Berry Brothers and Rudd are a wine merchants, founded in the 17th century and still trading today. Their premises in Pall Mall - within sight of St James’s Palace - have extensive cellars that themselves date from the early 18th century although the largest - the Napoleon Cellar - is 19th century in date. The name of the latter derives from the cellar’s alleged use by Emperor Napoleon during his exile in the 1840s.
The cellars are now mainly used for wine tastings and receptions - the main wine storage now being located in Basingstoke. Beneath one of the cellars lies a further excavation about three metres in diameter and of indeterminate depth. It seems too wide for a water well and is thought to be the remains of an ice (or snow) well, perhaps for St James’s Palace itself.