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Walking in Belgravia

Discover the sights and scenery in Belgravia with Grosvenor London’s walking guide. As well as providing a guide through some of Belgravia’s most charming locations, such as Pimlico Road, Motcomb Street, and Eaton Square, it also details the illustrious history.

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Walking in Belgravia

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  1. ThesuggestedwalkthroughBelgraviatakes about2hours.ItofffersviewsoftypicalBelgraviahousesandotherbuildingsbutitisinnowaycomprehensive.ThereismuchtoseeinBelgravia:antiqueshopstobrowse,finebuildings toadmire,quietmewstoenjoywheretheonlyobviouschangeisthemotorcarinplaceofthehorse-drawncarriage.

  2. BELGRAVIAAHISTORY TheGrosvenorfamily,headedbyGeraldGrosvenor,the6thDukeofWestminster,hasownedthe80hectares(200 acres)ofBelgraviasince1677,whenSirThomasGrosvenormarriedMaryDavies,heiresstopartof theManorofEbury. Atthattime,thesouthernpartofthemanorboundedby Chelsea,HydeParkandBuckinghamPalace,knownastheFiveFields,wasopen land–amixofswamp,pasture,orchards,afewscatteredhousesand muchofitthehauntofhighwaymen. Someofthelargerhouseshavenowbecometheheadquartersofcommercialbusinesses,institutionsand embassies,whilethedevelopmentoflargemodernoffices hasbeenencouragedontheperimeteroftheEstate.However,thevastmajorityofCubitt’sworkstillsurvivesand almostthewholeofBelgraviaisincludedinastatutory ConservationArea.Today,Belgraviaisrecognisedthroughout EuropeasthelargestandbestpreservedurbanRegencyestate. LOOKING FORWARD Overthelast300yearstheGrosvenorEstate(nowknownsimplyasGrosvenor)hasevolvedtobecomeoneoftheUK’slargestprivatepropertycompanies.Itschairman isGeraldGrosvenor,the6thDukeofWestminsterandhead oftheGrosvenorfamily. ApartfromitsofficeinMayfair,Grosvenorhasofficesin17oftheworld’smostdynamiccities,managingitsgrowingportfolioofinternational propertyassetsandisactiveinBritain&Ireland,theAmericas,ContinentalEuropeandAsiaPacific.However,MayfairandBelgraviaremainthecoreassetsoftheGrosvenorportfolio. HOUSING BOOM TheendoftheNapoleonicWarsbroughtagreathousingboomtoLondon.This,andtheconversionofthenearbyBuckinghamHouseintoapalaceforGeorgeIVin1826,wasthecatalystforthedevelopmentoftheFiveFieldsasoneofthemostfashionableanddesirableresidentialareasofcentralLondon.(TheGrosvenorshadalreadydeveloped Mayfairahundredyearsearlier). Grosvenor’slongtermaimsarethepursuitandmaintenance ofexcellence.Tohelpmeettheseobjectives,itsestatemanagementpoliciesaredeliberatelydesignedtoensurethepreservationofsomeoftheUK’smostimportantstreetscapesandtopromotemixedandvibrant communitiesforthosewholiveandworkthere. AN ELEGANT ESTATE WorkingtothevisionofRobert,1stMarquessofWestminster,ThomasCundy(theEstateSurveyor)and ThomasCubitt(masterbuilder),oversawthedevelopment ofBelgraviaintoanelegantestateintheclassicRegencystyleofsquares,streetsandcrescents,alignedtooverlook privategardenssurroundedbyunifiedpalazzofaçades.

