19th century statue of William Shakespeare, Leicester Square
Photo: C Ford, GNU Free Documentation License
Leicester Square - pronounced "Lester Square" - is a pedestrian square in the West End of London. The Square is bound by Lisle Street to the north, Charing Cross Road to the east, Orange Street to the south and Whitcomb Street to the west.
Leicester Square is located within the London borough of the City of Westminster, and is about 400 yards or 300 metres north of Trafalgar Square, east of Piccadilly Circus, west of Covent Garden, and south of Cambridge Circus.
Leicester Square was named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester. The earl had bought a piece of land at St Martin's Field in 1630, and built a house for himself called Leicester House at its northern end. He sealed off the land in front of the house, preventing the villagers of St. Martin's Parish access to the common land. The parishioners appealed to King Charles I for help. The king appointed three members of the Privy Council to settle the matter. Lord Leicester was ordered to keep part of his land open for use by the parishioners. It was then known as Leicester Field, and subsequently today, Leicester Square.
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