Place Name
Named after the nearby statue of Achilles, the Greek hero of Homer’s epic rendition of the Trojan War, in Hyde Park. The statue gained notoriety when it was first unveiled in honour of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, being the country’s first nude artwork on public display. It is said so shocking was the depiction – a small fig leaf was added later – that this part of Hyde Park became unfashionable for a while. This road was laid out in 1962 as part of Park Lane’s new dual-carriageway system.
