London - Luxury Shopping in Jermyn Street

For quality clothing, hand made shoes and a famous hat shop.

Nov 28, 2007

Jermyn Street in the heart of London's West End is the place to go for luxury shopping plus a 19th century barber shop and London's first perfumers.

The street was completed in the early 1680’s, built on land that belonged to Henry Jermyn, the Earl of St. Albans, and became a place of fine houses. In the past many famous people lived in Jermyn Street, and why wouldn’t they? It was attractive then as it is today, although not particularly for shopping - more for living in. Residents have included Isaac Newton (there’s a plaque by the door of No. 87 telling us this), also Gladstone and Thackery. Thomas Wall, famous even today in England for his ice cream, was born here in1846 at No.113.

London - Jermyn Street - St. James's Church

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 Wren's favourite churches and is still standing today. The main entrance is on Piccadilly but the back door is on Jermyn Street - so do take time to go inside. While the exterior is fairly plain, inside you will find splendid plasterwork and the fabulous woodwork created by the master carver Grinling Gibbons, who also created the beautiful marble baptismal font.

Today the fine old houses have gone and the street is known best for it’s elegant shops for men. Shirtmakers, Harvie and Hudson, here since 1929, has one of the finest mid-Victorian shop fronts in London. Bates the hatters, here since 1900, are at No.21a. Even if you never buy a hat you must enter this tiny shop and take a look around. Famous people from around the world come here when they need a hat and the Panama hats are the biggest sellers.

Taylor’s barber shop opened in 1854. Here you can get yourself a real old fashioned cut -throat shave (many say this is the best shave you can ever have) as well as being able to buy the finest of shaving soaps, brushes, and everything else needed for the perfect shave.

London - Jermyn Street - Historic Perfume Shop

Jermyn Street is not only for the guys. Floris was London's first parfumers, and they still make excellent soaps and colognes. The founder, Juan Famenias Floris, arrived in London in 1730 from Spain. Originally a barber and comb-maker he found he missed the heady perfumes of his Mediterranean homeland and experimented with blending different oils which he imported from southern Europe. Again, do go inside. It’s beautiful and a great place from which to buy gifts.

Right next door to Floris is a shop which emits perfumes of a different order. They come from one of London’s best cheese shops, Paxton and Whitbread, a cheesemonger which has been around for over 200 years and has all manner of cheeses piled to the ceiling. Lots of delicious free samples on offer too. They also sell traditional British meat pies. So why not treat yourself to a meat pie and a slab of the finest English Chedder, pop into Fortnum and Mason across the road for a bottle of decent red and you’ll have yourself a fine old English supper.

The copyright of the article London - Luxury Shopping in Jermyn Street in Historical Travel is owned by Cathy Smith. Permission to republish London - Luxury Shopping in Jermyn Street in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.