*London’s magnificent “Mews Houses & Streets”-Pt4 St. Luke’s Mews W11 & Kendrick Mews SW7

With there being a noticeable and favourable change in the weather up there in the London skies, for a couple of days last week – my London Shoes took advantage and undertook a day out to do  ‘Part 4’ of its long established blog category …..”London’s Magnificent Mews Houses & Streets”.

This particular jaunt out had Shoes heading out to the Notting Hill and then South Kensington districts of the ‘Smoke’.

As with all of London’s mews ‘cottages/houses and streets’ – they were all once stables and coach houses, with cramped accommodation above – and were all connected to the massive houses in the often adjoining or nearby streets. The mews houses were where the coachmen & women and other ‘servants’ to London’s wealthy – would sleep/live whilst attending to their ‘masters’ 24/7.

Although from a bygone age – there are still many ‘Mews’ streets and houses scattered throughout certain areas on London – particularly in parts of Notting Hill / Holland Park and Kensington – and what were once probably viewed as run down cramped residencies for London’s poorer working classes – they are now classed as some of London’s most sought after and expensive properties.

One of many such examples of these magnificent mews streets/houses, can be found down in Notting Hill-London W11 – where, just a 5 min walk from Westbourne Park tube station – you will find the lovely “St. Luke’s Mews”.

The cobbled street of St. Luke’s Mews has seen many changes throughout the past few centuries – with most of its buildings built back in the late 1700’s.

This mews street along with many other nearby streets took a hammering during the WW2 blitz – but most of its mews houses and stable & coach house structures are still in situ – as are some of their unique hinges and other fixtures – all custom made today, of course.

Obviously, the old stables/coach houses and their ‘living quarters’ – have been long since customised as the times and their occupiers have changed throughout the past couple of centuries.

Planning permission in today’s world has allowed balconies, extensions, roof gardens and even basements to be added to these beautiful little houses and apartments – all of which only adds to the value of these most sought-after properties.

St. Luke’s Mews is not the ‘poshest’ of London’s mews streets, but it is one of the most visited – from people all over the world, who make a pilgrimage to it for one reason – and that is its relevance to the 2003 all-time blockbuster rom-com film “Love Actually”.!!!!

In this most popular of films, the main character ‘Juliet’ (played by Keira Knightly) lives at “no.27 St. Luke’s Mews” – the noticeable ‘pink’ house in the film.

No.27 St. Luke’s Mews is still in situ and is still pink in colour as per it was in the film – and every year literally thousands of overseas plus Brit visitors to the ‘Smoke’, have no.27 St. Luke’s Mews on their visit ’to do list’ – to the extent that it is probably up there as being one of the most photographed houses in London. For example – when I was there, I counted off at least 12 people wandering up St. Luke’s and taking selfies outside its front door – it must be a nightmare for no.27’s current occupiers – and the other residents of St. Luke’s Mews.

So – having spent an enjoyable time down in the always exciting Notting Hill, exploring the tranquillity of St. Luke’s Mews – my London Shoes legged it the (just under) 3 miles south west to swanky South Kensington, in search of the next ‘Mews’ on my list for the day…..namely “Kendrick Mews” London SW7.

Just a couple of minutes’ walk from busy South Kensington tube station, just down the Old Brompton Road, is the small narrow turning ‘Kendrick Place’ at the bottom of which sits ‘Kendrick Mews’ plus the very small attachment of ‘Reece Mews’.

Kendrick Mews is just a small cobbled cul-de-sac, within the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

It’s a little bit different from your average mews street as it houses both residential and commercial buildings.

It has a legacy of being a popular hang out for antique dealers and artists – and it even has a very up-market high-end car dealers located down there.

As you enter Kendrick Mews and Reece Mews, from its Old Brompton Road end – you can’t help but notice a distinctive ‘snow scene’ mural on the side of a building.

This unusual mural was commissioned a few years back by a ski-holiday and apartment specialists, who were based in the mews.

Also on display in Kendrick Mews is a blue plaque commemorating the legendary artist ‘Francis Bacon’ who was probably most famous for his human form paintings. Francis Bacon lived in and worked from one of the mews houses – from 1961 to 1992 – and his relevance to Kendrick Mews is also captured within the ski-scene mural – where he is one of the mural’s characters.

As is customary on a Shoes day out– before heading off back home, I looked around for an interesting pub where I could enjoy some liquid refreshment – and deep in a very quiet and rather posh back-street street of ‘Saaf Ken’ I stumbled upon the “Anglesea Arms”.

This 1825 built pub used to stand in the middle of what was once a massive market garden district of London – and today it is one of the very few privately owned ‘free houses’ in London.

It has a full range of independent real ales (not my cuppa tea) plus it has its own dining room – very plush and very comfy.

However – as the sun was out and not a cloud in the London sky, I decided to buy myself a couple of cheeky ‘organic’ lagers, go all al-fresco and sit outside in the street – to soak up some rays for the first time this year – and very pleasant it was too.

Would most definitely recommend the ‘Anglesea Arms’ to anyone looking for a decent boozer in ‘Saaf Ken’ – I will definitely return.

So – that’s “London’s Magnificent Mews Houses & Streets” Part 4 category of Shoes blogs. There’s a load more on my ‘to do list’ to come – which hopefully I will get around to knocking out this summer.

 

Hope you enjoyed this piece and its accompanying photos.

 

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See below the full gallery of photos taken to support this Mews Houses & Streets blog