Listing London's Gas Lamps

Gas street lighting began in Westminster in 1807. There are now around 300 working gas lamps across Westminster, of which about half are currently listed. There are various standardised designs as well as now unique examples like the Grade II-listed sewer gas destructor lamp on Carting Lane, near the Savoy. Many surviving gas lamps are made up of columns, brackets and lanterns of different ages and styles.

Listed building consent is needed for any substantial alterations to listed gas lamps. Westminster City Council maintains that listed gas lamps will not be converted to electricity.

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Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Minister for Arts and Heritage at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has today (Thursday 8 February 2024) announced the listing of four historic gas lamps in Covent Garden, London. The decision has been welcomed by Nickie Aiken, MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, and the London Gasketeers who have been campaigning for the protection of the capital’s historic streetlighting.

The four lamp posts along Russell Street are part of a collection installed around Covent Garden in 1910 to mark the beginning of the reign of King George V. They have been listed at Grade II as a result of a pilot project by Historic England to determine the benchmark for listing gas lamps across London/the country. Historic England’s assessments will inform ongoing discussions about the management of gas lamps in Westminster and beyond.

Read more on the Historic England website.

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