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Oxford Street
Oxford Street forms the southern boundary of Marylebone, running east to west along the W1C postcode and separating the neighbourhood from Soho and Fitzrovia to the south. It is one of the longest retail streets in Europe, stretching roughly 1.2 miles from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch, and draws an estimated 200 million visitors per year, though this figure varies by source.
The street's origins pre-date the Georgian development of Marylebone by several centuries. It follows the course of an ancient route known historically as the Tyburn Road, which led west from the City towards the Uxbridge road. It acquired its present name after the land to the north was purchased and developed under the influence of the Earls of Oxford in the early 18th century. By 1715, plans for Cavendish Square and the streets north of Oxford Road were already being drawn up, setting the framework for the Marylebone grid that followed.
Today the street sits at the edge of the Portman Estate's territory to the west and borders the Howard de Walden Estate's holdings to the north. Its retail character contrasts sharply with the quieter residential streets immediately behind it, including Portman Square, which sits just a few minutes' walk north. Department stores have dominated the street since the late 19th century, and Oxford Street remains the main commercial threshold between Marylebone and the rest of the West End.
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