The A-Z Tour

6. Seven Dials

The Seven Dials Monument stands at the rond-point midway down Monmouth Street. The monument is a column topped with six sundials; the seventh "dial" is the column itself, which does after all cast a shadow. The original column was erected in 1694, but that was removed in 1773 after false rumours that treasure was buried beneath it. The current column is a replica that was built on the original site in 1988.

"Where famed St Giles’s ancient limits spread An in-railed column rears its lofty head, Here to seven streets seven dials count the day, And from each other catch the circling ray." John Gay (1685-1732)

Nearest Tubes:

• Covent Garden
• Leicester Square
• Tottenham Court Road

Links:

• The Seven Dials Monument Charity

Map

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