Summary: Prestige Offices uncovers several lesser-known facts about London as it researches the history of properties repurposed as high-end office spaces and the sought-after districts they sit within.
London, UK. May 27th, 2025 – Prestige Offices, a premium office space agency, has uncovered a wealth of historical facts about iconic London buildings now offering first-class office space and the storied districts in which they are located.
As part of a recent website redevelopment, the research team delved into the legacy of buildings, the toponymy of ancient districts, and the processes by which London has evolved.
Edward Lewis, Head of Research at Prestige Offices, said: “A fantastic by-product of the website upgrade was researching the history of buildings repurposed as cutting-edge workspaces. While the agency team focused on the amenities that the office spaces offer modern businesses, the research team delved into the heritage of the buildings and their surrounding areas.”
The research revealed that Marble Arch, completed in 1833, was used as Buckingham Palace's formal entrance until 1850.
Pall Mall is named after the Italian game Pallamaglio, a hybrid of croquet and golf. It was played with a ball and mallet and enjoyed by James I, Charles I, and Charles II along the straight half-mile stretch in front of St James’s Palace.
A disused London Underground tunnel between Earl’s Court and South Kensington was used during World War I to store precious china from Buckingham Palace and valuable items from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Green Park was created so King Charles II could walk from Hyde Park to St. James’s Park without leaving royal soil. He enjoyed taking a daily walk or ‘constitutional’ within it, which is why Constitution Hill is so named. He also constructed an icehouse within the park to keep his drinks cool during the warmer months.
Sir Thomas Gresham became known as the father of English banking after rescuing the pound during a 16th-century financial crisis. In 1565, he established the Royal Exchange as a centre of commerce for the City of London. The thoroughfare in the EC2 district was posthumously named for him in 1845.
It also revealed that Soho was once a hunting ground used by Henry VIII and is named after the hunting call used upon sighting a small animal. If it were named after the call used upon sighting a large animal, the West End district would now be named Tallyho.
The research initiative forms part of Prestige Offices’ broader commitment to connecting contemporary workspace solutions with the cultural and architectural heritage of the capital.
By integrating historical context into its brand narrative, the agency aims to enrich client understanding of the unique character and legacy behind each location.
Edward Lewis added: “London has a mesmerising past, and the research team found great joy in scratching its surface and using office buildings as a looking glass.”
ENDS
Media Contact: Edward Lewis
02037406065
https://www.prestigeoffices.co.uk
26 Dover Street, Mayfair
London
W1S 4LY
GB
About Prestige
Prestige Offices is a London office space rental agency that sources premium flexible office space and workspace solutions within prestigious office buildings in the UK capital.
Working with luxury office space providers, workspace operators, and landlords, the agency delivers high-end business space solutions such as serviced offices and managed office space within elegantly refurbished and renovated distinguished properties and new prime office buildings to its clients. Prestige Offices is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
