please empty your brain below
I remember bring a very young DG here many years ago and showing him those standard imperial measurements.

DGD | 06.09.23 - 7:24 a.m. | #

I'm glad that you wrote a whole screenful of introductory waffle, which gave me the chance to correctly predict the location before seeing it written. It is also one of the most famous places which used to have a tube station named after it, but no longer does.

Malcolm of Kent | 06.09.23 - 7:41 a.m. | #

Yes, I have been, during each previous visit (1998 & 2001) and I am certain that I will again on my next visit, probably in 2024.

David Ladner | 06.09.23 - 7:45 a.m. | #

Despite going up to London most weeks it is over a year since I was last there, briefly. Probably a couple of times in the last ten years. Not quite as central as some make out.

davews | 06.09.23 - 8:20 a.m. | #

The equestrian statue to George IV was originally meant to stand on top of Nash's Marble Arch but never did. The stirrups and saddle are both missing. Several years ago we took our then 8 year old grandson to Trafalgar Square and he spent ages trying to climb one of Landseer's lions.

Sara | 06.09.23 - 8:23 a.m. | #

Not only been there countless times, have also walked under it in a tunnel swerving round Nelsons Column's foundations. Was on a "Hidden London" tour of Charing Cross Station.

Keith | 06.09.23 - 8:30 a.m. | #

a) I do not understand the double male Cross Now traffic light, and
b) Did you send your completed I-Spy Book in to Big Chief I-Spy and get a feather?

dg writes: see here, and no.

strawbrick | 06.09.23 - 8:33 a.m. | #

I still think that the Sultan's Elephant was one of the best things ever to come to London. Every so often I pull the book 'Four Magical Days in May' from my bookshelf to relive it. My special memories are of the security guards who ensured that my then small children got a good view. I bumped in to one of them a couple of years later and we greeted each other like old friends. It was an event that made so many people feel united in something bigger than themselves - the custody of a giant small girl who was somehow more real than any of us. Pure magic

Joan | 06.09.23 - 8:42 a.m. | #

St. Martin-i-t-f is "in", but the next nearest places that one might visit in the area (NPG, Chandos pub) are out because technically their address isn't Trafalgar square (although their addresses reference St. Martin).

Have to draw the line somewhere, I guess.

My choice would have been the gates of Buckingham Palace (the "Christopher Robin" option)

MilesT | 06.09.23 - 8:56 a.m. | #

I think your are on a winner with this.

Andrew | Homepage | 06.09.23 - 9:14 a.m. | #

I too would have chosen Trafalgar Square. Always enjoy visiting (despite the hordes) and if time allows will also view the awesome "Bathers" - a copy of which hangs on my bedroom wall.

Frank F | 06.09.23 - 9:23 a.m. | #

But of course!
They say Piccadilly Circus is the world's meeting place, but I'd argue it's Trafalgar Square!

Cornish Cockney | 06.09.23 - 9:29 a.m. | #

The Bathers has always puzzled me - what is the guy on the right doing?
Drinking the water?
Blowing in his hands to warm them up?
Making a weird noise?

Joho | Homepage | 06.09.23 - 9:44 a.m. | #

The deroundaboutification that took place here, creating both a viewing gallery and a promenade, I believe has been a great success.

Those unfortunate souls whose vehicular journeys have now been made longer should be grateful that the hordes of tourists atop buses have even longer to gaze upon this wondrous sight.

Ken | 06.09.23 - 9:46 a.m. | #

I was there for the first time in ages on Monday evening enjoying the warm weather before seeing The Crown Jewels (the play, not the real thing!). The drinking fountain wasn't gushing but I didn't try pressing anything as I assumed they would have stopped working years ago.

Andrew S | 06.09.23 - 10:02 a.m. | #

I'm sort of obligated to visit Canada House once every five years. I suppose I could mail it all in, but I'm a bit precious with my personal documents.

Chz | 06.09.23 - 10:02 a.m. | #

Yes, within an hour of arriving in London on my first (1965) trip there I was whisked over the river to Trafalgar Square. The whole place was hedged about by Lyons Corner Houses back then - past their heyday as everyone had to queue up at a counter to be served.

cau1khead | 06.09.23 - 10:10 a.m. | #

Thankfully I don’t have to disappoint you today. I have been there countless times. I have even peered down a few hundred feet beneath it; have been taken to see millions of starlings descending noisily into the trees there; saw a Norwegian Christmas tree for the first time; discovered that it’s on a river terrace; just enjoyed its oddities. Does anyone know if Nelson’s spare nose is still stuck onto Admiralty Arch, btw?

Herbof | 06.09.23 - 10:12 a.m. | #

St Martins had a £1,000,000 decoration fairly recently, so well worth a visit even if you are not into churches. The crypt is my favourite go to for toilets, a meal, a coffee - they even do an afternoon tea! All Londoners should know it.

Enjoy.

Colin Whiting | 06.09.23 - 10:34 a.m. | #

the oldest photo of me is as a toddler feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square

Caroline | 06.09.23 - 10:45 a.m. | #

Many of the churches in New England are architecturally based on St. Martins.

Terry | 06.09.23 - 10:51 a.m. | #

I’m afraid that I do have to disappoint you - I’ve spent a fair amount of time visiting London but have never been to Trafalgar Square. There’s always been something else that I want to see or somewhere else that I want to explore, so visiting Trafalgar Square has never been a priority!

