How London's West End Streets Got Their Names

Charing Cross, Strand, Soho... the origin stories of our famous places.

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Strand… not The Strand. (And incidentally, you won’t find a number 13.) Image: Matt Brown.

“Let’s all go down the Strand…” went the famous musical hall song. But what is a Strand? And why do they call it “the Strand” when all the street signs have it as just “Strand”? You wouldn’t sing “…