Wardour Street, street in Soho, London
Wardour Street is a street in the Soho area of the City of Westminster in London. It runs from Leicester Square in the south to Oxford Street in the north and is about half a mile long, with a mix of historic buildings and modern shops, restaurants, and bars.
The street dates from the 1500s when it was called Colmanhedge Lane and served as a route across fields. In the 1700s, landowners like the Pulteney family accelerated development with new buildings and streets, and later in the 1900s the area became a center for film companies and music venues.
The name comes from the Wardour family who owned land there in the 1600s. Today the area reflects its connection to nearby Chinatown, with Chinese restaurants and bilingual signs that show how different communities have shaped this part of Soho.
The one-way street is easy to walk along and well served by underground stations like Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square. During the day it fills with shops and cafes, while in the evening restaurants and bars become busier as people arrive for dinner and drinks.
The term 'Wardour Street English' was coined in the 1800s to describe an affected old-fashioned way of speaking that came from antique dealers there. This humorous expression was later adopted as a literary concept, showing how deeply the street influenced British culture.
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