Kingsway (London)

Kingsway is a major road in central London in the United Kingdom, designated as part of the A4200. It runs from High Holborn, at its north end in the London Borough of Camden, and meets Aldwych in the south in the City of Westminster at Bush House. It forms the eastern boundary of Covent Garden. Together Kingsway and Aldwych form one of the major north-south routes through central London linking the ancient east-west routes of High Holborn and Strand.

History

The road was purpose built as part of a major redevelopment of the area in the 1900s which swept away a maze of small streets and slum dwellings. Plans were published by London County Council in 1898 and the road was formally opened in 1905. It is one of the broadest streets in central London at 100 feet (30.5 metres) wide.

Buildings

The original buildings were built between 1903 and 1905. They were mostly mid-rises in stone, and in various styles including neoclassical and neo-Baroque. Many survive but some have been replaced. Notable buildings include:

* Aviation House (the headquarters of the Food Standards Agency)
* Victory House (the London Central Employment Tribunal)
* Africa House (the office of the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF)
* Alexandra House (the headquarters of Ofsted)
* York House (Mewburn Ellis)
* CAA House (a major office of the Civil Aviation Authority).
* Various buildings of the London School of Economics.
* Centrium, on the corner with Aldwych. This was originally named Adastral House, and was occupied by the Air Ministry. From 1955 to 1970 it was named Television House and housed the studios of the TV company Associated-Rediffusion. From 1970 to 1997 it was named St Catherine's House and housed the General Register Office. [http://www.ambisonic.net/blithespirit.html]
* Kingsway telephone exchange is also located nearby.

Transport

The closest tube stations are Holborn, and Temple (and formerly Aldwych, which closed in 1994).

As part of the redevelopment a tram tunnel was built underneath the road. The trams ceased to run in the mid 20th century and since 1961 the southern end of the tunnel has been used by cars under the name of the Strand Underpass. The northern entrance to the tunnel still exists and can be found at the junction of Southampton Row and Vernon Place.

References

* Simon Bradley and Nickolaus Pevsner, "The Buildings of England, London 6: Westminster", 2003. ISBN 0-300-09595-3.

ee also

*Queensway, a road in the London district of Bayswater.
*Kingsway telephone exchange, an underground telephone exchange
*The King's Way, a song by the English composer Edward Elgar to a poem written by his wife, celebrates the opening of Kingsway.