Scotland Yard

Scotland Yard was the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service, located in the Strand, London.

History
This plot of land on which Scotland Yard would stand was given to King Kenneth III of Scotland as a gift from King Edgar the Peaceful of England in the tenth century, and for nearly 600 years served as the residence for the Scottish monarchy whenever they visited England.

The palace was demolished when Scotland unified with England in 1807, and a series of government buildings and residences were built in its place.

When Prime Minister Robert Peel created the Metropolitan Police Service in 1829, it was decided that their headquarters would be located in the area. With the help of Eugène François Vidocq, Peel selected Scotland Yard as the site of the new Police Service's headquarters. The office's rear entrance stood on Great Scotland Yard, therefore the police force became commonly known around the world as "Scotland Yard".