Historic St George's Circus

St George’s Circus - Paladar's local landmark - is a little-known piece of history close to the geographical centre of London. 

The stone obelisk, designed by Robert Mylne in 1771, stands in the middle of a roundabout that was the first purpose-built traffic junction in the city. 

The obeslik, with its beautifully preserved inscriptions, is a one-mile marker: One mile to London Bridge, Fleet Street and Palace Yard, Westminster. Take a leisurely stroll, admire the obelisk, and imagine the clatter of horse-drawn carriages coming in and out of town.

The obelisk was removed in 1897 and replaced with a clocktower to commemorate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee and, in 1905, the obelisk was relocated to what is now the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, in front of the Imperial War Museum.

By the 1930s the clocktower was beginning to be considered a "nuisance to traffic" and was demolished, but the obelisk did not return to its original location until 1998.

St George's Cathedral

Just a couple of minutes' walk from the Circus is St George's Roman Catholic Cathedral.  This little-known cathedral is an oasis in the heart of the city with some intricate stained glass windows, and a serene atmosphere.

The original building dates from 1848, but much of it was destroyed during the Second World War. The current cathedral was rebuilt in the  1950s and blends an Arts & Crafts/Gothic Revival style with surviving elements of the original building.

Sunday Masses are celebrated in English and Spanish and the cathedral boasts an excellent choir.

Imperial War Museum

A few minutes walk further on is the Imperial War Museum. This imposing building, fronted by two massive 15-inch naval guns from battleships that served during the World Wars, is set in the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park. 

The museum building was completed in 1815 as the central portion of Bethlem Royal Hospital (a notorious psychiatric hospital also known as ‘Bedlam’). The museum took over the building in the 1930s and is now showcases many fascinating artefacts and exhibitions relating to the history of war. 

In the museum grounds, you can find respite and solitude in the Tibetan Peace Garden - and be sure to end your day with a relaxing dinner at Paladar!