Alexander Square (North and South)

The Thurloe Estate was a wedge of land within the larger Henry Smith's Charity Estate that was owned by descendants of Sir William Blake (d.1630) and became the Thurloe Estate when Blake's descendent Anna Maria Browne conveyed it to John Thurloe Brace, her second husband, on their marriage in 1713. John Thurloe Brace was grandson to John Thurloe (1616-1668), Oliver Cromwell's Secretary of State. In 1799 the estate passed to John Alexander, who was a descendent of Anna Maria Browne's first husband and also godson to John Thurloe Brace's son Harris. John Alexander expanded the estate in 1808 when he purchased the Bell and Horns Inn from Lord Kensington, Lord of the Manor of Earls Court. He did not begin development until 1826 when he drew up a building agreement with the speculative builder James Bonnin to develop Alexander Square, the eastern terraces of South Street, Alfred Place, North Terrace, Alexander Place and York Cottages. Their agreement stipulated that the buildings should conform to the overall design of John Alexander's surveyor who at that time may have been the architect George Godwin the elder, who later lived at No. 24 Alexander Square. His son George Godwin the younger also lived here, himself an architect and the first editor of 'The Builder'. In 1829 George Basevi was appointed architect when the square was under construction.

The South and North Terraces were built in 1827 and 1830 respectively, flanking the square north and south; Basevi was responsible for the north group. The two terraces are bisected by Alexander Place, built in 1829. After John Alexander's death in 1831, the work was continued by his son Henry Browne Alexander and the second phase of building began from 1840, which included Thurloe Square (q.v.).

The two terraces are fronted by private roadway and between this and the main road are narrow garden enclosures with railings to the front, well planted with trees. In 1928, according to the Report of the Royal Commission on London Squares, the two enclosures were owned by Lady George Campbell, at which time two-thirds of the land was being conveyed to Kensington Borough Council for road-making purposes, with a proposal to build over the remainder of the enclosure, a narrow strip 10 feet wide, and on the roadway between the enclosure and the houses facing it. The LCC had consented to this project and an Order had been obtained from Quarter Sessions to 'stop up the roadway'.

Famous residents of Alexander Square include the bookseller and publisher John Murray.