  3. THEWALK AtthejunctionwithPimlicoRoad•turnleftpastelegantshopsandcrossto thesmalltriangularpavedarea •ThisisORANGESQUARE,recentlyimproved byGrosvenorinconjunctionwithWestminsterCityCouncil.Underits matureLondonplanetreesisastatueof • STARTINGATSLOANESQUARE TUBESTATION • turnrightintoClivedenPlace •withitsRegencyterracesofhouses,manywithoriginalfanlightsabovethefrontdoors.YouarenowjustwithinthesouthwestboundaryofGROSVENOR’SBELGRAVIAESTATE,widelyrecognisedasoneofthemostsignificantandcarefullypreservedurbanstreetscapesinEurope. WOLFGANGAMADEUS MOZART WOLFGANGAMADEUSMOZART,wholivedatNO180 EburyStreetfromApril1764toJuly1765whileonagrand tourofEuropewithhisfather.There,theeightyearold prodigycomposedhisfirsttwosymphonies.Restaurantsand shopssurroundtheSquare,includingtheORANGEBREWERYwhichstartedastheOrangeCoffeeHouseand Tavernin1776andwhichservesbeersbrewedonthepremises. TakethefirstrightintoBourneStreet•linedwithwhatwereonceartisans’dwellings,pasttheCHURCHOFST MARYonyourleft,builtin1874withtheadditionofan unusualasymmetricalnonagonporchin1928. TurnrightintoGrahamTerrace•andtakethefirstleft intoPassmoreStreet•withtheFOXANDHOUNDS PUBonthecorner. PassmoreStreetrevealsoneofthe area’sintriguingcontrasts, with manyexpensivemodern privatehomesontheleft,cheekbyjowlwithsocialhousingontherightwhichis stillownedandmanagedbyGrosvenor. Here, smallartisans’ cottagesgivewayto RetraceyourstepsacrossOrange SquaretoEburyStreet•andturn right,pastLAPOULEAUPOT,a traditionalFrenchrestaurantbeneath anothersocialhousingblock constructedinthesamewayas IAN FLEMING, CREATOR OFJAMES BOND, LIVED AT 22 EBURY STREET • LumleyFlats.ThentakethefirstleftintoEatonTerrace•astreetofelegantfiveandsixstoreyterracedhouses.Turn rightintoChesterRowt•withitstallstuccohouses,passingtheDUKEOFWELLINGTONPUBonthecorner.The‘DukeofBoots’hasthereputationofbeingthenearest thingtoacountrypubinthecentreofLondon.Toyourleft, lookdowncobbledMineraMews,builtoriginallytohouse • theservants,carriagesandhorsesoftherichinSouthEaton Placebutnowconvertedintosoughtafterhomes.Turn rightintoSouthEatonPlace•andleftupGeraldRoad • passingNO17,thehomeofactorandsingerNOELCOWARDfrom1930to1956. LUMLEYFLATSbuiltin1875 attheinstigationofthe1st LUMLEY FLATS DUKEOFWESTMINSTER.LumleyFlatswasoneofalarge numberof‘modeldwellings’ builtbyphilanthropiststo housethepoorinthe19thcentury.Thearchways, open stairwells, brickworkandcontrastingtilingroundthe entranceareallcharacteristicofsuchdwellings.

