The London Shoes category about London’s unique Mews Streets and Houses always seems to generate quite a lot of interest and feedback these days, especially via the London Shoes website, where I regularly receive emails from all around the world, either enquiring about a particular mews Street blog – or – simply referencing a particular mews street/house that the writer may have had a personal connection with.
Because of the topic’s popularity, I have consciously tried to ‘cover-off’ any interesting mews streets ones that I may pass when out on my normal Shoes excursions – and this particular blog article is about one that I stumbled upon the other day.
“CRANLEY MEWS – LONDON SW7”
Tucked away in South Kensington, between the Old Brompton Road and the Fulham Road, lies the quiet cobbled street of ‘Cranley Mews’.
The street was laid out sometime between 1840 and 1880 during a time of serious architectural building and development in the South Kensington area of London.
As with the majority of London’s mews streets – the houses within it were originally built as 2 storey properties to accommodate the horses/coaches/coachmen/stable hands and sometimes staff in service, working for the wealthy owners of the massive Victorian mansions in the surrounding busier main streets.
The customary mews house layout usually consisted of large stables on the ground floor to house the horses and carriages – with small rooms upstairs to accommodate the coachmen and stable hands.
As the decades progressed and the introduction of the motor car gradually lessened the need for horses – the purpose and usefulness of London’s mews streets and houses slowly began to decline – and in many cases, these unique streets and houses were left abandoned with some viewed as slum areas.
However – by the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, they suddenly started to become popular again – when the old ground floor stable areas and in some cases the old haylofts, were converted into modernised living spaces and rooms – as were the old upstairs living quarters.
By the time of London’s ‘Swinging Sixties’ the old mews houses were very much in demand – especially by celeb artists/actors/film and pop stars – and that interest and demand has carried on right up to today.
Cranley Mews was the location of one of the scenes in the 1994 released blockbuster film “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.
It is said that London’s very own “Adele” once had a property down Cranley Mews.
Today (2026) there are up to 52 properties down the cobbled Cranley Mews street – and to buy one of the unique houses down there would set up back on average around £2m to £2.5m
The mews houses of Cranley Mews are not individually Grade II Listed, but because they are situated in strict conservation area, they are fully protected and managed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
So – having ambled down Cranley Mews in addition to undertaking another blog topic – my London Shoes were in need of a little liquid sustenance – and just down the road, I stumbled upon a pub called the “Hollywod Arms” and so popped in for a cheeky little dinky donks.
The Hollywood Arms was built in 1865 and constructed in a Gothic style. It has 2 entrances plus what was once a carriageway, alongside it.
The site the pub is built on has a bit of quirky history behind it, as back in 1784, it was the site of one of Britain’s earliest manned balloon ascents – undertaken by the famous French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard – hence the reason for the balloon characterised wall paper on the 1st floor near the toilets.
It was taken over by the ‘Young & Co’ brewery in 2006 and underwent an extensive redevelopment and refurb – it is now very much an up-market gastro-pub
Many of the pubs original Victorian fixtures & fittings are still in situ, and the building is Grade II Listed protected.
So – that’s another “London’s Mews Streets & Houses” blog knocked out and published – always good to visit them during the summer months, and always a pleasure to amble down these unique and quiet cobbled streets and appreciate their history.
Hope you enjoyed the article and its accompanying photos
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See below the entire gallery of photos taken to accompany this London Shoes article
”Cranley Mews’, is tucked away in South Kensington, between the Old Brompton Road and the Fulham Road – London SW7
This mews street was laid out sometime between 1840 and 1880 during a time of serious architectural building and development in the South Kensington area of London.
As with the majority of London’s mews streets – the houses mews houses in Cranley Mews were originally built as 2 storey properties to accommodate the horses/coaches/coachmen/stable hands and sometimes staff in service, working for the wealthy owners of the massive Victorian mansions in the surrounding busier main streets.
Me & my London Shoes – at one of the 2 entrances to Cranley Mews
Like all the other of London’s mews streets and houses, the Cranley Mews house layout usually consisted of large stables on the ground floor to house the horses and carriages – with small rooms upstairs to accommodate the coachmen and stable hands.
Cranley Mews – (2026)
As the decades progressed and the introduction of the motor car gradually lessened the need for horses – the purpose and usefulness of London’s mews streets and houses slowly began to decline – and in many cases, these unique streets and houses were left abandoned with some viewed as slum areas.
However – by the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, they suddenly started to become popular again – when the old ground floor stable areas and in some cases the old haylofts, were converted into modernised living spaces and rooms – as were the old upstairs living quarters.
However – by the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, they suddenly started to become popular again – when the old ground floor stable areas and in some cases the old haylofts, were converted into modernised living spaces and rooms – as were the old upstairs living quarters.
Cranley Mews was the location of one of the scenes in the 1994 released blockbuster film “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.
Me & my London Shoes – down in Cranley Mews – South Kensington – London SW7
By the time of London’s ‘Swinging Sixties’ the old mews houses, including those in Cranley Mews, were very much in demand – especially by celeb artists/actors/film and pop stars – and that interest and demand has carried on right up to today. It is said that London’s very own “Adele” once had a property down Cranley Mews.
Today (2026) there are up to 52 properties down the cobbled Cranley Mews street – and to buy one of the unique houses down there would set up back on average around £2m to £2.5m
Me & my London Shoes in Cranley Mews as it is today (2026)
Having spent some time ambling down Cranley Mews – me and my London Shoes were in need of a little liquid sustenance – and just down the road, in Hollywood Road-South Kensington – I stumbled upon a pub called the “Hollywood Arms” and so popped in for a quick cheeky beer.
The Hollywood Arms was built in 1865 and constructed in a Gothic style.
Many of the pubs original Victorian fixtures & fittings are still in situ, and the building is Grade II Listed protected.
Inside the ‘Hollywood Arms’ pub – South Kensington
The site the pub is built on has a bit of quirky history behind it, as back in 1784, it was the site of one of Britain’s earliest manned balloon ascents – undertaken by the famous French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard – hence the reason for the balloon characterised wall paper on the 1st floor near the toilets.
Inside the ‘Hollywood Arms’ pub – South Kensington
A refreshingly cool cheeky beer just waiting to be consumed by my London Shoes – in the ‘Hollywood Arms’ pub in South Kensington
Me & my London Shoes knocking back a cheeky one in the ‘Hollywood Arms’ pub in South Kensington London – following an enjoyable amble down Cranley Mews – London SW7
I’ve always said, you might not know if I’d won the lottery, but there would be signs … 😆
Nice article Geoff . I always think these are far more attractive than the boring mansion blocks.cant help but think of Steven , Christine Mandy Profumo and hear dusty springfield in my ears . That story fascinates me
How interesting it would be to be able to visit and go inside one of these Mews properties.
Always interesting to imagine the horses downstairs and the staff up above,