London's Charing Cross Station

An undated postcard but probably 1900s.

A recent view showing the restored Eleanor Cross replica (wikimedia)

Named after the road junction, Charing Cross has been the site of the railway station since 1864. Its most notable exterior feature is a replica of the Eleanor Cross in Red Mansfield stone, erected in the station forecourt concurrent with the hotel construction in 1865. It was based on the original 13th century Whitehall Cross that had been demolished in 1647. Distances in London are officially measured from the original site of the cross in Whitehall, now the statue of Charles I, and not from this replica cross.  In 2009 it was the subject of a 10 month restoration which was completed in August 2010. This work included recreating and attaching almost 100 missing ornamental features including heraldic shields, an angel, pinnacles, crockets and finials; securing weak or fractured masonry with stainless steel pins and rods and re-attaching decorative items which had previously been removed after becoming loose.