33 Kensington Square

Heritage Site in Middlesex

England

33 Kensington Square

Philanthropic dwellings, Lillie Road, SW6 Names over the entrances identify &#039;Block A&#039; and &#039;Block B&#039; - rather heartlessly, it seems to me - as if this were a penal colony. Looking at the style of the block, my guess was that these are (or were) Peabody buildings - and other contributions confirm that this is the case. They must date from about 1900.

On a Friday evening in August the street was rather busier than the image suggests - I waited for a gap in pedestrian traffic. — Philanthropic dwellings, Lillie Road, SW6 Credit: Stefan Czapski

33 Kensington Square, Middlesex is a historic heritage site located in the heart of Kensington, London. This Grade II listed building stands as a testament to the architectural splendor of the Georgian era. Built in the late 18th century, it showcases the elegance and grandeur that characterizes this period of British history.

The house is constructed in the classic Georgian style, with a symmetrical facade adorned with sash windows, intricate wrought iron railings, and a grand entrance portico. The interior of the building features high ceilings, ornate cornices, and exquisite period features, including original fireplaces and decorative plasterwork.

Throughout its history, 33 Kensington Square has been associated with notable figures. It is believed that the renowned British architect Sir John Soane resided in the house during the early 19th century. Soane is known for his significant contributions to neoclassical architecture and his design of the iconic Bank of England building.

The heritage site has undergone careful restoration to preserve its original features and restore it to its former glory. Today, the building serves as a private residence, offering a glimpse into the opulence and sophistication of Georgian living.

Situated in one of London's most prestigious neighborhoods, 33 Kensington Square is a remarkable example of Georgian architecture and a cherished part of the city's heritage. Its distinctive design and historical significance make it a must-visit for architecture enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

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33 Kensington Square Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 51.501/-0.193 or Grid Reference TQ2579. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Philanthropic dwellings, Lillie Road, SW6

Names over the entrances identify 'Block A' and 'Block B' - rather heartlessly, it seems to me - as if this were a penal colony. Looking at the style of the block, my guess was that these are (or were) Peabody buildings - and other contributions confirm that this is the case. They must date from about 1900. On a Friday evening in August the street was rather busier than the image suggests - I waited for a gap in pedestrian traffic.

Stefan Czapski

Brompton Cemetery: a view towards the colonnades

Much of the northern part of the cemetery is overgrown, in effect left as a nature reserve.

Stefan Czapski

West Brompton station: entrance hall

For as long as I can remember - and that means about half a century - this station has looked shabby. I don't suppose there's much that can be done about the clutter of signs and posters around a railway station. But it is known that the façade was originally symmetrical, with two tall arched windows on either side of the central doorway - the outsize window to the right is a 20th-century alteration. Link

Surely the 'streetscape' would benefit if the building's symmetry were restored? Or am I being too 'architectural'? The big 'orangery' window will let in a lot more daylight - and help limit the building's carbon footprint. A photo taken by Ben Brooksbank in 1963 shows that this area was once something of an urban backwater: Link Local industry included the London factory of the Rover car company, in Seagrave Road, Residential density has increased greatly in the last 30 years, and buildings are far taller than they were in the mid-20th century.

Stefan Czapski

Counters Creek (or the Kensington Canal?) by West Brompton station

Leaving West Brompton station after travelling for the very first time on the West London line, I looked over my shoulder and noticed this body of water and the old seed-heads of reed mace - bullrushes. As a schoolboy I had (for seven years) travelled into town on the District Line, and in those days there were railway sidings here - where the tall block of flats now stands. I'd never suspected that there was a watercourse here, between the station and sidings - there hardly seemed to be room. As for the identity of this body of water, Geograph came to the rescue - in the person of Christopher Hilton. He doesn't seem to have seen this stretch of water, but spotted the remains of a bridge a little further north. TQ2578 : West Brompton: traces of Counters Creek and the Kensington Canal He also suggests that the same watercourse is known as Chelsea Creek where it reaches the Thames: TQ2677 : Former Lots Road Power Station, from the Thames A quick look at a map or two suggests that the boundary between the old boroughs of Fulham (to the west) and Kensington and Chelsea runs along Counters Creek from here right down to the Thames. It's a hypothesis I need to look at in more detail. Incidentally, along the Thames the name 'creek' generally denotes a tidal tributary. It's a bizarre thought, but is it possible that the tide once flowed under the Old Brompton Road?

Stefan Czapski

An Indian Bean Tree in Brompton Cemetery

Seed-cases of the Indian bean tree (Catalpa bignonioides). The name might be considered misleading, as the tree is native to the south-eastern states of the USA. I know of only one other example of this species - a street tree on the Twickenham side of Richmond Bridge (in Duck Walk, I think).

Stefan Czapski

Kempsford Gardens, London, SW5

Stefan Czapski

Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, Hyde Park, London W2

The Princess Diana Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park Opened by the Queen on 6 July 2004 Made from Cornish granite Wheelchair accessible

moska

'Beans' on an Indian Bean Tree, Brompton Cemetery

'Indian' in this instance means Native American. The seed-pods in the picture are fully-grown but still ripening - blackish where they face the sun, still green on the sheltered side. Most are a foot (30cm) or more in length. The Linnean name for this species is Catalpa bignonioides.

Stefan Czapski

An Indian Bean Tree (Catalpa bignonioides) in Brompton Cemetery

By the fourth week of August there was quite a heavy crop of 'beans' on this tree.

