Plaque

The Round Table

Inscription

Round Table
The neighbourhood of St. Martins Lane was, in the middle of the Eighteenth century, the resort of 'horsy and fighting men'. The most popular house in the early days being 'Ben Caunts Head' after the Nottinghamshire giant who was at one time the landlord.
It was in these taverns that the fancy regularly met for many years and arranged historical fights including, in October 1805, the encounter between Jim Belcher and the Game Chicken, staged by Earl Grosvenor, Colonel Mellish and Captain Halliday.
The Round Table played its part during these times, putting up the American Champion, John C. Heenan, when he came to contest the belt with the valiant Tom Sayers, the famous Sussex fighter.
The sign of the Round Table indicated during these times that even-handed justice was observed within and that all corners were treated alike.
The present building dates back to 1877 when the area had major redevelopment to provide for a road between Oxford Street and Charing Cross. This reconstruction made available land which was bought and built upon by Sir Charles Wyndham, the famous Actor Manager, and so began the traditions of theatre land with the Wyndhams and Albery Theatres named after the owner and stepson respectively.
In the following years the Round Table has grown closer to the world of theatre and is a welcome meeting place for actors and audience alike.

Site: The Round Table (1 memorial)

WC2, St Martin's Court

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
The Round Table

Subjects commemorated i

Jim Belcher (or Jem)

Boxer. Won the English heavyweight prize-fighting championship in 1800, retai...

Read More

John C. Heenan

American boxer.  Born New York state.  Not the Archbishop, John Camel Heenan,...

Read More

Henry the 'Game Chicken' Pearce

Bare-knuckle prizefighter. Born in Bristol. He fought under the London Prize ...

Read More

Tom Sayers

Boxer Born Pimlico. Worked as a bricklayer building King's Cross Station. Bec...

Read More

Show all 6

Nearby Memorials

Colin Townsley - red plaque

Colin Townsley - red plaque

N1, Euston Road, Kings Cross Station

Unveiled on the 34th anniversary of the fire and Townsley's death.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
IC - Descartes

IC - Descartes

SW7, Imperial College Road, Observatory Road, Chemistry RCS

From the Imperial College website: The Royal College of Science building was completed in 1906 ….. The building was designed by architect...

1 subject commemorated
Silvertown explosion - firemen

Silvertown explosion - firemen

E16, North Woolwich Road

On the wall behind are two baskets for flowers and some screw holes. And on the wall a little to the left of the photo is another similar...

2 subjects commemorated
Sid James  - W5

Sid James - W5

W5, Gunnersbury Avenue, 35

From BCS: "We had to do Sid twice because the first plaque was stolen; the second was placed much higher up the wall!"

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
St Vincent's - blue plaque

St Vincent's - blue plaque

W6, Queen Caroline Street

March 2018 this care home was run by Care UK. Both plaques are visible in our photo, on the wall that you can see between the two gate pi...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Clare Sculpher

Clare Sculpher

EC2, Aldermanbury

Clare Sculpher, 1948 - 1986, from friends and colleagues. Magnolia amabilis

1 subject commemorated
Avenue of trees - Hampstead Heath

Avenue of trees - Hampstead Heath

NW3, Hampstead Heath

This avenue was replanted in November 1988 to replace trees destroyed by a hurricane during the night of 15/16 October 1987. Trees donate...

2 subjects commemorated, 5 creators
Stephen Lawrence  - Eltham

Stephen Lawrence - Eltham

SE9, Well Hall Road, 320

The plaque has been vandalised several times. The original one had to be replaced as it was damaged beyond repair. Gordon W. Newton is a ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Handley Page V/1500 bomber crash

Handley Page V/1500 bomber crash

NW11, Garrick Avenue, 21

The quotation is from the Song of Solomon, either chapter 2:17 or 4:6.

8 subjects commemorated
Victor Cavendish 9th Duke of Devonshire

Victor Cavendish 9th Duke of Devonshire

Born Marylebone. Died Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, his country seat.

Person, Armed Forces

1 memorial