Monopoly - Leicester Square

Monopoly yellow square. £260.

Named after the Earl of Leicester who owned a large plot of land with a flash house that he enclosed preventing people access to previous common land.
The public were rather cross with this situation and asked King Charles I to intervene. He asked the privy court to arbitrate. The court waved its authoritative finger at the Earl and gave a part of the his land to the public.

This area known as Leicester Field became popular for entertainment.
Now famous for movie theatres and red carpet star studded opening nights.

The square is undergoing major renovations at present so I have taken the above picture in the area known as the Swiss Court.
Shown is the Cantonal Tree. Erected in 1991 as part of the 700th anniversary of the Swiss Confederation as a token of friendship between Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The tree bears the arms of the twenty six cantons of Switzerland.

Terror

Remember school holidays.

Conversation with Oscar Wilde

Wonder what he'd think of mobile phones.

Reynolds

A slightly decaying statue of Sir Joshua Reynolds , 18th century painter, in Leicester Square.

He specialised in portraits.Do you think he might have painted Tom Cruise if he was around today? Or would he have chosen the man on the cell phone (in the right hand side of the image).

Valentine

Fans queued in sub-zero temperatures in Leicester Square for the premiere of "Valentines Day" with the star studded cast including Ashton Kucher who plays opposite Jessica Alba.

Judging by the reviews the fans love this romcom and the critics hate it. As one put it 'like eating fudge with the cellophane wrapper still on.'