Meard Street


Meard Street is a street in Soho, London. It runs roughly east–west, between Wardour Street to the west and Dean Street to the east. It is in two sections, with a slight bend in the middle: the west half is pedestrianised, while the east half is a narrow, single-lane road.
The street is named after John Meard, the younger, a carpenter, later esquire, who developed it in the 1720s and 1730s.
It is prominently featured in photographs and postcards for the tourist trade, due to the pun with merde and merda.
15 Meard Street served as the exterior of the home occupied by characters played by Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi in the 2013–16 ITV sitcom Vicious.

History

The two halves occupy what were originally two separate, non-communicating 17th-century courts. They were developed in two halves: the western half, Meard's Court, in 1722, and the eastern half, Dean's Court in 1731/32. As part of the redevelopment of Dean's Court, the two halves were joined in 1732/33.

Notable occupants