The oldest artificially lit road in London is Rotten Row in Hyde Park.
Running along the south side of the royal park, it was created on the orders of King William III at the end of the 17th century to provide a safe travelling link between Kensington Palace – new home of the court – and St James’s Palace.
The new road was opened in 1690 and included 300 oil lamps, making it the first artifically lit highway, not only in London, but in Britain. According to Royal Parks, the name Rotten Row is a corruption of the French ‘Route de Roi’ (King’s Road) although others have suggested alternative meanings.
In later years, the roadway became a popular meeting place of the upper class and, while it’s now open to the general public, is still used as a bridle path.
Exploring London 