Seven Dials: From Notorious Slum to Chic London Landmark
Seven Dials, a distinctive London neighbourhood in Covent Garden, is now a vibrant shopping and theatre destination, but it conceals a notorious past as a dense slum. Once part of the infamous St Giles area, its unsavoury reputation was recognized by literary figures like Charles Dickens and served as the atmospheric backdrop for Agatha Christie's “The Seven Dials Mystery.” The area's unique name stems from its unusual road layout, designed by politician Thomas Neale in the 1690s. Neale sought to capitalize on the success of nearby Covent Garden, creating a series of triangles to maximize property frontage, as rent was charged by the house's width, not its interior size. This commercial ambition led to a design that nearly resulted in “Six Dials,” with the central pillar's six sundials eventually supplemented by declaring the column itself the seventh.
Despite Neale's aspirations for a prosperous district, the flexible lease arrangements allowed houses to be easily subdivided, rapidly transforming Seven Dials into an overcrowded slum. By the mid-18th century, its decline necessitated the employment of 39 night-watchmen to maintain order, and by the 19th century, it rivalled St Giles in its impoverished conditions. This era of destitution is thought to be the inspiration for William Hogarth's powerful print, “Gin Lane.”
A fascinating piece of its history involves the original sundial pillar. Installed in the 1690s by mason Edward Pierce (who also worked on St Paul's Cathedral), it became a meeting point for “undesirables” and was removed in 1773. After decades in private hands, it reappeared in 1822 in Weybridge, Surrey, repurposed as a memorial to Frederica Duchess of York, with its original dial stone serving as a horse mounting block. Seven Dials received an identical replacement column only in 1988-89, symbolizing its remarkable journey from a desperate slum to the chic, colourful hub seen today, a testament to London's ever-evolving urban landscape.
(Source: https://londonist.com/london/history/seven-dials-covent-garden-history-trivia-secrets)
