Rotten Row can be found in
London's Hyde Park. It is
London's oldest
bridle path and is one of the few places in
London where one is still able to ride a
horse free from the worry of motorised vehicles.
Rotten Row became the first artificially-lit highway in England when it was built in 1690. King William III had moved his court to Kensington Palace and had become concerned about the thieves who would prey on people travelling through the park. He ordered the construction of a straight road, lit by some 300 oil lamps, through Hyde Park. The road connected St. James' Palace and Kensington Palace along the south side of the park. The name "Rotten Row" is a corruption of the French "Route de Roi", or "King's Road".
During Victorian times, Rotten Row became the place to be seen for London's gentry. It is still used today by people exercising their horses, including members of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment whose barracks are close by.