The “Farting Lane” Legacy

The Savoy Hotel’s Hidden Secret

Deep behind the glamour of The Savoy Hotel in London, on a narrow slope called Carting Lane, you’ll find a quirky relic of Victorian engineering: London’s last remaining sewer gas destructor lamp. Locals affectionately call this street “Farting Lane” because of the lamp’s unique, somewhat nauseating history.

Patented in the late 19th century by Joseph Webb, these lamps were designed to solve two problems at once: lighting the streets and safely burning off dangerous, foul-smelling methane gas building up in the sewers.

While many believe the lamp runs solely on “guest waste” from the Savoy, it’s actually dual-powered. Standard town gas keeps the flame burning 24/7, which creates a vacuum that sucks up sewer gases to be incinerated at temperatures around 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

The current post is actually a replica. Some years ago, a reversing lorry accidentally knocked over the original. It was later restored by British Gas engineers and is now protected by Westminster Council.

Today, the Carting Lane Sewer Lamp remains a glowing reminder of Victorian ingenuity, standing silently near the Savoy Theatre—the first public building in the world to be lit entirely by electricity.