Cecil Court, Pedestrian alley and bookshop neighbourhood in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom

Cecil Court is a narrow pedestrian alley lined with bookshops and small shops in the City of Westminster, London. The street runs between Charing Cross Road and St Martin's Lane, and its rows of shopfronts and hanging signs give it a look that feels set apart from the busy streets around it.

The alley was laid out in the 17th century and was originally known as Flicker's Court before taking the name Cecil Court. Over time it became a centre for booksellers and printers, and many of its buildings still keep the small-scale shopfronts from that period.

Many shops here specialise in old books, prints and maps, and the people who run them often know their stock in detail. On weekdays, you can see browsers leafing through volumes outside the doorways, and the pace of the alley stays slow and unhurried.

The alley is for pedestrians only, so you can walk its length without worrying about traffic. It is a short walk from Leicester Square and Covent Garden stations, and the central stretch is flat and easy to explore on foot.

The alley is often said to have inspired the name Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter books, though this is a popular story rather than a confirmed fact. Look up above the shop signs and you will notice old glass fanlights and painted woodwork that many visitors walk past without seeing.