Living in London

Although London is now home to more than 7 million people, it was once a collection of small towns and villages spread across the countryside. As each town grew towards the other they eventually joined to become one sprawling city.


Unfortunately, each town chose to keep the names of their streets. As a result, now that the city is one contiguous block, the same street will change names many different times. Today I have to walk about 500 yards from the Bond Street Underground station (bottom of picture) to a small café on the corner of Marylebone High Street and George Street. While walking north on the SAME STREET, the street will change names five times.

• Gilbert Street
• James Street
• Mandeville Place
• Thayer Street, and finally
• Marylebone High Street.

Thank goodness I have a actual size map!


-HrH