Pimlico Platform
Pimlico Entrance
Pimlico Platform
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Manor of Ebury was divided up and leased by the Crown to servants or favourites. In 1623, James I sold the freehold of Ebury for £1,151 and 15 shillings. The land was sold on several more times, until it came into the hands of heiress Mary Davies in 1666. Mary's dowry not only included "The Five Fields" of modern-day Pimlico and Belgravia, but also most of what is now Mayfair and Knightsbridge. Understandably, she was much pursued but in 1677, at the age of twelve, married Sir Thomas Grosvenor. The Grosvenors were a family of Norman descent long seated at Eaton Hall in Cheshire who until this auspicious marriage were but of local consequence in their native county of Cheshire. Through the development and good management of this land the Grosvenors acquired enormous wealth. According to tradition, it received its name from Ben Pimlico, famous for his nut-brown ale. The station opened on 14 September 1972 – more than a year after the rest of the line had become fully operational.
Pimlico station is the only station on the line which does not have an interchange with another Underground and/or National Rail line. It was the last Underground station to open until the first section of the Piccadilly line's Heathrow extension was opened to Hatton Cross in 1975. In March 2015, the station was chosen to be the test for 'Wayfindr' an App that helps the visually impaired navigate their way through the station using iBeacon devices installed at the station. The main entrance is on the corner of Bessborough Street and Rampayne Street. It is part of an office block that until 2006 was entirely occupied by the Office for National Statistics apart from the station and a newsagents shop. There are two other entrances, in Lupus Street and on the other side of Bessborough Street. These others have ramps as well as stairs, facilitating wheelchair access. However, there are still a few steps to walk down to enter the ticket hall. The station has escalators, payphones, wi-fi and help points.
Connections: London Buses routes 24, 185, 360, 436 and C10 and night route N2 serve the station.