Sam Again Please
The official centre of London
A lot has happened on, near and to this statue of Charles I since it was created in about 1633 including his execution (1649), the sale of the statue with an agreement that it would be melted down, the hiding of the statue (by the metalsmith John Rivett who bought it and sold goods claimed to be made from the bronze), the restoration of the Crown, the acquisition of the statue by Charles II, the installation where it currently stands in 1675 (looking towards where Charles I was beheaded) ... skipping forward a century or so ... the theft of the sword and badge of the Order of the Garter in 1844, removal for safe keeping another hundred years later during WWII, replacement where it stands (along with a new sword etc) after WWII ... and the list goes on.
It has also been regarded as the "centre of London" (or at least the end point of all road distances to London) since the late 1700s (which I guess is about the time that the cities of London (aka "The City") and Westminster sort of merged together and St Martin-in-the-Fields ceased to be in fields).
Charles III needs to contend with a very different set of issues!
The official centre of London
A lot has happened on, near and to this statue of Charles I since it was created in about 1633 including his execution (1649), the sale of the statue with an agreement that it would be melted down, the hiding of the statue (by the metalsmith John Rivett who bought it and sold goods claimed to be made from the bronze), the restoration of the Crown, the acquisition of the statue by Charles II, the installation where it currently stands in 1675 (looking towards where Charles I was beheaded) ... skipping forward a century or so ... the theft of the sword and badge of the Order of the Garter in 1844, removal for safe keeping another hundred years later during WWII, replacement where it stands (along with a new sword etc) after WWII ... and the list goes on.
It has also been regarded as the "centre of London" (or at least the end point of all road distances to London) since the late 1700s (which I guess is about the time that the cities of London (aka "The City") and Westminster sort of merged together and St Martin-in-the-Fields ceased to be in fields).
Charles III needs to contend with a very different set of issues!