Postal code SW1 South King Street Length 220 m | Nearest metro station Green Park Tube Known for Art Galleries North Piccadilly | |
 | ||
Location St James's, London, United Kingdom | ||
Duke Street, St James's, is a street in the City of Westminster, London SW1. Duke Street runs from Piccadilly in the north to King Street in the south and is crossed by Jermyn Street. Ryder Street joins it on the western side. On the eastern side it provides access to Masons Yard. The upmarket department store Fortnum & Mason occupies the north-west corner.
Contents
- Map of Duke Street St Jamess St Jamess London UK
- History
- Notable Residents
- Listed Buildings
- Culture
- References
Map of Duke Street St James's, St. James's, London, UK
History
Duke Street first appeared in the rate books of the parish of St. Martin in the Fields in 1673. It is likely that it was named in honour of James, Duke of York, later James II. Building of the street was completed in the 1680s, though none of the original houses remain.
The Chequers Tavern, No 16 occupies a site that has been a public house has since 1732, when Henry Mason, the then occupant, was granted a victualler's licence for an unnamed tavern. His successor was Robert Morgoridge, and in 1744 William Morgridge was granted a victualler's licence for the Mason's Arms in Duke Street. By 1751 the name of the tavern had been changed to the Chequers.
Notable Residents
Notable residents of Duke Street include:
A lodger in Duke Street, St James’s was Edmund Burke, who dated letters from here between December 1790 and March 1791, and in January 1794.
Listed Buildings
Culture
“The street is now a centre of fine art dealers and galleries” Forming part of the St James's Art District, Duke Street is an important location for its concentration of art galleries, covering modern and contemporary art, sculpture, old masters and tapestries. It includes the galleries of Bernard Jacobson Gallery, Willow Gallery, Thomas Heneage, S Franses Ltd, MacConnal-Mason Galleries, Sims Reed Rare Books and Whitford Fine Art.