  4. Here,asintheneighbouringstreets,notethewellmaintainedhouses,thecarefulpreservationofdetailsof18thcenturystreetscapeinironrailingsand lampbrackets.Grosvenortakesanactive roleinmanagingitsEstateandresidents Days’asforhiseffortstoreformpublicschooleducationin England.Theauthorof‘Frankenstein’,MARYSHELLEY,lived atNO24ChesterSquareafterthedeathofherhusband,PERCYBYSSHESHELLEYuntilherowndeathin1851. GUYBURGESS,aForeignOfficeofficialandsecretmemberoftheCommunistParty,livedforatimeinChesterSquare.BurgessandDonaldMaclean,anotherspy,defectedtotheUSSRin1951. NOEL COWARD arealsoexpectedtoplaytheirpartinconservingthis historicalareaofLondon. WalkbackdowntheothersideofChesterSquaretoSTMICHAEL’SCHURCHatthesouthwesternendofthe Square,designedby THOMASCUNDYII.Inside,thescreenbehindthealtarisofItalianalabaster;thepaintingofStMartinissaidtobefromthestudioof VANDYCK. WalkintoElizabethStreetagain•andturnright,passing EatonMewsWestandBoscobelPlaceonyourleftand right• StraightaheadisEatonSquare•one ofthejewelsinBelgravia’scrown. DesignedbyTHOMASCUBITTinthePalazzostyle,constructionbeganin1826 andwasn’tcompleteduntil1855.ThegrandfaçadeswiththeirCorinthianstylecolumncapitalsoverlookprivategardens, CrossElizabethStreet•withitschic,individualshopsand headforChesterSquare•Thisenclaveofmagnoliastuccosixstoreyhouseswithpillaredporchesarounda privategardenwasrecentlyvotedLondon’ssecondbest houseaddress,outshoneonlybyneighbouringEatonSquare.ChesterSquarewasoneofthethreeoriginalsquaresconceivedbyTHOMASCUNDYwhenheoriginallyplanned theBelgraviaEstateinresponsetothegrandvisionofthe1stMARQUESSOFWESTMINSTERinthe1820s.(The otherswereEatonandBelgrave).Lookuptoseetheforestsofchimneypots,characteristicofatimewhentheonlyformofheatingwascoal.Coalwasdeliveredtocellarsthroughroundholessetintothepavement;manyofthecellarcovers arestillvisible. QUEENWILHELMINAOFTHENETHERLANDSlivedat NO77ChesterSquarefrom1940to1945.MATTHEW ARNOLD,poetandcriticlivedatNO2 ChesterSquare.In1851hewas appointedInspectorofSchoolsandiscreditedwithgreatlyimprovingthe educationsystem.Hisfather,THOMASARNOLD,wasHeadmasterofRugby partofthe6hectares(16acres)ofgardenswithinGrosvenor’sBelgraviaand MayfairEstates.EatonSquarewasoriginallythebeginning oftheroyalroute(theKing’sRoad)fromStJames’sPalacetoHamptonCourt.PastoccupiersoftheSquareinclude NEVILLECHAMBERLAIN,LORDJOHNRUSSELLand STANLEYBALDWIN–allexPrimeMinisters–together withVIVIENLEIGHandLORDBOOTHBY. THOMAS CUBITT Schoolandbecameasfamousfor hisportrayalin‘TomBrown’sSchool A STUDY KNOWNAS ‘TOM BROWN’S IN RUGBY SCHOOL

