
Aldwych, the road, is a crescent, connected to the StrandStrand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
at both ends. At its centre, it meets the Kingsway
Kingsway (London)
Kingsway is a major road in central London in the United Kingdom, designated as part of the A4200. It runs from High Holborn, at its north end in the London Borough of Camden, and meets Aldwych in the south in the City of Westminster at Bush House. It was built in the 1900s...
. Buildings along its length are:
- Waldorf Hilton hotelWaldorf HiltonThe Waldorf Hotel, now known as the Waldorf Hilton, is a hotel based in The Aldwych, London. It has a history dating back to 1908. It was founded by William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount Astor, part of the Astor family....
- India House (Indian High Commission in London)India House (Indian High Commission in London)India House is the seat of the Indian High Commission in London. Located at Aldwych, the is situated between Bush House and what was Marconi House . It faces both the London School of Economics and King's College London. Proposed in 1925 by the Indian High Commissioner Sir Atul Chatterjee, the...
- Australia House (High Commission of Australia in London)
- Aldwych TheatreAldwych TheatreThe Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Aldwych in the City of Westminster. The theatre was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200.-Origins:...
- Novello TheatreNovello TheatreThe Novello Theatre is a West End theatre on Aldwych, in the City of Westminster.-History:The theatre was built as one of a pair with the Aldwych Theatre on either side of the Waldorf Hotel, both being designed by W. G. R. Sprague. The theatre opened as the Waldorf Theatre on 22 May 1905, and was...
- Bush House, former headquarters of BBC's World Service
- Centrium, formerly Television HouseTelevision HouseTelevision House, on Kingsway in London was, from 1955, the London headquarters of Associated-Rediffusion, Independent Television News , TV Times magazine, the Independent Television Companies Association and, at first, Associated TeleVision...
- Connaught House, Columbia House, Aldwych House, and Clement House, buildings of the London School of EconomicsLondon School of EconomicsThe London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. - The former site of the Gaiety Theatre, LondonGaiety Theatre, LondonThe Gaiety Theatre, London was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was established as the Strand Musick Hall , in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. It was rebuilt several times, but closed from the beginning of World War II...
, under reconstruction
Nearby, in the Strand, is the now-disused Aldwych tube station
Aldwych tube station
Aldwych is a closed London Underground station in the City of Westminster, originally opened as Strand in 1907. It was the terminus and only station on the short Piccadilly line branch from Holborn that was a relic of the merger of two railway schemes. The disused station building is close to the...
.
Its official name is "Aldwych" but the road is sometimes colloquially referred to as "The Aldwych", rather in the same manner that "Strand" is often referred to as "The Strand".
History
The name, "Aldwych", derives from the Old EnglishOld English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
eald and wic meaning 'old trading town' or 'old marketplace'; the name was later applied to the street and district. It was recorded as Aldewich in 1211. In the seventh century, an Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
village and trading centre named Lundenwic ("London trading town") was established approximately one mile to the west of Londinium
Londinium
The city of London was established by the Romans around AD 43. It served as a major imperial commercial centre until its abandonment during the 5th century.-Origins and language:...
(named Lundenburh or "London Fort" by the Saxons) in what is now Aldwych. Lundenwic probably used the mouth of the River Fleet
River Fleet
The River Fleet is the largest of London's subterranean rivers. Its two headwaters are two streams on Hampstead Heath; each is now dammed into a series of ponds made in the 18th century, the Hampstead Ponds and the Highgate Ponds. At the south edge of Hampstead Heath these two streams flow...
as a harbour or anchorage for trading ships and fishing boats.
Alan Vince
Dr. Alan George Vince was a British archaeologist who transformed the study of Saxon, medieval and early modern ceramics through the application of petrological, geological and archaeological techniques...
and Martin Biddle
Martin Biddle
Martin Biddle is a British archaeologist. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School. His work was important in the development of medieval and post-medieval archaeology in Great Britain.-Excavations:* Nonsuch Palace 1959-1960* Winchester 1961-1971...
. Recent excavations in the Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
area have uncovered an extensive Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon London
This article deals with the history of London during the Anglo-Saxon period, from the ending of the Roman period in the 5th century to the Norman invasion in 1066.-Lundenwic:...
settlement, covering about 600000 square metres (148.3 acre), stretching from the present-day National Gallery site in the west to Aldwych in the east. As the presumed locus of the city, Lundenburh, was moved back within the old Roman walls, the older settlement of Lundenwic gained the name of ealdwic: "old settlement", a name which evolved into Aldwych.
The modern street was created in a redevelopment in the early twentieth century, that saw the demolition of the old Wych Street
Wych Street
Wych Street was a street in London, roughly where Australia House now stands on Aldwych. It ran west from the church of St Clement Danes on the Strand to a point towards the southern end of Drury Lane...
and the construction of Australia House
Australia House
The High Commission of Australia in London is housed in Australia House, a building that also accommodates other Australian federal and state government agencies, including the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, part of King's College London....
(built 1913-18) and Bush House (completed in 1925).
A statue of the nineteenth-century prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, was installed in 1905 near St. Clement Danes church.
On 18 February 1996, a bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
detonated prematurely on a Number 171 bus
London Buses route 171
London Buses route 171 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-1952-1972:...
travelling along Aldwych, killing Edward O'Brien
Edward O'Brien (Irish republican)
Edward O'Brien, more commonly known as Ed O'Brien or Eddie O'Brien, was a Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer from Gorey in Co Wexford, Ireland.-Background:...
, the IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
operative transporting the device; it also injured four others.
See also
- The former Aldwych tube stationAldwych tube stationAldwych is a closed London Underground station in the City of Westminster, originally opened as Strand in 1907. It was the terminus and only station on the short Piccadilly line branch from Holborn that was a relic of the merger of two railway schemes. The disused station building is close to the...
(closed 1994) - Aldwych tramway stationAldwych tramway stationAldwych tramway station was a tram stop underneath Kingsway, a road in central London. It was built in 1906 by the London County Council Tramways as part of the Kingsway tramway subway, a subterranean tram route which was constructed to join the separate networks of tramways in North and South...
- Aldwych TheatreAldwych TheatreThe Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Aldwych in the City of Westminster. The theatre was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200.-Origins:...
- Wych StreetWych StreetWych Street was a street in London, roughly where Australia House now stands on Aldwych. It ran west from the church of St Clement Danes on the Strand to a point towards the southern end of Drury Lane...