Cork Street facts for kids
View north along Cork Street
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| Namesake | Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Burlington and 2nd Earl of Cork |
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| Length | 420 ft (130 m) |
| Location | Mayfair, London |
| Postal code | W1 |
| Nearest Tube station |  Green Park |
| south end | Burlington Gardens 51°30′35″N 0°08′28″W / 51.5098°N 0.1410°W |
| north end | Clifford Street 51°30′39″N 0°08′31″W / 51.5108°N 0.1420°W |
Cork Street is a famous street in Mayfair, a fancy part of London, England. It's well-known for its many modern art galleries. Before becoming an art hub, it was famous for its tailors who made custom clothes.
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Where is Cork Street Located?
Cork Street is located in the heart of London's Mayfair area. It runs north-west from where Burlington Arcade meets Burlington Gardens. The street is very close to Burlington House, which is home to the Royal Academy of Arts. It runs right next to New Bond Street, another well-known street. The closest underground train station, called a "tube station," is Green Park.
A Look Back: Cork Street's History
Cork Street is part of the Burlington Estate, a large area that was developed starting in the 1700s. The street gets its name from the first Earl of Burlington, Richard Boyle. He was also the 2nd Earl of Cork, a city in Ireland.
For a long time, Cork Street and the surrounding area were famous for tailors. These were people who made custom-fitted clothes. During the Regency period (early 1800s), two very popular tailors, Schweitzer and Davidson, had shops on Cork Street. Even Beau Brummell (1778–1840), a fashion icon who started the "dandy" style, bought his clothes from them. Today, Savile Row, a street not far from Cork Street, is most famous for high-quality men's tailoring.
Cork Street Becomes an Art Hub
In the early 1900s, Cork Street started to become known for art. It's now considered one of the most important places for art in the United Kingdom. This is partly because it's so close to the Royal Academy of Arts. Many famous British artists began their careers thanks to galleries on this street. For example, the Mayor Gallery was the first place in London to show art by Francis Bacon, Max Ernst, Paul Klee, and Joan Miró. In 1938, Peggy Guggenheim, a famous art collector, opened her own gallery at number 30 Cork Street. By 2012, there were 22 art galleries on the street!
A well-known art dealer named Lillian Browse was even nicknamed "The Duchess of Cork Street." She used this name for her autobiography, which is a book about her own life.
The Grey Organisation's "Attack"
In 1985, a group of artists called the Grey Organisation did something unusual. They covered some of the art galleries on Cork Street with grey paint. In a statement, they said the galleries were "boring and lifeless." They hoped their "attack" would make things more exciting! This happened on May 21, 1985, early in the morning. Members of the group were arrested but later released without any charges.
Saving Cork Street's Art Scene
In 2012, a group called the "Save Cork Street" campaign was started. Their goal was to protect the street as a place for modern art. This was because there were plans to redevelop the area. Over 13,000 people supported the campaign, including famous artists like David Hockney. The campaign got a lot of attention from the news. The committee, led by artist Simon Tarrant, asked the local council to make sure that future buildings on Cork Street would still be used for art galleries.
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View north to houses on Clifford Street from Cork Street.
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Mulligans of Mayfair, an Irish restaurant that used to be at 13 Cork Street.
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Art Galleries on Cork Street
Here are some of the art galleries you can find on Cork Street:
- Lisson Gallery
- Waddington Custot
- Browse & Darby
- Saatchi Yates
- The Mayor Gallery
- The Redfern Gallery
See Also
- Burlington Arcade, a shopping arcade across from the south end of Cork Street.
- Dover Street, another street nearby in Mayfair with many art galleries.