David | 06.09.23 - 10:54 a.m. | #

Since you can never be too sure about these things, I took a small detour and went through Trafalgar Square on my way to work today. (I also went past Bus Stop L, so not quite M)

martin | 06.09.23 - 10:54 a.m. | #

I am sure the I-spy book I had as a child asked me to count the number of windows in the police station - I think it was nine - but that was more than sixty years ago!

Paul | 06.09.23 - 11:42 a.m. | #

Joho - the lad in "Bathers" is shouting across at the bourgeoisie promenading in Seurat's other masterpiece: "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte"

Frank F | 06.09.23 - 11:58 a.m. | #

Hard to avoid it by bus, but in all technicality I've never stepped foot on the square proper itself, always some event or protest seems to occur when I drop by making walking around on the sidewalk far more pleasant ;)

matthieu1221 | 06.09.23 - 12:10 p.m. | #

I of course have been but I've just realised that that my 6 month old daughter has not! In fact I've never taken her to central London. I've become a lot more localised since the pandemic.

My daughter sometimes sits on my lap while I read your blog but I don't think it counts as her reading skills are somewhat limited.

Dave Jones | 06.09.23 - 12:26 p.m. | #

Not only have I been there, I've been part of the Westminster Day of Morris Dance 2022 & 2023 where all the morris sides perform their big final dances there, so there's a chance other readers may have seen me there.

Jessica | 06.09.23 - 12:54 p.m. | #

Well yes, I have definitely been to Trafalgar Square!

Thinking through all the many things I've done there for many reasons including (but not limited to):

Protesting, Spectating, Paddling, Feeding Pigeons, Not Feeding Pigeons, Climbing Lions, Not Climbing Lions, Taking a Shortcut, Going the Long Way Round, Sport, Art, Leisure, Business.

I've visited by night and by day. I've even been on live TV from there.

It's cliche, and I know countless millions of other visitors also throng here all day, everyday; and it's literally where to find the "centre" from where all measurements are made.

And I love it. Thank you DG; while I've not been to Folkes Lane Woodland (of course I haven't, why would I have been there), I've certainly been to Trafalgar Square and can confirm I sit right in the median of what you expect your visitors to have done.

Penny | 06.09.23 - 1:35 p.m. | #

Not sure I've ever spent an extended period of time there but I've definitely passed through Trafalgar Square so that's 2 for 2 now you've got me on.

X-Plaistow | 06.09.23 - 2:31 p.m. | #

Was there on Monday. Good choice!

Taffy | 06.09.23 - 4:41 p.m. | #

Truth is, I *do* make a slight bow towards your bus stop M each time I pass. All thanks to you, dg.

Always enjoy your posts.

Lux | 06.09.23 - 4:52 p.m. | #

When I was in my early teens, our school Carol Choir used to be invited to sing in St Martin-in-the-Fields in the run-up to Christmas. We were all surprised and amazed at how reverberant the acoustics were.

ChrisL | 06.09.23 - 5:46 p.m. | #

Many times. My university choir used to sing carols under the Christmas tree, and I've also sung in St Martin's many times. I've even used the old Trafalgar Square tube station.

And I've been into the offices at Admiralry Arch.

Timbo | 06.09.23 - 7:02 p.m. | #

Frank F - thank you! I never knew that.

Joho | Homepage | 06.09.23 - 7:07 p.m. | #

Just David, then, who says he's never been.

Ah well.

(Alas I can't tell if David's ever commented before, or even roughly where he lives, but he is perhaps the exception which proves the rule)

diamond geezer | Homepage | 06.09.23 - 10:00 p.m. | #

This David has been; many times. I wasn’t sure if you were going to go with Piccadilly Circus or Traf Square. Both classic tourist destination important through fares but Trafalgar Square has more around it and more difficult to avoid as walking route.

I wonder if the other David has been to Piccadilly Circus?

David | 06.09.23 - 10:49 p.m. | #

Pedestrianising the top side of the square made a great open space, only for it to be filled by Darth Vaders standing on one leg and other ‘entertainers’ who gathered such crowds that there was no more pedestrian circulating space than before.

I also remember if you wanted to film in Trafalgar Square, you needed permission from different authorities depending on if you were on the Square itself or on one of the surrounding corners - and in those days there’d be police standing about who’d ask to see your permit.

ActonMan | 07.09.23 - 1:40 a.m. | #

My favourite Trafalgar Square anecdote is the tiny policeman’s refuge (at the end of right wall as you look at the National Gallery)… If you peer in through the glass you can/used to be able to see an audio feed connection to the BBC 😮🤓

Alan | 07.09.23 - 6:04 a.m. | #

Yes of course I've been a number of times, from my first visit to London in 1969 to my latest (last?) visit in 2015. There's the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery around the corner, and lots of things. One year all those people were up on the Fourth Plinth, well, one at a time. Some times I've just been sitting there NOT feeding the pigeons. And the tube station was called Trafalgar Square back in the '70s, I seem to remember that.

leuconoe | 07.09.23 - 7:21 p.m. | #

The wonky window in SMITF has a feature you won't have seen: the ellipse lights up after dark. And like Timbo I have been over Admiralty Arch from one side to the other, advising the authorities on installing a computer network.

Peter | 07.09.23 - 8:30 p.m. | #

Sorry to argue but "Since the early 19th century, Charing Cross has been the notional "centre of London" and is now the point from which distances from London are measured." - OK you can get a squint view of the square.

dg writes: keep reading...

Rob Gullen | 08.09.23 - 7:43 a.m. | #











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