Downing Street leads off the south-west end of Whitehall , just above Parliament Street . It was named after Sir George Downing , who built a row of houses along the street around 1680 leading west from Whitehall . Following a number of terrorist attacks , the road was closed to the public in 1990 , when security gates were erected at both ends . On 7 February 1991 , the Provisional IRA fired mortars from a van parked in Whitehall towards No . 10 , one of which exploded in the gardens
fired mortars from a van
Downing Street mortar attack
Whitehall