Seven Dials Covent Garden is a unique quarter of London whose star-shaped layout remains as constructed in the early 1690s. It was brought back to life largely through the dedication of the Seven Dials Trust, working in partnership with the local authorities and landowners for nearly forty years.

Public Notice of the Unveiling Ceremony.

The Order of Events.

A Public Invitation.

Constructing the giant lager cans to cover the pilar before unveiling.

The lager cans were replaced by a shroud the night before the unveiling.

Invitation to the unveiling and reception.

David Bieda awaiting the unveiling.

Stilt people await the Royal party.

HM Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands and Prince Claus arrive.

The shroud is raised.

8,000 tagged, bio-degradable balloons are released.

The balloon tagged returned from the furthest destination, Luxembourg.

Crowds watching the unveiling.

Queen Beatrix and the Press.

The Royal walkabout gets underway.

Queen Beatrix meets the trainee stonemasons.

Pupils from St Clement Danes Primary School present their play about the arrival of William and Mary in England.

Queen Beatrix meets pupils from St Clement Danes Primary School.

Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus congratulate the pupils of St Clements Danes Primary School.

Christina Smith (in blue) on her way to the Reception held in her restaurant, Smith's of Covent Garden.

Queen Beatrix, escorted by David Bieda, en route to the reception.

Queen Beatrix and Price Claus greeted by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Simon Maby, on the borough boundary.

After the unveiling.

Lord Peter Brooke, then MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, now a Patron of the Seven Dials Trust.

Dedication on the Monument plinth.

Reverse of the Sundial Pillar's plinth.

Trustee Janet Cole-Brooman presents flowers to the carver and gilder Caroline Webb.

Queen Beatrix meets community stalwarts  Cllr John Toomey (l); Janet Reid; and Jim Francombe (r).

Locals Rosie Doyle and Alice Johnson wait to meet Queen Beatrix.

Kitty Driscoll, one of the senior residents of Covent Garden.

Covent Gardeners (l) Johnnie Sullivan, John Toomey (c) and Jim Francombe (r) wait for the unveiling.

Local legend,  Fred Collins Snr (never without a pipe) and trustee Nicola Kutapan.

Fred and Freddie Collins of F.W. Collins, ironmongers of Earlham Street est. 1835.

The party's over ...

Edward Pierce as sculptor

The portrait bust of Sir Christopher Wren by Edward Pierce is the greatest work of its kind in the 17th century.

Portrait bust of Sir Christopher Wren, courtesy of the Ashmoleum Museum Oxford.

Portrait bust of Oliver Cromwell, courtesy of the Ashmoleum Museum Oxford.

Edward Pearce as architect

The Bishops Palace Lichfield

Thomas Neale's principal projects

Development of Shadwell — June 1670
Mine drainage — June 1675
Ballast shore at Jarrow Slake — March 1677
Development of Tunbridge Wells — c. 1680
Wreck recovery off Bermuda — September 1680
Dice to check cheating at gaming — September 1690
Recovery of silver from wrecks — September 1690
Making verdigris — July 1691
Mines in Maryland & Virginia — August 1691
Tapestry makers of England — August 1691
Brass plates for kettles — August 1691
Steel equivalent to Corinthian Steel — August 1691
Company of Royal Fishery of Ireland — August 1691
Dice and tables — September 1691
Land drainage at Plymouth — September 1691
Mineral rights: American colonies — January 1692
Street lights in Dublin — May 1692
Imitation Russian leather — May 1692
Seven Dials — June 1692
Wrecks in West Indies — June 1692
Steel equivalent to Venetian steel — August 1692
New way of making paper — September 1692
Soldering and joining glass — November 1692
Postal services to America — February 1693
Wreck of ‘isle of Sables’ — February 1693
New ways of casting lead — June 1693
Wire screens, wire cloth — June 1693
Mining company in England — June 1693
Sand dredging in Thames — July 1693
Salt duty — May 1694
First National Million Lottery — February 1695
£5 million in ‘paper credit’ — October 1696