Mileage Central Point of London Plaque
The Mileage Central Point of London Plaque lies behind the statue of King Charles I on Trafalgar Square’s south side, marking the original Charing Cross. A small ground marker here gives London’s road distances their traditional starting point.
In 1290, King Edward I established the cross as the twelfth and final memorial to Queen Eleanor before her funeral reached Westminster Abbey. The original cross disappeared during the English Civil War, while the statue later occupied its site. Since the early 1800s, this location has served as London’s accepted mileage zero point, after earlier guides and milestones used varying places.
A replica Eleanor Cross stands near Charing Cross Station, but this plaque remains at the historic site. Next time a road sign gives a distance to London, its miles lead back to this easily missed spot.
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- City of Westminster
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