St. James's is one of the most exclusive and historic districts in London and its associations with the Monarchy are particularly strong.

Built by Henry VIII, St. James's Palace was one of the principal residences of the Kings and Queens of England for over 300 years. In the 1820's, Queen Victoria had Buckingham Palace - located just adjacent to St. James's Palace - refurbished and renovated. Buckingham Palace has remained the principal residence of the monarchy ever since.

St. James's Park was also originally created by Henry VIII - and was used as a bowling alley and as a royal hunting ground. His daughter, Elizabeth I also hunted within its grounds. In the 17th century, Charles II commissioned Le Nôtre, the great landscape gardener of Versailles, to design and populate its gardens.

In the 1660's, Henry Jermyn, Earl of St. Albans, persuaded the King to give him land to the north east of St. James's Palace. On it he built many of the streets located in St. James's today. Many members of the aristocracy lived in this, then new area as it had very close proximity to the royal court. Jermyn Street was completed in the 1680's.

Henry Jermyn commissioned the famous architect Christopher Wren to design St. James's Church, as the parish church of the new neighbourhood. It was one of the Wren's favourite churches and is still standing today.

Today, Jermyn Street is world renowned for its fashionable men's shops - predominantly men's bespoke shirt makers and outfitters.

For those interested in History, St. James's is an endless source of interest. A particularly thorough account of the area's history can be found on the Jermyn Street Association web site.