Richard Curtis - Big Ben Named Top Movie Location

Big Ben has been named the most iconic film location in London in a new poll from movie advertising company Pearl and Dean.

The landmark headed the survey thanks to the scene from the 1978 thriller The Thirty Nine Steps, in which Robert Powell's character clings desperately onto the clock face.

St Paul's Cathedral was named in second in place in Pearl and Dean's poll of over 3,000 people, for the memorable scene in which pigeons are fed on the steps of Sir Christopher's building.

Cillian Murphy's confused stroll along a deserted Westminster Bridge in horror movie 28 Days Later earned the location third place, while the hectic climax of An American Werewolf in London saw Piccadilly Circus named the fourth most iconic spot.

Several Richard Curtis movies, such as Notting Hill and Love, Actually were listed in the poll, Kathryn Jacob, spokeswoman for Pearl and Dean, confirmed.

"Richard Curtis has done a lot to raise the profile of London in his films, so it's no surprise that he's taken three places in our poll," she said.

"But for a truly iconic image of London in film it's hard to beat the nail-biting, clock-ticking drama seen at the top of Big Ben in The Thirty Nine Steps."

The top ten was as follows -

1. Big Ben (The Thirty Nine Steps)
2. St Paul's Cathedral (Mary Poppins)
3. Westminster Bridge (28 Days Later)
4. Piccadilly Circus (An American Werewolf in London)
5. Number 10 Downing Street (Love, Actually)
6. The Millennium Dome (The World is Not Enough)
7. Westminster Abbey (The Da Vinci Code)
8. Portobello Market (Notting Hill)
9. Covent Garden (My Fair Lady)
10. Borough Market (Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason)