Bow Street

Bow Street is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, Westminster, London. It connects Long Acre, Russell Street and Wellington Street, and is part of a route from St Giles to Waterloo Bridge.

The street was developed in 1633 by Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford for residential purposes. A number of notable people lived here in the 17th and 18th centuries, including Oliver Cromwell and Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford. In the 18th century, the street declined as a place of residence following the establishment of the Royal Opera House and the nearby Covent Garden Theatre which led to a reputation for prostitution during the late-17th and 18th centuries.

Bow Street has a strong connection with the law; the Bow Street Runners, an early voluntary police force, was established here by Henry Fielding in 1750, and the Metropolitan Police Service operated a station house from 1832, which led to the construction of the Bow Street Magistrates' Court.

Bow Street is around 0.1 miles (0.16 km) long and runs between Russell Street and Long Acre, to the east of Covent Garden. South of Russell Street, the road continues as Wellington Street towards The Strand. As with several other streets in the local area, signs featuring its name are marked with the "Theatreland" logo. The street has historically been part of a through route from St Giles to Waterloo Bridge, though it is no longer the recommended signposted route.

...
Wikipedia