Earl's Court Square

This was developed as part of the Edwardes Estate and building began from 1868/72, the south side the last to be completed. The name is from the courthouse of the Earls of Warwick and Holland who were formerly Lords of the Manor in the C18th. The late C19th stuccoed terraces have Italianate features; the south terrace was built in red brick with Jacobean motifs from 1888. The OS map of 1894 shows the square as a simple rectangle with paths leading to a central circular feature, and paths around the edge. Protected under 1851 Garden Square Act. Owned by Lord Iveagh, in 1928 the square was described as a 'rectangular area surrounded by a sparse privet hedge. Attractively laid out as a lawn with a small flower bed in the middle, and contains some fine trees'. Lessees of houses in the square had the benefit of the garden, in some cases paying garden rents under their lease. It was maintained by a Committee of those entitled to use the gardens with rules and regulations approved by Lord Iveagh, the ground landlord, who made a yearly allowance to cover expense in excess of the garden rents received. The gardens had tennis courts at that time, the tennis club under the control of the garden committee and contributing additional expenses for this use.

However, in later years the garden was not well maintained by its owners and the Residents Association was formed to rectify this. They had the garden adopted under the Kensington Improvement Act of 1851 whereby it is run by a Garden Committee established in 1974 comprised of ratepayers of the houses that overlook it with a special rate levied for the purpose. Since that time improvements have included new steel railings, an irrigation system and flood-lighting, new garden shed, circular seating around the central plane tree and children's play equipment. In 1984 a tree-planting ceremony commemorated the 10th anniversary of the Garden Committee.