Part of an ancient Roman highway linking Hampshire with Colchester, and London with Oxford to the west, Oxford Street was created in a land surrounded by fields, where the River Tyburn flowed to the south. This new street would go on to serve as the border between Westminster and the Parish of Marylebone.

The Earl of Oxford decided that this land could best be developed as a retail and entertainment region, so he began transforming it in the late 1700s. Local landowners also participated in improving the region by constructing residential communities on the land adjacent to the street.

Regent Street has a distinctive architectural style, which made it renowned throughout Europe soon after its construction. The Prince Regent wanted a route between the recently-built Regent Park and his residence in St. James, London, so he had John Nash design and build the road, which was completed in 1825. Roughly a century later, its architecture underwent a major renovation, being upgraded to Beaux-Arts styling.

Oxford Circus is a cherished historical landmark, because it reflects the earliest urban enhancements of London, although its earliest history includes multiple public hangings which occurred on the Tyburn Gallows until the mid-1750s. It is a road junction which encircles the Portland, Mayfair and Soho estates.

It became a part of the Nash urban development scheme of 1813-20 and was developed according to the Nash design. Although this design is no longer featured in the area because it was changed to the Tanner design from 1911, you can still see a piece of the region’s Nash design history, the Marble Arch. This arch was initially built as the western entrance for the Buckingham Palace estate, but it was moved to its new home to be the gateway to Oxford Circus from the west.

Old Bond Street is one of the earlier developments, originally built in 1686, but which is no longer on the surface map. It is named after Sir Thomas Bond, who purchased the region from the Duke of Albemarle by pooling funds with various other wealthy entrepreneurs.

New Bond Street was built in 1721, to link Old Bond Street with Oxford Street. Both Old Bond Street and New Bond Street were lined with small shops to support the nearby residential communities, but by the early 18th century they were attracting so many fashion tourists from around London that many luxurious retail shops appeared on them. Even today, New Bond Street still hosts the original auction house for the famous auction company, Sotheby’s.

Today, you won’t find many of the quaint, domestically-scaled shops that were so common during the Georgian period. The West End was almost exclusively comprised of ground-level, single-width shopfronts during this era. Retailers like Asprey, on New Bond Street, have combined several smaller shops into larger shops, which has helped preserve a bit of London’s West End architectural heritage.

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London’s West End: Centuries Of Urban Development is a post from: WiredWriter

This is the West End of London: The historic centre within reach of Westminster City boundaries. While most of West End’s entertainment program can be found in the area of Covent Garden and Leicester Square, the more shopping interested visitors will head towards Bond St., Oxford St. and Regent St.

In the West End of London you find The Savoy, The Trafalgar, the Mountbatten Hotel, The Langham or the St Martins Lane Hotel, among others. It is here that one can find London’s best hotels.

Also, visitors wouldn’t want to miss out on the West End’s theatre scene. The West End theatres can easily compare to New York City’s Broadway. The West End’s 40 theatres offer absolute world class. The performances featured in West End theatres are usually of the classic, musical or comedy kind. Billy Elliot, Phantom of the Opera, Wicked or Les Miserables are to be seen alongside other grand classics like The Woman in Black, War Horse or The Mousetrap. The capital’s West End theatres are a must-see for anyone taking their London visit seriously.

Exploring the West End of the English Capital doesn’t limit itself to the big-name fashion addresses like Ralph Lauren, Hamleys or the Apple Store, which can be found in the world-class shopping area around Oxford, Regent and Bond Street. The more adventurous will want to check out the smaller, less-renowned shopping opportunities Carnaby St, St Christopher’s Place and St Martin’s Courtyard have to offer.

Don’t miss out on the opportunities to explore the rich choice of excellent restaurants and bars. London’s West End has a lot to offer in this field. Whether the evening is only starting and you wish to enjoy a quick meal before going to the theatre, or simply wish to make new gourmet experiences, the West End can give you what you are after.

Whether you are looking for a diner in Regent Street or near Carnaby, or want to try Covent Garden, the St Martin’s Courtyard and Opera Quarter, the West End has much to offer. While the first are renowned for Jamie’s Italian restaurant or the Opera Tavern with its great tapas, the latter can offer Japanese tastes at the Aqua Kyoto, or new taste experiences at Polpo’s.

The West End has many trendy locations to offer all night long. Be it for a late drink or for the dancefloor, the city never sleeps. Keep the Albannach or the Dirty Martini in mind. Dancers will head for the Cafe de Paris, for example.

Many opportunities await the visitor of West end during the holidays. The New Year’s Parade during winter and the West End Live free musical events are not to be missed. Oxford St and Regent St are traffic-free on many of West Ender family-friendly events.

We are a top estate agents with a large selection of 4 bedroom houses for sale in the West End. If you’re interested in moving now or in the near future, or would like to know more about West End apartments to sell give us a call. Our experienced agents are always pleased to help.

Visiting The West End Of London is a post from: WiredWriter