Strand, London

The Strand (commonly referred to with a leading "The", but formally without) is a major street in the <a href="/facts/City_of_Westminster/8pvuYHq2">City of Westminster</a>, <a href="/facts/Central_London/GchDD3Jm">Central London</a>. The street, which is part of London's <a href="/facts/West_End_Theatre/dWqroVfz">West End theatreland</a>, runs just over 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) from <a href="/facts/Trafalgar_Square/qpfN8hMX">Trafalgar Square</a> eastwards to <a href="/facts/Temple_Bar%2c_London/48sPNsyp">Temple Bar</a>, where it becomes <a href="/facts/Fleet_Street/Xu5hJJj9">Fleet Street</a> in the <a href="/facts/City_of_London/Psl9khal">City of London</a>, and is part of the <a href="/facts/A4_road_(England)/BnIS0JpU">A4</a>, a main road running west from central London.
The road's name comes from the <a href="/facts/Old_English/9rsmQG2a">Old English</a> strond, meaning the beach or edge of a river, as it historically ran alongside the north bank of the <a href="/facts/River_Thames/XnQWN52L">River Thames</a>. The river side of the street was home to grand houses, interspersed with slum alleys, between the 12th and 17th centuries. Mansions of historical importance built between the Strand and the river included <a href="/facts/Essex_House_(London)/4GGJcBzA">Essex House</a>, <a href="/facts/Arundel_House/ysRwgSoc">Arundel House</a>, <a href="/facts/Somerset_House/ms15CJxF">Old Somerset House</a>, <a href="/facts/Savoy_Palace/kcREUIsR">Savoy Palace</a>, <a href="/facts/Durham_House_(London)/HjBV4Jtq">Durham House</a>, <a href="/facts/York_House%2c_Strand/lTcBVdNz">York House</a> and <a href="/facts/Cecil_House/JL3cSEp1">Cecil House</a>, none of which survive. The aristocracy moved to the <a href="/facts/West_End%2c_London/tH70758Y">West End</a> during the 17th century, and the Strand became known for its coffee shops, restaurants and taverns. The street was a centre point for theatre and <a href="/facts/Music_hall/Lo9b9pHK">music hall</a> during the 19th century, and several venues have survived to the current day. 
At the east end of the street are two <a href="/facts/English_Baroque/FqMAksLL">English Baroque</a> churches: <a href="/facts/St_Mary_le_Strand/QxUXEL11">St Mary le Strand</a> by <a href="/facts/James_Gibbs/GjkNKSTI">James Gibbs</a> and <a href="/facts/St_Clement_Danes/yUGhDudl">St Clement Danes</a> by <a href="/facts/Christopher_Wren/yKSh7QUa">Christopher Wren</a>. This easternmost stretch of the Strand is also home to <a href="/facts/King%2527s_College_London/6qy3Y2hY">King's College</a>, one of the two founding colleges of the <a href="/facts/University_of_London/spIRAx9B">University of London</a>. Other notable structures include the <a href="/facts/Royal_Courts_of_Justice/nHQA81nE">Royal Courts of Justice</a> and <a href="/facts/Australia_House/zzGqkgRs">Australia House</a>.
Several authors, poets and philosophers have lived on or near the Strand, including <a href="/facts/Charles_Dickens/B54mQHJs">Charles Dickens</a>, <a href="/facts/Ralph_Waldo_Emerson/PmnMgwd5">Ralph Waldo Emerson</a> and <a href="/facts/Virginia_Woolf/zILeLKW9">Virginia Woolf</a>.

Strand, London open-in-new

Strand, London