Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Berkeley Square and one of its ancient plane trees.
Turn left into Stafford Street to Dover Street and turn right, then left down Hay Hill. Ori-
ginally this was a farm track to the Tyburn Brook. Even after it was developed it was not
always safe - the Prince Regent and some friends were held up here and robbed of the not
very princely sum of two shillings and sixpence.
At the foot of the hill we reach Berkeley Street where Elinor and Marianne stay with Mrs
Jennings in
Sense and Sensibility.
Marianne pines for a visit from Willoughby, but when
she finally encounters him at a party he snubs her: 'They departed as soon as the carriage
could be found. Scarcely a word was spoken during their return to Berkeley-street. Mari-
anne was in silent agony, too much oppressed even for tears…'.
To the right is Berkeley Square, the location of Gunter's renowned tea shop at No. 7. We
encounter the site almost immediately to find that refreshments of a rather different sort
can still be enjoyed in a modern building.
Fashionable young ladies choose their ice creams from the menu in a
very elegantly furnished confectioner's shop.
Gunter's served exquisite ices and sorbets to eat either in the shop or in one's carriage
under the plane trees - the ones that still shade the square are the originals, planted in 1789.
