St. James Place

[richardh]

This image of St. James' Place shows a wide passage which I assume to be the same passage that leads to Mitre square. My question: Why is this passage (in the picture) so wide? In all the maps of the square the passage that leads from the square to St James' Place looks narrow. I've looked over the maps and if the scale is correct then the St. James Place passage is around 3ft wide (3.5 at a push).
Also the passage in this image resembles a road by which a horse and cart could easily travel down.

Here's the image:


And here is a map:


Maybe the image was created many years before 1888 and what the image depicts is how St James' place looked before the narrow streets and passages were built?

thanks

[Monty]

Because that's not the passage Richard,

The passage is to the extreme left of that picture.

What you are viewing is the King st (now Creechurch Lane) exit of St James place as seen from the corner of Duke street.

Monty

[Adam Went]

I may be imagining things here but IIRC, St. James's Place was where one of the more well known "London Monster" attacks took place - that of Anne and Sarah Porter around 1790. Somewhat unrelated to this topic, I know, but something of an anecdote at least....

Cheers,
Adam.

[The Grave Maurice]

You might be right, Adam, but, as I recall, the London Monster operated in another part of town. I thought that the Porter girls, and others, had their run in with him around St James's Street (the one that runs off Piccadilly). Anyway, I'll go and see if I can find my copy of Jan Bondeson's book on the subject and get back to you.

[Adam Went]

Hey GM,

I've also got Bondeson's book and checked it out - you're right, it was St. James's Street, not St. James's Place for the Porter sisters.
Bondeson's book is excellent, and it's fair to say that Rhynwick Williams got a pretty tough run of things in the ridiculous legal system of late 18th century England. As for Theophilus Swift...wow. What more can you say, eh?

Anyway, sorry, a bit off topic....

Cheers,
Adam.

[richardh]

Because that's not the passage Richard,

The passage is to the extreme left of that picture.

What you are viewing is the King st (now Creechurch Lane) exit of St James place as seen from the corner of Duke street.

Monty

Ahhh, thanks Monty. I can see that now.

thanks again