Marble Arch

Marble Arch was built by the architect John Nash in 1828. The reliefs on either side are by Richard Westmacott and Edward Bailey. The grand statue of King George IV, which once sat atop the parapet, was moved to Trafalgar Square.

History of Marble Arch

Nash based his design on the Constantine Arch in Rome, intending it to be the front gate of Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately the arch proved to be too narrow for the State Coach, and it was moved to its present position in 1851.

A memory of its former home still lingers on in local law… If you are feeling rebellious, then have a march through the central arch – as it is still technically illegal for a commoner to pass through the royal gate.

The area around Marble Arch today is rather less regal, as it was once the home of Tyburn Gallows. The original site is marked by a triangular plaque on the roadway.

Prisoners were dragged up from Newgate Prison and stood upon a wooden cart. The horses were then whipped and ran away, leaving them to dangle from a noose. An estimated 50,000 people were put to death between 1300 and 1783.

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Facts and information

Address:

Marble Arch, Paddington,
London
England

Bus route:

2 10 13 16 30 36 73 74 82 113 137 139 148 159 190 274 414 436

Train station:

Marble Arch CN

^{Marble Arch, London}

Did you know… Marble Arch contains three rooms inside – two behind the facades, and one across the top.

^{Marble Arch outside the Palace}

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