  5. DUCHESSOFKENT,for£2,000a year.By1860,3dukes,13otherpeersand13MembersofParliamenthadlivedintheSquare. ContinuestraightonoverthetrafficlightsintoLyallStreet •ThomasCubittlivednearbyatNO3LyallStreet.BorninNorfolkin1788,hewasaship’scarpenterbeforesettingup asaspeculativebuilderin1811.TurnrightintoEatonMews North•originallythehomeofthehorsesandservantsforthehousesinEatonSquare.NowthequietseclusionofthecottagesgivesthemewsavillagefeelinsharpcontrasttothegrandeurofEatonSquare. Today,thehousesareoccupiedmainlybyembassies,institutions KITCHENER LIVED AT NO17 BELGRAVE SQUARE andoffices,withonly9remainingasprivatehomes. Ifyoudaretobravethetraffic,crosstheroadtothe gardensinthemiddleoftheSquaretoreadtheinscriptiononthestatueofCHRISTOPHERCOLUMBUSatthesouthwestcorner.ThestatuewasagiftfromSpain‘dedicatedtothepeopleoftheAmericasonthe500thanniversaryofthe encounterofthetwoworlds.’AtthesoutheastcornerofthesquareyoucanseeabronzeofSIMONBOLIVAR,theLiberatorofSouthAmerica,erectedin1974tocommemorateBolivar’slinkswithEngland. NoticethearchwaydecoratedwithGrosvenor’straditional symbolofawheatsheaf,andthecobbledroadwithguttering –areminderofwhenhorseswerestabledthere. Halfwaydownthemewsturnleftthrough anotherarchway,thenrightintoEaton Place•NO93wasThomasCubitt’soffice.In 1848CHOPINgavehisfirstconcertatNO99 EatonPlace.LORDKELVIN,scientist,lived atNO15andLORDAVEBURY,scientist, politicianandauthorwasbornatNO29. Closebyinthegardenisastatue‘HOMAGE TOLEONARDO’The VitruvianMan,conceivedbyENZO PLAZOTTAandcompletedbyhisassistantin1982.NoticealsothestatuetoGENERALJOSÉDESANMARTIN,theLiberatorofArgentina,ChileandPeru,oppositeNO49,theresidenceoftheArgentineAmbassador. CHOPIN • TurnleftintoBelgravePlace•AheadofyouisBelgrave Square, plannedasthecentrepieceoftheBelgraviaEstate • Thisareawasthesceneofveryearlyattemptsat ballooning.Later,thegrandhousesinBelgraveSquarewerebuiltofbricksmadefromclaydugfromthesite.ThestreetswereraisedupwithspoilexcavatedfromSt.Katherine’s • DocknexttotheTowerofLondon.Fromthe beginning,themagnificentterraces, speculativelybuilt,wereamagnetforthe • aristocracy.QUEENVICTORIAgave BelgraveSquaretheroyalsealof approvalwhensherenteda • house(NO36)forhermother,the HavingwalkedaroundtheSquareinananti-clockwise direction,endingatNO14,bearleftintoHalkinPlace•Ifyouneedabreak,walkthroughthearchwayonyourleft intoBelgraveMewsWesttoTheSTARTAVERN,several timeswinnerofthePubsinBloomcompetitionandalsoformerrendezvousoftheGREATTRAINROBBERS. Otherwise,turnrightalongHalkinPlacetothejunction withWestHalkinStreet• QUEEN VICTORIA 1846

  6. aswellasprivateresidents.Followthestreet,pasttheNag’s HeadpubandTheWiltonArms,thenturnrighttoemerge inWiltonPlace•builtin1825toconnectBelgraviawith Knightsbridge.OppositeisST.PAUL’SCHURCH,Knightsbridge,builtin1843. • AheadofyouisTheBelfry,builtin1830asa PresbyterianChurchandnowMosimann’sprivateclubandrestaurant.•Continuealong totheendofWestHalkinStreet,turnrightand immediatelyrightagainintoMotcombStreet • withitsrangeofantiqueshops,fashion boutiques,galleries,etc.andnoticethe (Ifyouwanttofinishhere,turnleftintoWiltonPlacethen leftorrightintoKnightsbridgefortubesandbuses.) MOSIMANN’S ironworkbalconiesabovetheshops.Like ElizabethStreetinsouthBelgravia,thisis‘thehighstreet’fornorthBelgravia. Otherwise,turnrightdownWiltonPlace,thenleftinto WiltonCrescent •namedafterthe1stEARLOFWILTON,father-in-lawtothe1stMARQUESSOF WESTMINSTER.Noticethecurving Cubittterraceswhichwererefacedwithstoneearlythiscentury.Turnleftinto WiltonRow•withitspaintedcottagesandwindowboxes.Pausetolookatthecourtyardmewsontheright–oneofBelgravia’sdelightful‘hidden’places.TotherightoftheGRENADIERPUB(complete WalkalongMotcombStreet,untilyoureachthePANTECHNICON,builtin1830asastoragewarehouseandrebuilt,completewithdoriccolumnsin1870,afterafire.ThePantechniconnowservesastheimposing entrancetotheHALKINARCADE. LookingthroughthearchattheendoftheArcade,thesculptureyouseeis‘FOUNTAINHEAD’byGEOFFREY WICKHAM(1971).BoththeArcadeandWestHalkinStreetarenamedafterHALKYNCASTLE,originallya Grosvenorfamilypropertyin withsentryboxoutside)andwhich usedtobefrequentedbyofficersfrom thelocalbarracks,walkthroughthegateinthelatticed fencetoreachOldBarrackYard•anarrowstreetofterracedcottages.Thiswasoriginallytheentrancetoacow pastureuntilabarracksforaregimentofFootGuardswas builtin1758.In1826theareawasleasedbyTHOMASPHILLIPS,acornmerchantandpublicanwho,in1830,builta mazeofnarrowstreets,cottagesandstables. GRENADIER PUB Flintshire. HALKYN CASTLE TakethefirstleftintoKinnertonStreet•withTheTURK’SHEADPUBonthecorner.KinnertonStreetisa smallwindingstreetandwasoriginallytheserviceroadfor WiltonPlaceand WiltonCrescent.In1854thestreetwas occupiedbyacow-keeper,asaddler,twotailors,aplumber,a wheelwright,agrocerandtwosellersofasses’milk(thoughttobebeneficialtohealthandusedinnearbyhospitals).Today,itishometoanumberofshopsandsmallbusinesses Attheendofthestreet,walkthroughthearchandgatein thewallonyourrighttoGrosvenorCrescentMews•Ifthegateislocked,turnleftandfollowtheroaduntilyou arriveinKnightsbridge.HydePark, probablyLondon’smost