Stefan Czapski

Brompton Cemetery: light and shade in a colonnade

This is one of four colonnades that form a circle (or, more accurately, a near-circle). I find it hard to convey - either in words or in pictures - the scale and ambition of the cemetery's colonnades. It is almost as if the Romans had built a Stonehenge or an Avebury in their own style - abandoning it to be adopted as a burial ground by a later civilisation. The building material is limestone of a very warm colour - perhaps Ancaster stone from Lincolnshire.

Stefan Czapski

Rush-hour in Adam & Eve Mews, W8

Adam & Eve Mews is a direct turning off Kensington High Street, not far from the Underground station. At a quarter past six in the evening I dodged through here on my way to Abingdon Villas. I saw not a single motor vehicle and scarcely a living soul - just one resident sitting outside her front door, reading. Good to see that cobbles have survived here.

Stefan Czapski

Abingdon Villas, Kensington W8

Stefan Czapski

War Damage & Inscription, Victoria & Albert Museum

This inscription next to second world war bomb damage can be seen on the gate of the Victoria & Albert Museum facing west onto Exhibition Road.

A J Paxton

Algae Meadow, Exhibition Road, South Kensington

The algae meadow is an installation by Seyi Adelekun & Wayward with the Victoria & Albert Museum. Visitors to the meadow are encouraged to look for wild flower and insect species and to play with the pumps that aerate the tubes that contain algae, feeding them with oxygen and carbon dioxide; the algae, in turn, fertilise the plants in the meadow.

A J Paxton

Yalta Memorial, Thurloe Place, South Kensington

The monument consists of a pillar with concave sides topped by a sculpture entitled Twelve Responses to Tragedy, consisting of twelve heads of men, women and children, joined together and looking out in all directions. A cross is set in the brick paving with inscribed stones at three of the four points. The stone visible in the photo is inscribed, THIS MEMORIAL WAS PLACED HERE BY MEMBERS OF ALL PARTIES IN BOTH HOUSES OF THE PARLIAMENT AND BY MANY OTHER SYMPATHISERS IN MEMORY OF THE COUNTLESS INNOCENT MEN WOMEN AND CHILDREN FROM THE SOVIET UNION AND OTHER EAST EUROPEAN STATES WHO WERE IMPRISONED AND DIED AT THE HANDS OF COMMUNIST GOVERNMENTS AFTER BEING REPATRIATED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR MAY THEY REST IN PEACE A second stone names the sculptor, Angela Conner, and the title of the sculpture. The third is inscribed, THIS SCULPTURE WAS DEDICATED BY THE BISHOP OF FULHAM ON 2ND AUGUST 1986 TO REPLACE THE PREVIOUS MEMORIAL DEDICATED BY THE BISHOP OF LONDON ON 6TH MARCH 1982 WHICH WAS LATER DESTROYED BY VANDALS TO WHOM THE TRUTH WAS INTOLERABLE There is a Wikipedia article here Link

which gives a good account of the Cold War background to this monument. The landscaped area around it is known as the Yalta Memorial Gardens, after the Yalta Conference held in Crimea in February 1945 between Churchill, Stalin and Truman, the leaders of, respectively, the British Empire, the USSR (Soviet Union/Russia) and the USA, to agree the state borders and security of Europe once Germany had been defeated. With the onset of the Cold War between the western and Soviet blocs after 1945 the conference became a subject of intense controversy. This was in part because of the fate of the displaced persons who were returned by the western powers to the USSR and its client states in the east and who are remembered by this monument.

A J Paxton

High Street Kensington Underground station, London

Opened in 1868 as "Kensington High Street" by the Metropolitan Railway on its line from Edgware Road to Gloucester Road. The name was changed to the current one in 1895. View north west towards Notting Hill Gate and Edgware Road.

Nigel Thompson

Gloucester Road Underground station, London

Opened in 1868 as the terminus of the Metropolitan Railway's line from Edgware Road, the line was extended to South Kensington 2 months later. It is now part of London Underground's District and Circle lines. View south west at the forecourt. The nearest building is the 1868 MR station. The red tiled building to the left was opened by the Great Northern Piccadilly & Brompton Railway in 1907 and is now part of the Piccadilly line.

Nigel Thompson

South Kensington Underground station, London

Opened in 1868 by the Metropolitan Railway on what is now the District and Circle lines. View west towards Gloucester Road. At one time there were 4 platforms here. Now the most northerly (shown on the right here) and most southerly (out of sight to the left) are disused, leaving only 2 operational platforms. Below ground, the Great Northern Piccadilly & Brompton Railway opened its own station here in 1907, and this is now part of the Piccadilly line.

Nigel Thompson

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33 Kensington Square is located at Grid Ref: TQ2579 (Lat: 51.501, Lng: -0.193)

Unitary Authority: Kensington and Chelsea

Police Authority: Metropolitan

What 3 Words

///simply.puddles.rescue. Near Kensington, London

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Nearby Amenities

Located within 500m of 51.501,-0.193

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Lat/Long: 51.4979511/-0.1948281

33 Kensington Square

Heritage Site in Middlesex

England

33 Kensington Square

33 Kensington Square Images

What 3 Words

Nearby Locations

Related Wikis

Pontings

High Street Kensington tube station

Kensington Arcade

Kensington Vestry Hall

Kensington High Street

Derry & Toms

Biba

Kensington Roof Gardens

Nearby Amenities

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