Ludgate Circus is a road junction in the City of London where Farringdon Street and New Bridge Street (together forming part of the A201 road) cross Ludgate Hill and Fleet Street.
Historically the main connection between the City of London and the City of Westminster, Ludgate Circus is situated on the course of the River Fleet, London's largest subterranean river. The circle of Ludgate Circus was constructed between 1864 and 1875. Haytor granite from Dartmoor in Devon was used in the construction of Ludgate Circus, transported via the unique Haytor Granite Tramway.
Had the Fleet line of the London Underground been built, it would have had a station at Ludgate Circus. However, the Fleet line's proposed route evolved in to the Jubilee line which went south of the River Thames before reaching Ludgate Circus. In 1990 however, City Thameslink station was opened on the site of the proposed Ludgate Circus station.
The name Ludgate derives from the Old English term "hlid-geat" a common Old English compound meaning "postern" or "swing gate".
Famous quotes containing the word circus:
“The way to go to the circus, however, is with someone who has seen perhaps one theatrical performance before in his life and that in the High School hall.... The scales of sophistication are struck from your eyes and you see in the circus a gathering of men and women who are able to do things as a matter of course which you couldn’t do if your life depended on it.”
—Robert Benchley (1889–1945)