  7. famouspark, isdirectlyaheadofyou.Turnright,andcontinue walkinguntilyoureachHydeParkCorner. THELANESBOROUGHHOTEL,standingonthesiteoftheformerSTGEORGE’SHOSPITALisonyourright.TurnrightintoGrosvenorPlace,thenrightagainintoGrosvenorCrescentand,finally,rightagainintoGrosvenorCrescent Mews.Fromhereyoucanresumethewalkfrom•above.GrosvenorCrescentMewswasextensivelyrestoredbyGrosvenorin1996.Noticethewonderful wisteriathathasgracedthewallsofNO27forthebestpartofacentury.NO32was,untiladisastrousfire,homeofoneofthelastworkingstablesincentralLondon. WallbyinternationallyrenownedartistAndyGoldsworthy.Theroutenowwindsdownthroughaseriesofdelightful mewstowardsVictoriaStationandtheendofourwalk. AttheendofMontrosePlace,crossChapelStreet•and turnright,thenimmediatelyleftintoGroomPlace•Followtheroadtotheright(notingaparishboundarymarkdated1821onthewallofNO11)pasttheHorseand GroomPubuntilyoureachChesterStreet. CrossChesterStreet•andwalkdownquietWilton Mews•passingtheGrouseandClaretpubontheleft, emerginginWiltonStreet• (Ifyouwanttofinishyourwalkhere,turnleftinto GrosvenorCrescentandleftagainintoGrosvenorPlace toreachbusesandtubesatHydeParkCorner). CrosstoanirongateinthewallatthesideofStPeter’s Church,EatonSquare,andwalkroundthechurchyardto thefrontofthebuilding.Thiswasthefirstbuilding inEatonSquare,designedbyHENRYHAKEWELLin1824. StPeter’swasbadlydamagedbyfirein1987,butisnowfullyrestored.Ifthesidegateisclosed,walk roundviaUpperBelgraveStreet•.Fromthefrontstepsofthechurch,youcanenjoyoneofthebestviewsoftheterracesofEatonSquare.From here,eitherturnleftandcontinue downtowardsLowerBelgrave Street•and,finally,turn leftintoBuckingham PalaceRoad•fortubes, trainsandbusesat Victoria,orreturnto SloaneSquare. TurnrightdownthesweepingcurveofGrosvenor CrescentforaviewofBELGRAVESQUARE •33 fromthenortheast.Thecrescentwasbuiltinthe1860s–asan afterthought–tobeaformalentrance toBelgravia.Toyourright,atthejunction ofGrosvenorCrescentandWiltonCrescent,youwillseeastatueofthe1stMARQUESSOF 1st MARQUESS WESTMINSTER.Thisstatuewascommissionedbythepresent DUKEOFWESTMINSTERtocommemoratehisancestor,themanoriginallyresponsibleforplanninganddeveloping theFiveFieldsintotheBelgraviaweknowtoday.Thestatue wassculptedbyJONATHANWYLDER,alocalsculptorwithagalleryinMotcombStreet.TurnleftintoHalkinStreet• thenrightintoMontrosePlace. AtNO10 •istheSlate OF WESTMINSTER ST PETER’S CHURCH

