Marble Arch

This guide to Marble Arch in London starts with what stood on this corner for nearly six hundred years before the marble arrived: a permanent gallows where crowds gathered, sellers worked the throng, and viewing stands sold seats for a grim day out. You'll hear about the last hanging held here in 1783, and how John Nash was then commissioned to design a triumphal arch for Buckingham Palace inspired by the Arch of Constantine. The guide follows the arch through its short life at the Palace and Thomas Cubitt's fast rebuild at this corner of Hyde Park. Look for the small circular plaque set into the pavement nearby as you listen.