Pall Mall London: History, Name and What to See

Pall Mall is a street in the St James's area of the City of Westminster, in Central London. It connects St James's Street to Trafalgar Square and forms part of the regional A4 road, combining a practical route across the capital with a concentrated history of royal London, fashionable residences and private clubs.

What is Pall Mall in London?

Pall Mall is a Central London street running between St James's Street and Trafalgar Square. Its position places it in St James's, an area associated with wealth and empire, while its role as part of the regional A4 gives the street a significance beyond its historic buildings.

The name refers to the street itself rather than a separate district: Pall Mall is a defined road linking two recognisable London points. St James's Street provides one end of the connection, with Trafalgar Square at the other.

Why is Pall Mall called Pall Mall?

Pall Mall is called Pall Mall because a ball game named pall-mall was played on the street during the 17th century. The name pall-mall comes from the Italian pallamaglio, literally meaning “ball-mallet”.

That history makes the street's name unusually direct: it preserves the memory of an activity that took place there. The game supplied the name, and the Italian term supplied its distinctive wording.

What is Pall Mall known for?

Pall Mall is known especially for its gentlemen's clubs, but the street's character began earlier as a fashionable residential area. The area was first developed during the reign of Charles II, and the street was originally named Catherine Street after Catherine of Braganza, Charles II's wife.

One residence gives that royal connection a particularly scandalous edge. 97 Pall Mall was associated with Nell Gwynne, the actress and mistress of the king. Her being given a residence in such a respected area was considered a major royal scandal.

The clubs became Pall Mall's defining public identity. The prominent buildings named in the tour material stand side by side: The Travellers Club, The Reform Club and The Atheneum Club. These were private clubs for upper-class men, although some private clubs on Pall Mall now permit women and not all do.

What should you notice when you visit Pall Mall?

Read Pall Mall as a sequence of contrasts: its fashionable residential beginnings under Charles II, the royal scandal associated with 97 Pall Mall, and the imposing club buildings that give the street its best-known character. The Travellers Club, The Reform Club and The Atheneum Club provide a clear group of named landmarks to distinguish along the road.

Use St James's Street and Trafalgar Square as your physical orientation points. Pall Mall is stop 6 of 10 on James Bond: Mission London; you can place this street within the wider route through Leplace's city exploration catalogue.