Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross
The cross in 2011
Location	Charing Cross railway station London, WC2
Built	1864–1865
Architect	Edward Middleton Barry
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated	5 February 1970
Reference no.	1236708

The Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross is a special monument in London. You can find it in front of Charing Cross railway station. It was built between 1864 and 1865 to remember Eleanor of Castile. She was the first wife of Edward I of England, a king of England. This cross is a beautiful copy of an older, medieval cross that used to stand nearby. King Edward I built several crosses like this to honor his wife after she passed away.

The famous architect Edward Middleton Barry designed this Victorian-era monument. He also designed the railway station itself! The statues of Queen Eleanor on the cross were made by the sculptor Thomas Earp. It is important to know that this cross is not in the exact spot where the original one stood. That spot is now taken by a statue of King Charles I.

What is the Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross?

The Queen Eleanor Memorial Cross is a tall, detailed stone monument. It stands proudly in the forecourt of Charing Cross railway station. This cross is a memorial, which means it was built to help people remember someone important. It honors Queen Eleanor of Castile, who was a queen of England a long time ago. The cross was built in the Victorian era, which was a period in history from 1837 to 1901.

Why Was the Cross Built?

When Queen Eleanor died in 1290, King Edward I was very sad. He decided to build 12 special crosses along the route her body traveled. This journey went from Harby in Nottinghamshire to Westminster Abbey in London. These crosses were called "Eleanor crosses." They marked the places where her coffin rested overnight. The original Charing Cross was the last of these crosses. It was sadly destroyed in 1647 during a period of civil war in England. The cross you see today is a new version, built much later.

How Was the Memorial Designed?

The architect, Edward Middleton Barry, wanted to make the new memorial look like the original Charing Cross. He studied old drawings of the original cross. These drawings were found in places like the Bodleian Library and the British Museum. However, these drawings were not complete. So, Barry also looked at other Eleanor crosses that still existed. He even looked at Queen Eleanor's tomb inside Westminster Abbey for ideas.

Another architect, Arthur Ashpitel, helped Barry with his research. On the monument, you can see different coats of arms. These are like old family symbols or badges. They represent England, León, Castile, and Ponthieu. These places were important to Queen Eleanor and King Edward.