  8. COMMEMORATIVEPLAQUES ON GROSVENOR’S BELGRAVIA ESTATE PRINCEMETTERNICH(1773-1859) Austrianstatesmanandchancellor,livedat 44EATONSQUAREin1848afterfleeingrevolutioninVienna MATTHEWARNOLD(1822-1888) Poet,criticandeducationalist,livedat 2CHESTERSQUARE(1858-1868) WALTERBAGEHOT(1826-1877) Writer,bankerandeconomist,livedat 12UPPERBELGRAVESTREET(1861-1870) GEORGEMOORE(1852-1933) Novelist,livedanddiedat 121EBURYSTREET(1911-1933) STANLEYBALDWIN(1stEARLOFBEWDLEY)(1867-1947) PrimeMinister,livedat93EATONSQUARE(1913-1924) GEORGEBENTHAM(1800-1884) Botanist,livedat25 WILTONPLACE(1864-1884) WOLFGANGAMADEUSMOZART(1756-1791) Composer,wrotehisfirstsymphonyat 180EBURYSTREETin1764 SIRHENRYCAMPBELL-BANNERMAN(1836-1908) PrimeMinister,livedat6GROSVENORPLACE HAROLDNICHOLSON(1886-1968) andVITASACKVILLE-WEST(1892-1962) Writersandgardeners,livedat182EBURYSTREET VISCOUNTCECILOFCHELWOOD(1864-1958) CreatoroftheLeagueofNations,livedat 16SOUTHEATONPLACE(1922-1958) PHILIPNOEL-BAKER(1889-1982) Olympicsportsmanandcampaignerforpeaceand disarmament,livedat16SOUTHEATONPLACE NEVILLECHAMBERLAIN(1869-1940) PrimeMinister,livedat37EATONSQUARE(1923-1935) DAMEEDITHEVANS(1888-1976) Actress,livedat109EBURYSTREET GEORGEPEABODY(1795-1869) Americanphilanthropistandhousingreformer,diedat 80EATONSQUARE WILLIAMEWART(1798-1869) Reformerresponsibleforthefoundationoffreepubliclibraries,livedat16EATONPLACE(1830-1838) LIEUTENANTGENERALAUGUSTUSPITT-RIVERS(1827-1900) Anthropologistandarchaeologist,livedat 4GROSVENORGARDENS IANFLEMING(1908-1964) NovelistandcreatorofJamesBond,livedat 22EBURYSTREET FREDERICKEDWINSMITH(EARLOFBIRKENHEAD) Lawyerandstatesman(1872-1930),livedat 32GROSVENORGARDENS(1915-1930) HENRYGRAY(1827-1861) Anatomist,livedat8 WILTONSTREET ALFRED,LORDTENNYSON(1809-1892) Poet,livedat9UPPERBELGRAVESTREET(1800-1881) LORDKELVIN(1824-1907) Immunologist,livedat15EATONPLACE VIVIENLEIGH(1913-1967) Actress,livedat54EATONSQUARE EDWARDWOOD,(1stEARLOFHALIFAX)(1881-1959) Statesman,ViceroyofIndiaandForeignSecretary,livedat 86EATONSQUARE SIRJOHNLUBBOCK(BARONAVEBURY)(1834-1913) MPandarchitectoftheBankHolidaysActwasbornat 29EATONPLACE SOURCES:ENGLISHHERITAGE(1991-1998).THEBLUEPLAQUEGUIDETOLONDON,CAROLINEDAKERS (1982).THEBLUEPLAQUESOFLONDON, LMPALIS(1989)

  9. www.grosvenorlettings.co.ukwww.grosvenor.comwww.grosvenorlondon.comwww.grosvenorlettings.co.ukwww.grosvenor.comwww.grosvenorlondon.com

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