14 Buckingham Street, Charing Cross, London WC2N 6DF
Samuel Pepys Blue Plaque, 14 Buckingham Street
Tiny historic site
Place photograph
2.7
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Check
Cost
Historic
Feel
Why it's Wildland
2.7A small plaque on Buckingham Street connects the site with Samuel Pepys, whose diary captured London through the Great Plague and the Great Fire. There is a wrinkle worth knowing: English Heritage says the house formerly standing at number 14 was associated with Pepys, while his surviving London residence at number 12 is commemorated by a separate plaque.
This is a brief, street-side historical discovery rather than a destination for a long visit. Its appeal lies in the personal stories attached to one London address—and in noticing how two nearby plaques preserve different chapters of Pepys’s life.
Historic
Find your way
Open map14 Buckingham Street, Charing Cross, London WC2N 6DF
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
A concise stop for readers of Pepys and anyone exploring historic central London. Read the plaque, note its date and inscription, and distinguish this Buckingham Street site from the separate plaque at number 12.
Things to do
Read the plaque’s full inscription
The plaque records Samuel Pepys and Robert Harley as having lived in a house formerly standing on this site, and also names painters William Etty and Clarkson Stanfield as having lived in the house.
A few minutes
Compare the address with Pepys’s surviving London home
English Heritage distinguishes this number 14 site from number 12 Buckingham Street, the only one of Pepys’s London residences it says survives. The separate number 12 plaque records his residence there from 1679 to 1688.
A short additional stop
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
Read the Buckingham Street plaque
- 01
Find the plaque at 14 Buckingham Street and read its full inscription from the street.
- 02
Note that the plaque commemorates Pepys alongside Robert Harley, William Etty and Clarkson Stanfield.
- 03
Keep in mind that English Heritage identifies the separate plaque at number 12 as marking Pepys’s surviving London residence.
Verified history
The English Heritage entry for 14 Buckingham Street says its plaque was erected in 1908 by the London County Council. Its inscription commemorates Samuel Pepys (1633–1703) and Robert Harley (1661–1724) in a house formerly standing on the site, and records William Etty (1787–1849) and Clarkson Stanfield (1793–1867) as having lived in the house. A separate English Heritage entry places Pepys at number 12 from 1679 to 1688 and identifies that as the only one of his London residences to survive.
Hidden details
Two Buckingham Street addresses, two different stories — The number 14 plaque refers to a house formerly on the site. Pepys’s separate number 12 plaque commemorates his residence there from 1679 to 1688; English Heritage says that is the only one of his London residences still standing.
When to go
· Daylight, to make the inscription easier to read.
The available sources establish no particular seasonal highlight; this is a brief outdoor plaque stop.
The plaque is outdoors. Check conditions and allow space for other pavement users when stopping to read it.
What to look for
The plaque’s inscription, its stated installation date of 1908, and the names of the other historical figures it commemorates: Robert Harley, William Etty and Clarkson Stanfield.
The story
Literature
Best time to go
Any season; this is a short outdoor stop, so choose a time when you can comfortably pause on the street.
Visit in daylight so the inscription is easier to read; no seasonal advantage is established by the available sources.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
Solo · History lovers · Walkers
Before you go
Practical information
Opening & access
The plaque is recorded at this street address. Visitor access and any restrictions are not confirmed; check before visiting and view it from the public street without entering private property. Access arrangements are unconfirmed. Check before visiting; do not enter private land or restricted structures.
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Parking
Parking information is not confirmed; check before visiting.
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
Step-free access and pavement conditions have not been verified. Check before visiting.
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Cost
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Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Samuel Pepys Blue Plaque, 14 Buckingham Street
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
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