Which forgotten Spanish Queen gave London the name Charing Cross?,
On a special episode of the Daily Mail’s Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things podcast, historian Alice Loxton joins Kate Williams to discuss Eleanor of Castile, a Spanish Queen whose marriage to English King Edward I inadvertently shaped the city of London forever.
Eleanor was born in Castile, modern day Spain, in 1241. At just 12 years old, she was married off to Prince Edward of England, who stood over six feet tall, earning him the nickname Longshanks.
Despite the arranged marriage, Eleanor and Edward were devoted partners for 36 years. After Edward became King, Eleanor accompanied him on Crusades and survived civil wars by his side, while also introducing England to Spanish luxuries like forks, carpets and elaborate gardens.
When Eleanor died from illness in 1290, the grief-stricken Edward erected 12 monuments, known as Eleanor crosses, along her funeral route from Lincoln to Westminster Abbey, where she was buried.
Loxton has written a new book about the forgotten Queen, retracing the 200-mile funeral route to discover what happened to the monuments – many of which were destroyed during the English Civil War.
Beyond writing, Loxton is a social media star, bringing medieval history to life to her over 1.8 million Instagram followers.
Eleanor of Castile and Charing Cross
The Eleanor Crosses were elaborate stone monuments, likely topped with a crucifix. Useful for travellers in a time before maps, they stood along major roads leading into London.
Many of the original crosses were torn down during the English Civil War by Parliamentarians who saw them as symbols of the monarchy. Today, several towns have erected replicas marking where the monuments once stood.
Only three original crosses survive: in the villages of Geddington, Hardingstone and Waltham Cross.
The most famous cross stood at what would become the centre of London, marking the final stop before Westminster Abbey.
‘The last of the crosses that was built was known as Charing Cross’, Loxton told the podcast.
‘The name was taken to be from a bend in the Thames, known as a Charing and the Eleanor Cross that stood there.
‘The location of the original cross, which was just in front of Trafalgar Square, marked the point where all measurements to London are made.
‘If you type in London on Google Maps, it will take you to the original site of the Eleanor Cross.’
The Charing Cross monument was among the first to be destroyed during the civil war, due its geographic and cultural significance.
Raging between 1642 to 1651, the English Civil War saw supporters of the monarchy and parliament battle it out over control of the country.
The conflict resulted in King Charles I’s public execution and the temporary abolition of the monarchy.
Loxton explained how the populace was none too pleased with the Parliamentarians’ destruction of Charing Cross.
She explained: ‘One of the first instructions of the Parliamentarians was to tear down the cross. They saw it as this great symbol of Royalism.
But then this ballad came about which said: ‘Undone, undone – the lawyers cry. They ramble up and down. They know not the way to Westminster, now that Charing Cross was taken down.
‘Interestingly, it was at that location that Charles I’s death warrant was signed. When the monarchy returned, where the original cross stood, a statue of Charles I was erected to hammer home the point.’
To learn more about Eleanor of Castile and Edward I, listen to Queens, Kings and Dastardly Things now, wherever you get your podcasts – or watch on YouTube.
