Charing Cross

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

The original "Charing Cross" was erected in the centre of the ancient village of Charing, which stood midway between the cities of London and Westminster, by Edward I to commemorate his Queen, Eleanor, be- cause it was there that her coffin was halted for

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Charing Cross” mean?

The original "Charing Cross" was erected in the centre of the ancient village of Charing, which stood midway between the cities of London and Westminster, by Edward I to commemorate his Queen, Eleanor, be- cause it was there that her coffin was halted for

Is “Charing Cross” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.