Description
This is the private communal garden for residents of Coleherne Court, a large mansion block built in the early C20th, and the last remaining area of the Gunther Estate to be developed. It was on the site of a former property, Coleherne House, that dated from at least the late C18th. The private garden is visible through the gate with brick arch on Old Brompton Road.
Practical Information
| Site location | The Little Boltons/Old Brompton Road/Redcliffe Gardens |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW5 0ED |
| What3Words | ///sling.gears.larger |
| Type of Site | Housing/Estate Landscaping |
| Borough | Kensington & Chelsea |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | private |
| Public Transport | Tube: Earl's Court (District, Piccadilly). London Overground/Tube (District): West Brompton. |
| Research Updated | 1 October 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
This was the last remaining area of the Gunter Estate to be developed, a large mansion block named Coleherne Court designed by Walter Cave, Surveyor to the Estate, with associate architect Paul Hoffmann. It was described by Nikolaus Pevsner (Buildings of England) as 'a cheerful mixture of Tudor and Georgian motifs'. It was built on the site of an older property that had existed from at least the C18th; in 1795 William Bolton had purchased Coleherne or the Homefield and subsequently sold it to Robert Gunter in 1807. Coleherne House is shown on maps of 1822 and 1863, in which it is re-named Coleherne Court.
The Gunters had made their money selling confectionery; James Gunter had become a partner of successful Italian pastrycook Domenico Negri, whose business at 7 Berkeley Square was established in 1757 and soon became prosperous. James began investing his money in land in the then rural area around Brompton Lane (now Old Brompton Road), including a house to the north, Earls Court House, where the family lived. When his son Robert inherited the business on his death in 1819 the land holding was considerable. But although some plots had been let for building by the mid 1840s, 73 of the estate's c.81 acres remained undeveloped and leased to farmers and market gardeners. From the late 1840s Robert Gunter began to develop the estate lands, beginning with The Boltons and moving north and east with large houses and terraces. His sons James and Robert continued to develop the estate following his death in 1852. George Godwin was appointed estate surveyor in 1848, joined by his brother Henry, who continued after George's death in 1888.
The Gunters had made their money selling confectionery; James Gunter had become a partner of successful Italian pastrycook Domenico Negri, whose business at 7 Berkeley Square was established in 1757 and soon became prosperous. James began investing his money in land in the then rural area around Brompton Lane (now Old Brompton Road), including a house to the north, Earls Court House, where the family lived. When his son Robert inherited the business on his death in 1819 the land holding was considerable. But although some plots had been let for building by the mid 1840s, 73 of the estate's c.81 acres remained undeveloped and leased to farmers and market gardeners. From the late 1840s Robert Gunter began to develop the estate lands, beginning with The Boltons and moving north and east with large houses and terraces. His sons James and Robert continued to develop the estate following his death in 1852. George Godwin was appointed estate surveyor in 1848, joined by his brother Henry, who continued after George's death in 1888.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ258782 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.4355 |
| Site Ownership | Coleherne Court Freehold Ltd |
| Dates | 1901-3/4 |
| Designers | Walter Cave |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Kensington & Chelsea |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Now public, this was originally the private communal garden provided for residents of the houses that surround it, built as part of the Gunter Estate. The western area of the estate, including Redcliffe Square, commenced in the mid 1860s; the name reflects the Bristol connections of estate surveyor George Godwin. The garden is bisected by Redcliffe Gardens, now a busy road, once one of the old routes through the area. To the east is the recreation ground with island beds set in lawn, seating and perimeter trees. In the west the site is largely taken up by St Luke's Church, built 1872-3; the church forecourt is used for parking and the site boundary has London plane trees.
Bolton Gardens are the private communal gardens provided for residents of the houses that surround it, which were built as part of the Gunter Estate development that took place in the area from the 1840s. The garden was laid out with shrubberies, lawn, flower beds and trees; lessees of Nos.1-23 Bolton Gardens had access on payment of enclosure rent.
Private communal gardens provided for residents of the houses that surround it, which were built as part of the Gunter Estate development from 1840s onwards. Many of the street names reflect the family's connections in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Bramham Gardens, a late square begun in 1883, is larger than many others in the area. The central garden was laid out simply and formally for the use of freeholders and lessees of adjacent houses, who paid a rent for upkeep. As with many garden squares, the original railings were removed for the war effort but have been replaced by replicas in the 1990s. The garden is shaded by tall plane trees.